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Birmingham City Council has launched market engagement ahead of a planned £980m framework covering highways and civil engineering work across the West Midlands.
The council published a prior information notice (PIN) on Monday (12 May) under the Procurement Act 2023.
The proposed framework would last for eight years and cover projects ranging from minor road markings to large-scale schemes such as ring road upgrades.
The framework will be divided into five lots, with provisions for reopening in years three and five. A 1.25 per cent access fee will be charged to external public bodies using the framework.
In the PIN, the council said the programme would support a wide range of services including construct-only, design-and-construct, utility diversion, and early contractor involvement, as well as buildability advice to improve tender-stage specifications.
The council has confirmed that buildability advisers will be barred from bidding for delivery contracts on the same projects to avoid conflicts of interest.
The PIN outlines the framework’s estimated value as £1.176bn including VAT. The expected contract start date is 19 January 2026, running until January 2034.
According to the council, the engagement is intended to shape delivery models and is not a formal call for competition. Interested firms must register on Birmingham’s In-tend portal and respond to a market questionnaire by 5pm on 19 May.
The framework is open to local public sector bodies across the region, with an emphasis on creating opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises. It will be used to deliver both routine improvements such as paving and resurfacing, and capital works such as bridge construction and pedestrian routes.
The proposed lots and contract breakdowns are not yet public. The final tender notice is scheduled for publication on 10 June.
Source: Gov.uk Find a Tender
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Ben Vogel