Norfolk County Council has retendered its highways and infrastructure professional services contract at an estimated value of £103.56m, after an earlier procurement exercise was unable to conclude.
The new arrangement is intended to replace the council’s existing contract with WSP, which is due to expire on or before 31 March 2028.
Contract value rises during reprocurement
The estimated value has increased from £92.4m in an earlier notice to £100.8m and then £103.56m in the latest tender documentation.
Norfolk expects the contract to begin on 28 July 2027. It would run initially for five years, until 30 November 2032, with an option to extend to 31 March 2040. If fully extended, the arrangement would span almost 13 years.
The council’s procurement timetable lists 16 October as the deadline for enquiries, 2 November for requests to participate and 16 July 2027 for the announcement of successful suppliers.
Broad technical scope
The services will be delivered collaboratively with Norfolk’s in-house teams and will cover highway design, project delivery studies, stakeholder consultation, maintenance and asset management support, and capital improvement schemes.
The scope also includes bridges and structures design and advice, environmental and carbon assessments, archaeology and heritage input, and transport planning. The work will support schemes from early development through to delivery, including the preparation needed before traffic orders and construction.
The contract can be assigned or novated to a successor authority or a joint body incorporating Norfolk County Council. The council may also instruct services for the benefit of any local authority serving Norfolk and Suffolk.
The procurement notice was published by Norfolk County Council through the Find a Tender service.