Department for Transport tenders £300m framework

The Department for Transport has called for expressions of interest in a three-year, sector-wide engineering and consultancy framework worth up to £300m in fees.
The department has asked QSs and engineers to come forward to provide “transport-related technical and engineering advice, consultancy and research” across the whole of the DfT’s remit.

This includes rail and road construction work tendered by the government and by transport quangos such as the Highways Agency and the Office of Rail Regulation. The tender is to last three years and the DfT estimates that total fees will be £300m, with a possible year extension.

The tender is thought to be one of the largest to be advertised this year, and is a boost for infrastructure consultancies who are already worried about winning new work after Crossrail and the Olympics finish.

However, the department has stated that the tendering process will be linked in to the Cabinet Office’s drive to cut the prices of government suppliers.

The notice says the ultimate contract will be subject to clauses allowing the government to take advantage of any future cost reductions negotiated through the Cabinet Office drive.

The framework includes consultancy on such diverse topics as urban planning and laboratory and radio transmission services, but the core is thought to be engineering, architecture and cost consultancy. Consultants are already thought to be lining up consortiums to bid for the work, in order to be able to offer the full range of services.

The framework will supersede consultancy frameworks run by the Highways Agency and all other DfT quangos when they expire. Paymaster general Francis Maude has made no secret of his desire to centralise procurement to save money.

The department is due to hold a briefing session on the work today in Whitehall.