Planning

Highways and Infrastructure Professional Services Contract

NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

11 Jun 2026 at 14:51

Planning

10 Jun 2026 at 10:05

Summary of the contracting process

Norfolk County Council is currently in the planning stages for its upcoming Highways and Infrastructure Professional Services Contract, expected to have an annual value of £7 million, excluding VAT. This tender falls under the services category and aims to engage with suppliers in the UK, specifically around the Norfolk region. Key dates include a deadline for submitting responses to the market engagement questionnaire by 25 June 2026, with potential face-to-face supplier meetings scheduled for 30 June and 1 July 2026 at Bird & Bird LLP's London offices. The procurement method will utilise the competitive flexible procedure in line with the Procurement Act 2023.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in highways, transport systems, environmental consultancy, and architectural advisory services. Companies with a track record in collaborating on large-scale projects, particularly in infrastructure and public development, will find this contract provides avenues for substantial growth. Engaging in this process can enhance these businesses' market presence and offer long-term collaborative opportunities with Norfolk County Council as it navigates through changes in local governance structures.

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Notice Title

Highways and Infrastructure Professional Services Contract

Notice Description

As many organisations will be aware, Norfolk County Council ("NCC") recently conducted a procurement exercise for its highways professional services contract ("PSC") which it was unfortunately unable to conclude, and therefore it could not proceed to award a contract. NCC is currently reviewing the approach taken to that competition with the intention that it will, in due course, commence a new competition to replace the current PSC Contract, which is currently provided by WSP and expires on or before 31 March 2028 (the "Opportunity"). The intention is that the newly appointed PSC provider will work closely with Kier, NCC's recently mobilised term maintenance contractor (since April 2026). NCC expects that the PSC will provide for professional services relating to topics including but not limited to highways, bridges and structures, travel and transport, spatial planning, economic development and strategy, environment, waste and infrastructure associated with NCC's estate and carbon assessments. NCC anticipates that the services required under the PSC will be carried out collaboratively with NCC's in-house teams and will include: - Highway design services, project delivery studies, stakeholder consultation studies, and specialist expertise required for the development of highway maintenance, asset management, and capital improvement schemes - Design Services (feasibility, preliminary and detailed) - Bridges and structures design and advisory services - Business Case development in support of funding applications to funders such as DfT and Homes England (e.g., cost benefit analysis, carbon analysis, etc.) - Archaeology and heritage advisory services - Transport planning advisory services - Intelligent transport services and Future Mobility Services design and advisory services - Spatial planning (including master planning, planning applications, statutory services, carbon assessments and environmental impact assessments) - Maritime services (including supporting design and project delivery for coastal, harbour and river environments) - Flood and water management design and advisory services - Land, property and assets management advisory services - Economic development advisory services - Quantity surveying and costing services - Development of tender documentation; tender evaluation support - Construction phase services - Surveys and investigations - Development research and design and build agreement checks - Heat, energy and water network advisory services - Any other related Services The Council anticipates that the annual value of the PSC will be PS7m (excluding VAT) subject to indexation in accordance with its terms. To support development of this new competition, NCC has appointed Bird & Bird LLP, a respected and highly experienced firm of legal and procurement experts, with whom potential bidders may be familiar following their recent work with other local authorities such as Surrey, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Kent. Bird & Bird's role with NCC will include reviewing the previous procurement approach to ensure that the new competition offers all bidders a fair and equal opportunity to secure this important appointment. The current intention is that the PSC will be procured using the competitive flexible procedure available under the Procurement Act 2023 ("PA23") and will include a comprehensive pre-market engagement phase to allow suppliers to offer their thoughts in relation to the Opportunity and for NCC to gather actionable feedback to integrate into the new procurement process. In particular, NCC will be keen to communicate to the market (i) the government's proposed structure for local authorities in Norfolk following its recent Local Government Reorganisation ("LGR") announcement, including how it proposes to accommodate this within the context of the Opportunity; and (ii) its latest understanding of government proposals relating to devolution. As such, NCC will be seeking specific feedback from the market on what it considers could be most attractive and appropriate in the LGR and devolution context. In light of the anticipated LGR transition, NCC is seeking to procure this PSC on a basis that supports continuity of service delivery within the county council geographic area and the area of the proposed Norfolk and Suffolk county combined [mayoral] authority and provides a stable contractual framework capable of accommodating any future local government and/or mayoral structure. Further information regarding LGR and devolution is contained within the PME document. NCC is publishing this preliminary market engagement notice to allow prospective bidders as much time as possible to prepare for the upcoming Opportunity. NCC intends to continue its engagement during face-to-face meetings with individual suppliers at Bird & Bird's London offices on 30 June and 1 July 2026, with a view to launching the formal procurement at an appropriate point following the summer.

Planning Information

Interested contractors are invited to provide a response to the market engagement questionnaire that has been made available via the Council's e-procurement system, Intend. Questionnaire responses should be submitted via In-tend to NCC by 13.00 BST on 25 June 2026. To express an interest and participate in the market engagement applicants must first be registered on the system at https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at https://intendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/BuyerProfiles. Once registered you will be able to see the procurement project under the tenders` section and `express an interest` to view the documentation. If you encounter any difficulties whilst using the system you can contact the In-tend support team by phoning +44 8442728810 or e-mailing support@in-tend.co.uk On accessing In-tend you will find the questionnaire under the 'clarifications' section. Following its review of the questionnaire responses, the Council may invite suppliers to participate in discussions, on 30 June and 1 July 2026 Bird & Bird LLP's London offices (12 New Fetter Lane, EC4A 1AN). Again, this will help the Council to shape its current thinking and allow it to potentially discuss some of the feedback provided in a confidential environment. Given time constraints, the Council may not be able to offer such meetings to all suppliers. As such, the Council will likely only offer meetings to suppliers who submitted a questionnaire response and where the Council believes further clarity on any aspect of a response would be helpful in formulating its procurement strategy.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b191
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/055373-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
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

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

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

90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services


CPV Codes

71210000 - Advisory architectural services

71241000 - Feasibility study, advisory service, analysis

71242000 - Project and design preparation, estimation of costs

71244000 - Calculation of costs, monitoring of costs

71245000 - Approval plans, working drawings and specifications

71248000 - Supervision of project and documentation

71311200 - Transport systems consultancy services

71311300 - Infrastructure works consultancy services

71312000 - Structural engineering consultancy services

71313400 - Environmental impact assessment for construction

71313420 - Environmental standards for construction

71320000 - Engineering design services

71354500 - Marine survey services

71356400 - Technical planning services

71410000 - Urban planning services

71530000 - Construction consultancy services

71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services

72130000 - Computer-site planning consultancy services

73112000 - Marine research services

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

90711000 - Environmental impact assessment other than for construction

90713000 - Environmental issues consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£77,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Jun 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
4 Sep 20263 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 May 2027 - 30 May 2031 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL
Additional Buyers

BIRD & BIRD LLP

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
NORWICH
Postcode
NR1 2DH
Post Town
Norwich
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
TLH14 Suffolk CC, TLH15 Norwich and East Norfolk, TLH16 North and West Norfolk, TLH17 Breckland and South Norfolk

Local Authority
City of London
Electoral Ward
Castle Baynard
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

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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