Metering Billing and Debt Collection Framework
Framework Description
The National Framework Partnership (NFP) Metering Billing and Debt Collection Framework brings together three linked services: measuring utility use, billing customers for it and recovering unpaid charges. It has no lots, runs until 1 October 2027, and applications for it are closed (it is not a Dynamic Purchasing System). Clients can appoint a supplier directly or run a mini-competition.
Context & Use Case
Public bodies that recharge utilities to residents or tenants, such as landlords running communal heating, use it to cover the whole revenue cycle through one route. A client might call off a meter upgrade, an automated billing service, a debt recovery service, or all three, choosing direct selection for a defined need and mini-competition where price is the deciding factor.
Scope of Services
Metering, from traditional to smart meters Automated billing and invoicing software Debt collection and recovery of outstanding payments
Lots
See framework link
Who Can Apply
Suits metering providers, billing software firms and debt recovery specialists, especially those able to cover more than one stage. The supplier list is fixed, so firms not on it should prepare for the re-procurement, likely around October 2027.
Buyer Benefits
Billing errors and unpaid charges hit a landlord's income directly. Buyers value a route that links accurate metering with automated billing and ethical debt recovery, cutting disputes and keeping cash flowing, without having to procure three separate contracts or manage the hand-offs between three providers.
Next Steps
Appointed suppliers should show how their service connects metering data to billing and collection, since that is the point of a combined framework. Others should plan for the re-procurement due around 1 October 2027, when several related NFP heating and metering frameworks also end, and track the NFP framework page for notices.
How Athena Can Help
A combined metering, billing and collection framework rewards bids that show the whole cycle working together. For the 2027 re-procurement, Athena's framework registration experts can plan your application and position your strengths, including any partnerships that let you cover all three services.
If you are already appointed, our bid and pricing support helps you win mini-competitions with a clear service model and a price that wins. Our public sector bid writing also covers billing and collection tenders from individual landlords.
