Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

S30141 Technical Standards Implementation, Governance improvements and benefit realisation

National Highways

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

02 Sep 2026 at 08:05

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

National Highways Limited commissioned development consultancy services to modernise the management of its technical standards over RIS3 and beyond. The work covers implementation and embedding of revised requirements in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges and the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works, rather than a further large-scale redevelopment. It includes proportionate mitigation measures, stronger governance, faster updating and publication, consolidation of earlier changes, continuous digitisation, restructuring of standards and improvements to digital tools. The tools should help technical authors apply drafting rules and governance arrangements, supported by clearer and more accessible guidance. The intended benefits are more efficient, safe and consistent design, construction and maintenance across the highways sector. Delivery covers the United Kingdom and wider international locations.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to WSP UK LTD on 28 August 2026. The awarded value is £377,976.87, and the contract runs from 1 September 2026 to 30 April 2029. The original estimated value was £402,000. This was a selective procurement using a call-off from a framework agreement, evaluated as a services requirement for development consultancy. The tender submission deadline was 10 August 2026 at 19:00. The opportunity was identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises. There was one procurement item covering the technical standards implementation, governance improvement, digitisation and benefit-realisation work described above. The award remains active.

This award shows sustained demand from National Highways for specialist consultancy that can turn technical standards into consistent operational practice. Relevant competitors would need credible capability in technical standards management, highways design, construction and maintenance, and the governance of standards development. Experience of implementing and embedding revised manuals would be important, alongside the ability to consolidate complex historical changes and introduce proportionate mitigation. Strong digital transformation skills would support work on standards databases, authoring tools, publication processes and the restructuring of technical content. Suppliers should also be able to produce clear guidance for technical authors and improve transparency and inclusivity across a standards lifecycle. The route to market is a framework call-off, so framework access and effective delivery at this scale are commercially relevant.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

S30141 Technical Standards Implementation, Governance improvements and benefit realisation

Notice Description

National Highways has a statutory obligation under the Technical Regulations Protocol to keep its technical standards, the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) and the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works (MCHW) up to date. Maintaining these standards creates opportunities to improve the efficiency, safety and consistency of design, construction and maintenance activities, aligning delivery with the organisation's strategic objectives. Building on the extensive refresh programmes completed in RIS1 and RIS2, the focus in RIS3 shifts from redevelopment to effective implementation and embedment of the revised DMRB and MCHW, including the introduction of proportionate mitigation measures, strengthened governance arrangements, and supporting digital tools to ensure consistent application across the sector. The proposed task will modernise National Highways technical standards management over RIS3 and beyond. It will enable more efficient updating, faster publication, and consolidation of changes made in RIS1 and RIS2. It will support continuous digitisation, restructuring of our technical standards, enhancements of digital tools, which will make it significantly easier for technical authors to develop standards, apply the drafting rules and the overall governance framework for technical standards. Enhancements to the standard governance will include clearer more accessible author guidance. This will improve both transparency and inclusivity across the standards development lifecycle.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-ee9068b9-5e8c-4273-bd15-ddb0d7f348cc
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e7ca3a27-a9eb-4ee0-b2cb-979f52cfa108
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Call-off from a framework agreement
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73220000 - Development consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£402,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£377,976 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
28 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 30 Apr 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
National Highways
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BIRMINGHAM
Postcode
B4 6GA
Postcode Area
Birmingham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG3 West Midlands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG31 Birmingham
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Ladywood
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

WSP UK Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

Loading OCDS record...