Award of EPC Reform Technical Consultation on Lodgement Fees - consultation analysis

Tender description

1.1 The Scottish Government (SG), on behalf of the Scottish Ministers, is seeking to commission a Contractor to undertake the analysis of responses to the public Technical Consultation on Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Reform – Lodgement Fees and Penalty Charges. The overall aim of the contract is to provide robust and timely analysis and reporting on the responses to the consultation, to understand the issues associated with implementing the proposed changes to the level of EPC lodgement fees and the level of penalty charge notices associated with EPC enforcement.1.2 This specification sets out what is required, provides background information on the consultation, and invites Contractors to respond to Schedule 4 (Pricing Schedule) and to Schedule 5 (Form of Tender) to form your tender for the contract.1.3 We welcome bids from individuals, organisations or collaborations / consortia with the appropriate skills and experience. If there is a collaborative bid there must be one lead organisation properly indicated.1.4 EPCs play a key role in Scotland’s property market, ensuring that current or potential owners and tenants have information on a property’s energy efficiency and emissions, and on potential improvements. Over 200,000 are issued every year, engaging with a range of households, workplaces and community buildings across Scotland.1.5 The Scottish Government has a long-standing commitment to improving Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and stakeholders such as the statutory Climate Change Committee or consumer bodies such as Which? have long-advocated the need for reforms that ensure EPCs are of higher quality and provide better information that is aligned with net zero policy objectives.1.6 Following an initial scoping consultation in 2021, we consulted again in 2023 on a final package of proposed reforms to improve the quality of EPCs and make them more fit-for purpose in supporting net zero. The Scottish Government’s response to the 2023 Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Reform Consultation was published on 21 January 2025.1.7 It is vital that consumers are able to trust the EPC assessment process, which is why the Scottish Government will be introducing, alongside the new EPC regulations, strengthened operational governance arrangements for the EPC assessor market to enhance quality assurance for consumers.1.8 The level of EPC lodgement fees have not been revised since 2017 and will need to be updated to support the costs of the new operational framework. We also want to ensure that the level of penalty charges is correct given that these have not been reviewed since 2009, which is why this technical consultation is needed.