The water company is moving away from alliancing with key supply chain partners to an intelligent client model that requires it to strengthen its in-house capabilities.

To deliver this ambition Atkins has been named Strategic Delivery Partner.

It will deliver asset management, project management and technical assurance services to support the utility’s transition, while Mace has secured a role as the Programme Management Office delivery partner.

This will see Mace assist Thames Water with programme management, quality assurance, business systems and processes and governance and risk.

Mace’s team will also support Thames Water build its PMO capabilities with a comprehensive transition plan, selection and training of PMO personnel and development of PMO policies and practices.

Javid Khaliq, Business Unit Director for Energy & Utilities at Mace, said: “Mace is delighted to work with Thames Water again, this time on the largest and most complex capital programme that the UK’s water sector has seen.

“Our Programme Management Office capabilities will help Thames Water successfully transition to an intelligent client model, and we look forward to building this long-term relationship.”

Atkins’ contract is worth £20m over the five-year AMP7 period.

This will see its staff seconded into the asset management and capital delivery functions of Thames Water to advise on future work such as master planning, asset modelling, surveying, data generation and analysis, as well as delivering a range of business-critical strategic studies.

“Our work will involve supporting Thames Water across a breadth of disciplines, providing technical capabilities to the utility company during its transition to an ‘intelligent client’ delivery model, which involves the growth of their internal capabilities to increase control of decision making throughout the delivery process,’’ said Philip Hoare, President Atkins, Engineering, Design & Project Management, SNC-Lavalin.