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Strategic Charging Infrastructure Scheme

National Highways

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Planning

28 Sep 2026 at 20:17

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

11 Aug 2026 at 09:27

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

06 Aug 2026 at 10:26

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

02 Aug 2026 at 14:29

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

National Highways Limited, working with the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, intends to strengthen electricity network capacity at selected motorway service areas in England. The scheme aims to remove grid-capacity barriers that can make new electric-vehicle charging commercially unviable, enabling an open-access charging network for vehicles of any make. The work centres on upgrades to electricity distribution infrastructure and may include engineering design, electrical installation and construction, including enabling civil works such as land preparation and substation housing where needed. The resulting network capacity is intended to be available to firms installing EV chargers at the sites. Delivery is across selected motorway service areas in England; the listed delivery coverage spans northern, midlands, eastern, southern and south-western parts of the country.

This is at the planning stage: National Highways has completed Phase 1 market engagement, which explored supplier capability, and is now conducting Phase 2 to gather views on delivery, packaging, commercial arrangements, evaluation and routes to market. Supplier responses are for shaping the procurement strategy, not formal bids or supplier evaluation. The scheme has an indicative allocation of £190 million gross (£158,333,333 excluding tax). The planned contract period for the single lot runs from 1 July 2027 to 31 May 2028. National Highways expects a further notice on 1 February 2027. The current engagement questionnaire is intended to inform how the work is packaged and procured; the buyer has not yet set out a final procedure, bid deadline or evaluation criteria.

The scheme is likely to suit firms able to deliver complex electricity-network upgrades at motorway service areas, including electrical infrastructure contractors, civil engineering and construction businesses, and engineering design specialists. Suppliers may need to bring coordinated capability across grid connections, distribution equipment, site civils and substation accommodation, as the scope may combine these elements where required. Experience delivering infrastructure works in operational motorway-service environments and working across multiple sites would be commercially relevant, although the buyer has not stated these as formal conditions. Small and medium-sized businesses are identified as suitable for the lot, making the planned procurement relevant beyond the largest national contractors. This is a preparation opportunity: suppliers can provide feedback on delivery models, packaging, commercial terms and routes to market before the procurement strategy is finalised.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Strategic Charging Infrastructure Scheme

Notice Description

National Highways is working in collaboration with the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), a joint unit between the Department for Transport and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, to strengthen electricity network capacity to selected motorway service areas (MSA) in England through the Strategic Charging Infrastructure (SCI) Scheme. The transition to zero-emission vehicles is expected to drive significant growth in demand for electric vehicle (EV) charging at MSAs. This will require a visible and functional charging network across the motorway network to support current and future EV drivers and provide confidence when undertaking long-distance journeys. However, at several locations, the deployment of charging infrastructure is constrained by the existing electricity network capacity. In some cases, the cost of grid upgrades to meet future demand is not commercially viable for industry and represents a key barrier to the provision of additional EV charging infrastructure. The SCI Scheme will support the development of a strong open-access (can be used with any EV vehicle regardless of manufacturer) EV charging network across the motorway network by strengthening electricity network infrastructure to selected MSAs where investment is not commercially viable. The resulting network capacity will then be available to firms installing EV charging at the site at a subsided and commercially viable price. An indicative allocation of PS190 million has been made for the scheme. Enabling civils works, such as land preparation and substation housing, to ensure all funded sites meet a minimum standard at adoption and connection stage, may also be within scope of the packages where required. Further details are provided within a separate scope document that can be accessed via this link: https://highways.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/NationalHighwaysProcurement-MaterialforExternalRelease/IgDtJCSl2pP2R7XoJFkawLs4AWlSqYeOoUX2WNXcMEkbYWM?e=iZisZL Following completion of Phase 1 Pre-Market Engagement, which focused on understanding supplier capability, National Highways is undertaking Phase 2 of Pre-Market Engagement to seek supplier feedback on potential delivery, packaging, commercial, evaluation and route to market options for the SCI Scheme. The objective of this engagement is to gather market feedback that will help National Highways refine its approach to best support the effective delivery of the SCI Scheme, whilst maximising market participation, supporting private sector investment, and delivering value for money. The questionnaire for interested suppliers to complete is available via this link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/P3t3TXQUUN. The information provided in response to this questionnaire will be collected, processed and stored solely for the purposes of designing and progressing the SCI Scheme. The information provided in the response to the Pre-Market Engagement questionnaire will not constitute a formal tender response and will not be used to evaluate suppliers as part of any future procurement process. Responses will be used solely to inform the development of the SCI Scheme procurement strategy, including the delivery, packaging, commercial and route-to-market approaches. National Highways thanks you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire. This pre-market notice will be open for a calendar month, ending on 30 October 2026. Should suppliers have any difficulty with the questions or accessing any of the documents, please send an email to the ADProcurement@nationalhighways.co.uk inbox.

Planning Information

Interested suppliers are invited to review the outline scope of requirements that is provided within a separate document that can be accessed via this link: https://highways.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/NationalHighwaysProcurement-MaterialforExternalRelease/IgDtJCSl2pP2R7XoJFkawLs4AWlSqYeOoUX2WNXcMEkbYWM?e=iZisZL In addition, National Highways invites interested suppliers to provide their responses to a series of questions that is available via this link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/P3t3TXQUUN Should suppliers have any difficulty with the questions or accessing any of the documents, please send an email to the ADProcurement@nationalhighways.co.uk inbox. Please note that this pre-market notice will be open for a calendar month, ending on 30 October 2026.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d975
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091618-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Works
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

45220000 - Engineering works and construction works

45310000 - Electrical installation work

45317300 - Electrical installation work of electrical distribution apparatus

71322000 - Engineering design services for the construction of civil engineering works

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£158,333,333 £100M-£1B
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Feb 20274 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Jul 2027 - 31 May 2028 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
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
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Ladywood
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

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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