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Validating and supplying precast VRS foundations that meet VRS and drainage standards.

National Highways

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

05 Aug 2026 at 13:26

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

National Highways Limited intends to procure services to develop and validate precast concrete foundations for vehicle restraint systems (VRS) that span typical filter drains without reducing drainage capacity. The work is intended to resolve clashes between VRS foundations and drainage systems on England’s strategic road network, improving maintenance efficiency and safety while reducing construction materials, waste and carbon. The scope includes designing and checking precast foundation elements for different VRS post spacings, producing prototypes, testing them against BS EN 1317 requirements, developing installation and filter-drain maintenance methods, and modelling the effect on drainage capacity. The buyer expects the requirement to be delivered by a single supplier. The procurement is classified as design and execution of research and development services.

This procurement is at the planning stage under the Procurement Act 2023; it is an intention to procure and is not an invitation to tender. National Highways expects to seek one supplier for a single lot, with the requirement identified as suitable for SMEs. The estimated value is £150,000 excluding VAT and £180,000 including VAT. The anticipated contract period is 1 December 2026 to 31 March 2027. The buyer has planned preliminary market engagement to understand market capability and delivery approaches, support technical decision-making and standards development, and inform potential procurement strategies. Suppliers are expected to provide questionnaire responses by 31 August 2026, and the buyer currently expects a future notice on 5 October 2026.

The planned requirement should suit specialist suppliers of precast concrete, vehicle restraint systems, drainage infrastructure, structural design, testing or highway maintenance solutions, including SMEs able to combine several of these capabilities. Relevant preparation would include the ability to design and check precast elements that span filter drains, accommodate varied VRS post spacing and integrate with drainage systems. Suppliers should be able to manufacture prototype precast components and arrange or undertake testing to BS EN 1317 requirements. Experience of drainage-capacity modelling, construction methodology development and maintenance planning would also be valuable. The buyer is looking for a practical solution that reduces maintenance works, material use and waste while maintaining safety and drainage performance. Market engagement is intended to explore potential delivery approaches before a future procurement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Validating and supplying precast VRS foundations that meet VRS and drainage standards.

Notice Description

National Highways is a government owned organisation responsible for operating, maintaining and improving the strategic road network in England. National Highways is looking to secure the provision of a single supplier to develop a solution to Vehicle Restraint Systems (VRS) / drainage design clash by validating precast foundations that improve maintenance efficiency, safety and reduce carbon. The design clash between the VRS and drainage systems relates to the restriction of placing VRS foundations within fin / filter drains, which would restrict the capacity of the drains. The solution proposed is for a precast concrete foundation to support the VRS across the filter drain, which would minimise the works required to conduct the maintenance activities. The additional benefit would be that the new foundations should be able to use the new VRS systems, with greater spacing between posts. This solution should lead to less materials required in the construction of new sections of VRS, and less wastage of materials during maintenance activities. The expected outcomes of this project would be: * Design and checking of precast elements that could function as VRS foundations, which have the ability to span typical filter drains and accommodate a variety of VRS post spacings. * Production of these precast elements to form prototypes that can be tested to the requirements of BS EN 1317 * Concise construction methodologies for installing the precast VRS foundation, as well as for maintenance activities for the filter drains under the foundation * Modelling of the drainage, to ascertain the impact of the precast VRS foundation on the capacity of the drainage system

Planning Information

The purpose of this Market Engagement exercise is to understand market capability and potential delivery approaches for designing validating, testing and supplying precast VRS foundations that meet VRS and Drainage Standards. Interested suppliers are invited to complete an on-line questionnaire which can be accessed via the following link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/kUZzJGRULj 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.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06dc66
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074200-2026
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
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73300000 - Design and execution of research and development

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£150,000 £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
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)

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