5-074 Scheme Delivery Framework Contract Preparation Technical Support

Highways England is looking to set up an Scheme Delivery Framework (SDF) for provision of construction and design works nationally for Asset Delivery (AD).

External specialist technical advice is required to support the development of the construction works contracts and design services contracts.

Currently renewal works are procured via area-based Construction Works Framework (CWF) and Design Services Contract (DSC) within the AD Areas and via the Service Provider for ASC areas. The current lookahead programme has shown 4 CWF and 5 DSC separate procurement events are required in the next 2 years. In order to deliver this sharp peak workload, an increase in internal resources is required. Under the current projected plan, suppliers will need to tender for 24 events over the next 5 years. These resource intensive tendering events will likely lead to suppliers not tendering for some contracts and/or increasing the rates.

It its proposed a new framework, SDF, will be developed to replace the existing CWF and DSC contracting arrangements in all existing and future AD areas. This will be available for use nationally from November 2021 (go live date).

The SDF is currently in the early stages of its governance process and contract development has commenced (January 2020). This now requires urgent specific technical input to ensure the correct requirements are in place and to allow for Asset Delivery contracts to be mobilised on time.

Separate but similar tasks are already underway to deliver the Maintenance and Response contract for Areas 4, 12 and 3. It is intended for this scope to cover the requirement for delivery of the construction and design services contracts