Award

National Roads Telecommunications Service (NRTS) 3

NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

14 Nov 2025 at 15:05

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process for the National Roads Telecommunications Service (NRTS) 3 contract, led by National Highways, a central government public authority, concerns the provision and maintenance of telecommunications services across England's Strategic Road Network. The project, situated within the telecommunications services industry, is based in Guildford, United Kingdom, with the contract scheduled to commence on 15th September 2027 and conclude on 15th March 2035, with a potential extension of up to 24 months. The procurement stage is currently at the award phase, with a direct award likely to be made to Telent Technology Services Limited, the sole remaining bidder, following a switch from a competitive flexible procedure due to another bidder's withdrawal. The procurement method utilised is a direct award process under the Procurement Act 2023, ensuring compliance with National Highways’ governance requirements.

This tender presents significant opportunities for large-scale businesses specialising in telecommunications and IT services to contribute to a major public infrastructure project. The NRTS3 Contract aims to support the safe and effective management of England’s Strategic Road Network through advanced telecommunications solutions. Companies with expertise in radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment, as well as those offering IT consulting, software development, and support services, would find this contract befitting their capabilities. Businesses operating within the sector, especially those adept at adapting to future technological developments and requirements, are well-positioned to benefit from the opportunities presented by this substantial government-led initiative.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

National Roads Telecommunications Service (NRTS) 3

Notice Description

On 23 April 2025 National Highways issued a UK4 tender notice (Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-016468) on the Find a Tender Service (FTS) platform to inform the market that it intended to run a procurement for the National Roads Telecommunications Service 3 contract (the NRTS3 Contract) under a competitive flexible procedure (section 20(2)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023). National Highways issued the Conditions of Participation documentation on 23 April 2025 and thereafter invited two tenderers to proceed to the Invitation to Tender stage of the procurement. On 24 October 2025 one of the tenderers withdrew from the process, leaving Telent Technology Services Ltd (Telent) as the only remaining bidder in the procurement. National Highways is notifying the market pursuant to sections 43 and 44 of the Procurement Act 2023 that, after careful consideration, it has decided to switch to a direct award process and, subject to the conditions set out in this notice, intends to award the NRTS3 Contract to Telent. Pursuant to section 43(1) of the Procurement Act 2023: 1. National Highways has invited two suppliers to the Invitation to Tender stage of a competitive flexible procurement; 2. A bidder withdrew before the deadline for submission of First Tenders (i.e. before any tenders were received by National Highways) as part of its competitive flexible procedure; and 3. National Highways considers that an award of the NRTS3 Contract under section 19 of the Procurement Act 2023 is not possible due to not receiving any tenders at the point at which one of only two bidders withdrew from the process. Telent is not an "excluded" or "excludable" supplier for the purposes of sections 57(1) and (2) Procurement Act 2023 and section 43(6)(a); and has not submitted an unsuitable tender pursuant to section 43(6)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023. Consequently, National Highways' current intention is to proceed to contract award with Telent. National Highways is still conducting a process with Telent to ensure compliance with the objectives at section 12 Procurement Act 2023. National Highways intends to make an award subject to the following conditions: I. That the terms of the NRTS3 Contract are agreed with Telent and not significantly altered from the terms that were circulated with the advertised competitive flexible procurement (see Tender Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-016468); II. National Highways' governance and approval processes being met; III. National Highways reserves its rights to abandon or terminate the direct award process at any stage prior to contract award. In the event National Highways does not proceed to award, it will publish a Procurement Termination Notice pursuant to section 55 Procurement Act 2023. However, in the event that National Highways successfully completes this direct award process and proceeds to make an award to Telent, it will publish a Contract Award Notice under section 50 of the Procurement Act 2023. Subject Matter of the NRTS3 Contract: For additional details and information, please see Tender Notice with identifier: 2025/S 000-016468, as the scope of the procurement is the same as set out in that Tender Notice, but instead of a competitive flexible process, National Highways has switched to a direct award process pursuant to section 43 Procurement Act 2023. However, in summary the NRTS3 Contract is for the provision, operation and maintenance of telecommunications services between the roadside technology and various central locations operated by and on behalf of National Highways, the body responsible for England's Strategic Road Network (SRN). These services underpin and ensure the safe, secure and sustainable management and operation of the SRN and provide the enabling technology and functionality to deliver National Highways' Delivery Plan and commitments to deliver the objectives of the Roads Investment Strategy (RIS). The NRTS3 Contract may require further development and enhancement services and solutions to meet the changing requirements of National Highways' operational roadside technology, and to undertake a programme of renewals to address active network components which will become obsolete during the course of the contract, and which may no longer be supportable.

Procurement Information

National Highways commenced the procurement of the NRTS3 Contract using a Competitive Flexible Procedure, as referenced in the Tender Notice with identifier: 2025/S 000-016468. Following the voluntary withdrawal of a tenderer, only one tenderer remains in the process. Pursuant to section 43(1) of the Procurement Act 2023: 1. National Highways invited two suppliers to the Invitation to Tender stage of a competitive flexible procurement; 2. A bidder withdrew before the deadline for submission of First Tenders (i.e. before any tenders were received by National Highways) as part of its competitive flexible procedure; and 3. National Highways considers that an award of the NRTS3 Contract under section 19 of the Procurement Act 2023 is not possible due to not receiving any tenders at the point at which one of only two bidders withdrew from the process. Telent is not an "excluded" or "excludable" supplier for the purposes of sections 57(1) and (2) Procurement Act 2023 and section 43(6)(a); and has not submitted an unsuitable tender pursuant to section 43(6)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023. Consequently, National Highways' current intention is to proceed to contract award with Telent. National Highways is still conducting a process with Telent to ensure compliance with the objectives at section 12 Procurement Act 2023.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05e1b1
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074068-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

45 - Construction work

48 - Software package and information systems

64 - Postal and telecommunications services

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

CPV Codes

32000000 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

45000000 - Construction work

48000000 - Software package and information systems

64200000 - Telecommunications services

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£643,624,252 £100M-£1B
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Nov 20253 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
14 Nov 20253 months ago
Contract Period
14 Sep 2027 - 15 Mar 2035 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
nrts3team@nationalhighways.co.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
GUILDFORD
Postcode
GU1 4LZ
Post Town
Guildford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ25 West Surrey
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Guildford
Electoral Ward
Stoke
Westminster Constituency
Guildford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

TELENT TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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