Notice Information
Notice Title
Client Support Framework (CSF)
Notice Description
The East West Railway Company (the Authority) is responsible for the delivery of East West Rail (EWR), a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project providing new and upgraded rail links between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge. EWR Co. is responsible for leading the development, procurement, and commissioning of the railway. The Authority is undertaking a procurement for Client Support Framework (CSF) Partners to support the development and delivery of the EWR programme. Overview of the Intended Contract The Authority is establishing a 3 lot / single appointed supplier per lot framework for the provision of Client Support Services (CSF) for a period of twelve (12) years. Relationship with the ITOAE Partner The Authority is separately procuring an Integration, Technical, Operations, Assurance and Environmental (ITOAE) Partner. The Authority's current position is that the CSF partners will be structurally separated from the ITOAE, such that the appointed CSF Partners will not be eligible to be appointed under the ITOAE for the duration of the CSF contracts. The purpose of this separation is to protect the independence of assurance and advice, to mitigate real or perceived conflicts of interest, and to align with independent review findings on major programme governance (including the Stewart Review, 2025). The Conditions of Participation are :- Stage 0 - Expression of Interest and Ethical Walls Agreement where relevant. Stage 1 - PSQ stage to include Legal and Financial Capacity , Conflict of Interest declarations and Technical ability. Stage 2 - ITT stage for shortlisted suppliers to include Quality and Commercial evaluation. Stage 3 - Optional negotiation. All be set in accordance with the Authority's obligations under the Procurement Act 2023 and the Procurement Regulations 2024. Scope of Services At this stage , the Authority has defined the high-level scope of services. Lot 1 - Reporting and Controls / PMO Support Programme, portfolio and package level reporting: * integrated cost, schedule, risk, opportunity and change performance reporting; * executive dashboards, KPI scorecards and delivery confidence assessments; * consolidated programme performance reporting aligned to EWR governance and reporting cycles. Planning and scheduling support: * development, maintenance and assurance of integrated master schedules and performance baselines; * critical path, float, milestone, recovery and scenario analysis; * schedule risk analysis and integrated planning standards support. Cost and performance controls: * delivery cost forecasting, ETC/EAC management and performance reporting; * reconciliation of cost, schedule, risk and change baselines; * trend analysis, earned value management and early warning indicators. Risk, issue and opportunity management support: * maintenance of programme risk, issue and opportunity registers within ARM; * quantitative schedule and cost risk analysis (QSRA/QCRA) support; * risk reporting, mitigation tracking, assurance coordination and escalation management. Governance, assurance and management information (MI): * Board, Executive, Sponsor and DfT reporting and governance support; * stage gate, assurance, change governance and gateway readiness activities; * standardised reporting products, evidence packs and audit-ready decision records. Controls systems, data governance and digital reporting: * administration and optimisation of planning, cost, risk and reporting toolsets; * Power BI reporting environments, automated reporting and data analytics; * data governance, quality assurance, configuration control and document management interfaces. Lot 2 - Commercial Management and Contract Administration support Procurement support: * pre tender estimation; * commercial evaluation; * commercial support during tender processes. Contract administration: * management of notices, instructions, early warnings and compensation events; * administration of NEC (or equivalent) processes; * maintenance of contractual registers and correspondence logs. Change control and forecasting support: * cost planning, estimating and cost engineering; * development and maintenance of cost estimates; * assessment and logging of change events; * affordability and cost assurance of options. Payment and cost management support: * valuation support; * payment application assessment; * reconciliation against cost records. Claims avoidance and dispute support: * contemporaneous record management; * support to dispute resolution processes; * preparation of evidence packs (without advocacy role unless instructed). Supplier performance and compliance monitoring: * performance data collation against contractual KPIs; * payment practice and supply chain compliance checks. Commercial data and audit support: * audit responses and evidence collation; * benchmarking and affordability analyses. Lot 3 - Project & Construction Management Support Project and package management support: * workstream coordination and day to day management support; * delivery plan development and tracking; * action management and follow up; * Interface and dependency management; * coordination across contractors, designers, third parties and stakeholders; * management of interface schedules and logs. Programme governance support: * preparation of governance boards and working groups; * action and decision tracking; * support to stage gate and readiness reviews. Stakeholder and third party coordination, including: * support to statutory undertaker, local authority and regulator engagement; * tracking of commitments and undertakings. Transition and mobilisation support: * support to phase transitions (e.g. design to construction); * readiness planning and handover coordination. Delivery performance support: * progress measurement and reporting; * recovery planning support (without authority to direct suppliers). Construction Management: * Clerk of works/Site Inspector * Construction Supervisor/Compliance Manager * Quality Assurance * Health & Safety * CDM compliance. This procurement will be run concurrently with others. Bidders may tender for any or all of the Lots/Contracts identified in the table shown in Package Bidding and Award Constraints letter. This approach is intended to support market participation and allow bidders to put forward appropriate delivery solutions. However, submitting tenders for multiple Lots/Contracts across the Procurements does not mean a bidder will be eligible to be awarded all Lots/Contracts. Award decisions will be subject to the Lot/Contract interaction rules set out in the letter, which are intended to: * Maintain independence between assurance, management and delivery functions. * Avoid conflicts of interest. * Prevent excessive concentration of specialist services within a single organisation. * Preserve effective commercial oversight. * Ensure suppliers have sufficient capacity and capability to successfully deliver awarded contracts. Please ensure you refer to Package Bidding and Award Constraints letter for further detail. * Contract Form - NEC4 Professional Service Contract * Estimated total value - PS230 million -PS350 million
Lot Information
Reporting and Controls / PMO Support
Programme, portfolio and package level reporting: * integrated cost, schedule, risk, opportunity and change performance reporting; * executive dashboards, KPI scorecards and delivery confidence assessments; * consolidated programme performance reporting aligned to EWR governance and reporting cycles. Planning and scheduling support: * development, maintenance and assurance of master and integrated schedules; * critical path, float and scenario analysis; * schedule change control support. Cost and performance controls: * cost forecasting and EAC support; * reconciliation of cost, schedule and scope baselines; * trend analysis and early warning indicators. Risk, issue and opportunity management support: * maintenance of programme and workstream risk registers; * quantitative risk analysis (QRA) support; * interface with assurance and gateway preparation. Management information (MI) production: * Board, Sponsor and DfT packs; * standardised reporting templates and data definitions; * audit ready evidence trails. Controls systems and data governance: * toolset configuration and administration (e.g. planning, cost, risk tools); * data quality checks and consistency rules; * document and records management interfaces.
Commercial Management and Contract Administration SupportProcurement support: * pre tender estimation; * commercial evaluation; * commercial support during tender processes. Contract administration: * management of notices, instructions, early warnings and compensation events; * administration of NEC (or equivalent) processes; * maintenance of contractual registers and correspondence logs. Change control and forecasting support: * cost planning, estimating and cost engineering; * development and maintenance of cost estimates; * assessment and logging of change events; * affordability and cost assurance of options. Payment and cost management support: * valuation support; * payment application assessment; * reconciliation against cost records. Claims avoidance and dispute support: * contemporaneous record management; * support to dispute resolution processes; * preparation of evidence packs (without advocacy role unless instructed). Supplier performance and compliance monitoring: * performance data collation against contractual KPIs; * payment practice and supply chain compliance checks. Commercial data and audit support: * audit responses and evidence collation; * benchmarking and affordability analyses.
Project & Construction Management SupportProject and package management support: * workstream coordination and day to day management support; * delivery plan development and tracking; * action management and follow up; * Interface and dependency management; * coordination across contractors, designers, third parties and stakeholders; * management of interface schedules and logs. Programme governance support: * preparation of governance boards and working groups; * action and decision tracking; * support to stage gate and readiness reviews. Stakeholder and third party coordination, including: * support to statutory undertaker, local authority and regulator engagement; * tracking of commitments and undertakings. Transition and mobilisation support: * support to phase transitions (e.g. design to construction); * readiness planning and handover coordination. Delivery performance support: * progress measurement and reporting; * recovery planning support (without authority to direct suppliers). Construction Management: * Clerk of works/Site Inspector * Construction Supervisor/Compliance Manager * Quality Assurance * Health & Safety * CDM compliance.
Planning Information
Objectives This preliminary market engagement under s16 PA23 is being undertaken to: • Inform the market by way of a market engagement presentation outlining the proposed procurement for a 12-year single supplier per lot / 3 Lot CSF Partner model, including breakpoints at Years 3, 6, and 9. • To invite interested parties to raise clarification questions by Wednesday 21st October 2026 which will be collated and responses made to all interested parties unless agreed as confidential. • Confirm if the approach is in line with the market offering and to inform East West Rail in finalising the proposed tender activity. Key Dates • Registration Deadline – Tuesday 20th October 2026, 17:00 • Market Clarification Deadline – Thursday 22nd October 2026, 17:00 • EWR Response to Clarification Deadline – Wednesday 28th October 2026, 17:00 To register interest, potential suppliers should: • Register on the Authority's Jaggaer e-procurement portal, if not already registered East West Rail https://eastwestrail.ukp.app.jaggaer.com/esop/ogc-host/public/eastwestrail/web/login.jst?_ncp=1791885132105.1056374-1 • Express interest in this preliminary market engagement via the Jaggaer portal by the registration deadline above, review presentation and forward clarifications via the Jaggaer portal. On confirmation of registration, participants will receive a briefing presentation, setting out the Authority's current programme context, indicative scope of services, and proposed commercial approach. The presentation will provide the information necessary to brief the interested parties about the proposed procurement. EWR is happy to seek clarifications about the proposed procurement which may include views from the market as to our proposed approach. Points to Note Please note the following important points before registering an interest: 1. This PME is not a call for competition and is not published with the intention of reducing any time limits for the receipt of tenders. 2. EWR Co. reserves the right not to commence any procurement process or award any contracts in respect of the EWR project and to amend the requirements stated in this PME (or as stated in any pre-procurement market engagement documents). 3. EWR Co. will provide information on its emerging thinking on scope, commercial structure, and contracting approach via the briefing presentation and within the pre-procurement market engagement documents made available to registered suppliers. EWR Co. reserves the right to further develop and change the procurement strategy and/or other aspects of the proposed procurement and delivery strategy as a result of pre-procurement market engagement or otherwise. 4. EWR Co. may undertake further pre-procurement market consultation exercises. 5. Publication of this PME is part of the Authority's due diligence process on its options, and the publication of this PME does not indicate that a decision has been made on a particular route for a procurement and/or subsequent contract award, if any. 6. Registration does not bind EWR Co. to include any party in the pre-procurement market engagement exercise. 7. EWR Co. is not obliged to communicate with any parties that register after the deadline for registration has passed. 8. EWR Co. is not obliged to respond to any correspondence on this notice or any matter related to this preliminary market engagement exercise. The decision to accept the registration of any interested party, and subsequent inclusion in any engagement process, shall remain with EWR Co. alone. 9. Non-participation in this process will not prevent any party from participating in any procurement process in due course. Participation will not confer any advantage or disadvantage in any future procurement process. 10. Given the early stage of the programme and the anticipated impact of the market engagement process and other internal processes, any information provided to the market shall be subject to change. EWR Co. (insofar as it is permitted by law) shall not be liable for any losses incurred by any party as a result of reliance on such information. 11. Any values set out in this PME are indicative and subject to revision and to confirmation in any future notices in relation to EWR procurement.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-06a433
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103450-2026
- Current Stage
- Tender
- All Stages
- Planning, Tender
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK4 - Tender Notice
- Procurement Type
- Framework
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Selective
- Procurement Method Details
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Tender Suitability
- SME, VCSE
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
-
- CPV Codes
71242000 - Project and design preparation, estimation of costs
71244000 - Calculation of costs, monitoring of costs
71248000 - Supervision of project and documentation
71300000 - Engineering services
71310000 - Consultative engineering and construction services
71311200 - Transport systems consultancy services
71311230 - Railway engineering services
71311300 - Infrastructure works consultancy services
71317210 - Health and safety consultancy services
71541000 - Construction project management services
72224000 - Project management consultancy services
79212000 - Auditing services
79212300 - Statutory audit services
79418000 - Procurement consultancy services
79994000 - Contract administration services
98511000 - Services of commercial workers
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- £350,000,000 £100M-£1B
- Lots Value
- £350,000,000 £100M-£1B
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 30 Oct 20263 days ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- 30 Oct 2026Expired
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 1 May 2028 - 30 Apr 2040 Over 5 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Active
- Lots Status
- Active
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- East West Rail Company Limited
- Contact Name
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
- Contact Email
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
- Contact Phone
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Buyer Location
- Locality
- MILTON KEYNES
- Postcode
- MK9 1EN
- Postcode Area
- Milton Keynes
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLJ South East (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLJ12 Milton Keynes
- Delivery Location
- Not specified
-
- Local Authority
- Milton Keynes
- Electoral Ward
- Central Milton Keynes
- Westminster Constituency
- Milton Keynes Central
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103450-2026
30th October 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098177-2026
16th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/052473-2026
3rd June 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/049006-2026
26th May 2026 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
Notice URLs
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
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.