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Lower Thames Crossing - External Communications and Advocacy Services

National Highways

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

02 Oct 2026 at 15:08

Award Notice
AwardUpdate

02 Oct 2026 at 14:59

Award Notice
Award

29 Sep 2025 at 12:11

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

National Highways Limited commissioned external communications and advocacy services for the Lower Thames Crossing project. The work covers specialist support for a programme of stakeholder engagement and advocacy campaigns involving political, business and education sector stakeholders. It is public relations management work, focused on communicating about and building support for this major transport project. The services are delivered in the Lower Thames Crossing area in south-east England. Infrastructure Matters was selected to provide the services and later additions to the same engagement expanded the scope to include consent management, phase 4 skills advice, and support for the External Affairs Director in preparing for day one of a new privately funded business.

The procurement is complete and the contract is active. National Highways used a limited mini-competition through the Crown Commercial Service Communications Marketplace dynamic purchasing system. Five bids were received. Infrastructure Matters was awarded the work; the recorded contract values are £7,308,125 for the original contract, £10,053,425 following the addition of consent management and phase 4 skills advisory services, and £87,592.25 for further support relating to the new privately funded business. The later contract records were signed on 4 September 2026 and run to 3 August 2030; the original contract was signed on 4 August 2025. Evaluation was recorded as 90% quality and 10% commercial, although the criteria descriptions attach those percentages to the opposite labels.

This award shows that National Highways buys specialist communications and advocacy support for a major infrastructure programme, including stakeholder engagement across political, business and education audiences. A credible competitor for comparable work would need to demonstrate strong public relations and external affairs capability, the ability to plan and deliver advocacy campaigns, and the judgement to engage varied stakeholder groups around a complex transport project. The added services also point to value in expertise handling project consents, skills advice and transition preparation for a privately funded operating business. Delivery depends on close integration with the project programme and established working systems, so suppliers would need to show they can maintain continuity, work alongside project teams and mobilise without disrupting critical activities. The selected supplier is an SME, demonstrating that this scale of specialist service can be delivered by a smaller provider.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Lower Thames Crossing - External Communications and Advocacy Services

Notice Description

The Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) project requires specialist support for the delivery of a comprehensive programme of stakeholder engagement and advocacy campaigns across political, business and education sector stakeholders.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Provision of specialist support services for the delivery of a comprehensive programme of stakeholder engagement and advocacy campaigns across political, business and education sector stakeholders in relation to Lower Thames Crossing

Procurement Information

This procurement has been procured via a mini-competition process via use of the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) RM6124 Communications Maketplace.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05a3e7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093447-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79416100 - Public relations management services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£17,449,142 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Oct 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

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
TLJ43 Kent Thames Gateway
Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Ladywood
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Infrastructure Matters

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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.

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