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Development and Trial of Sustainable Weed Control Solutions for the Strategic Road Network

National Highways

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

05 Aug 2026 at 12:24

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

National Highways Limited is exploring sustainable alternatives to glyphosate for controlling weeds on England’s Strategic Road Network, covering around 4,300 miles of motorways and major A roads. The work is intended to support highway maintenance while reducing exposure risks for the public and operatives and improving biodiversity and wider environmental outcomes. Potential solutions may be chemical, mechanical, thermal, biological or integrated approaches. The services include development and deployment of alternatives, operational trials, evidence gathering and environmental impact assessment. Activity will take place across the Strategic Road Network in England, within the national transport infrastructure operated, maintained and improved by National Highways. The procurement category is services, including research laboratory services.

This process is at the preliminary market engagement and planning stage; it is not an invitation to tender or a commitment to procure. National Highways expects to use information from supplier questionnaires and optional technical discussions to inform technical decisions, standards development and possible future procurement strategies. Organisations are invited to contribute information by 31 August 2026, and the buyer expects a further notice on 5 October 2026. The planned arrangement is one lot, currently scheduled for 1 December 2026 to 31 March 2027. Its estimated value is £100,000 excluding VAT, or £120,000 including VAT. The lot is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises. The process remains in planning.

This engagement will suit organisations developing, supplying or trialling non-glyphosate weed-control solutions, including chemical, mechanical, thermal, biological and integrated approaches. National Highways is looking for evidence from operational trials or pilots, particularly in environments where safety, public access and service continuity matter. Relevant suppliers should be able to demonstrate solution maturity, effectiveness and scalability, together with credible evidence on environmental impacts and biodiversity. Experience of environmental impact assessment and working in safety-critical or public-facing settings will be useful. The buyer is also interested in other relevant technical or operational information, so providers with complementary technologies, research capability, field-trial experience or partnership models may be well placed to contribute. Businesses should use this stage to prepare evidence and understand the likely requirements of any later procurement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Development and Trial of Sustainable Weed Control Solutions for the Strategic Road Network

Notice Description

National Highways is a government-owned company and the appointed strategic highways authority and licence holder responsible for operating, maintaining and improving England's SRN; 4,300 miles of motorways and major A roads at the core of the national transport network. Use of glyphosate; known to be a probable carcinogen to humans, is a widely used chemical to control weeds in highway maintenance. Although approved for use in the UK, concerns regarding glyphosate's impact on biodiversity, and management of this health hazard to the general public and highway operatives are considerable. National Highways is seeking to engage the market to explore and trial credible, scalable alternatives to glyphosate for weed control on the Strategic Road Network (SRN), alongside existing local trials, with the aim of reducing exposure risks and improving environmental outcomes. This notice is issued as part of a Preliminary Market Engagement under the Procurement Act 2023. Participation does not constitute a commitment to procure or award any contract, nor does it provide any guarantee of involvement in future commercial opportunities. Information gathered will be used to support technical decision-making, standards development, and potential future procurement strategies.

Planning Information

Organisations with relevant capability and experience are invited to contribute information to support this market engagement. Interested parties are invited to provide experience in one or more of the following areas: • Development or deployment of non-glyphosate weed control solutions (chemical, mechanical, thermal, biological, or integrated approaches) • Evidence-based trials or pilots in operational environments • Environmental impact assessment, including biodiversity considerations • Working in safety-critical or public-facing environments • Any other relevant information Supplier questionnaire and optional technical discussions, focused on solution maturity, evidence of effectiveness, environmental impacts, and operational considerations. Initially, organisations are invited to complete the questionnaire found at the link below: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/gkwYSEJvHY

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06dc47
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074144-2026
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
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73111000 - Research laboratory services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£100,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Aug 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
5 Oct 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Dec 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 1-6 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
Not specified
Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Ladywood
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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