---
title: "Lower Thames Crossing-Statutory Undertakers Detailed Design Contestabled Roads North-Telecoms"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-ede2de4a-abc7-449d-b9b0-b46858010471"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-ede2de4a-abc7-449d-b9b0-b46858010471"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-ede2de4a-abc7-449d-b9b0-b46858010471.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-ede2de4a-abc7-449d-b9b0-b46858010471.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "HIGHWAYS ENGLAND"
published: "2021-02-17"
---

# Lower Thames Crossing-Statutory Undertakers Detailed Design Contestabled Roads North-Telecoms

Buyer: HIGHWAYS ENGLAND  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-ede2de4a-abc7-449d-b9b0-b46858010471

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-ede2de4a-abc7-449d-b9b0-b46858010471)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-ede2de4a-abc7-449d-b9b0-b46858010471.json)

## Summary

The procurement process involves Highways England, which is located in Bedford, England, and is seeking detailed design services for the Lower Thames Crossing project. This procurement falls under the category of project and design preparation and has a contract value of £60,000. The procurement method used was a direct award to Instalcom Limited, the statutory undertaker responsible for utility diversions. The contract period commenced on 19th February 2021 and is set to conclude on 19th February 2022. The tender period ended on 18th February 2021, indicating a swift award process for this project.

This tender presents a valuable opportunity for businesses specialising in utility design services, particularly those with experience in telecommunications and infrastructure projects. Given that Instalcom Limited was awarded the contract due to market conditions and their exclusive rights to network assets, companies with similar capabilities in managing utility assets and extensive design experience would be well-positioned to compete for future opportunities in this sector. The capacity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to engage in such projects further enhances the potential for business growth in this area.

## Notice

To carry out contestable detailed design to ensure utility diversions will be capable of adoption in accordance with Instalcom's own standards, and to ensure that the contestable detailed design is integrated with any relevant non-contestable design carried out by the relevant SU and that it is in accordance with Instalcom's adoptable standards. (i) the contract value was below the procurement threshold amount; and (ii) due to the nature of the works set out in the contracts (the design of contestable works), and market engagement done in relation to the proposed works set out in the contracts, there is not a reasonable alternative to using Instalcom for the purposes of carrying out the contracts. Operators in relation to telecommunications network cables have exclusive rights in terms of ownership of the plant and equipment included in their network, the need to ensure the functionality and safety of that network by overseeing the design of changes to the network and in terms of contracts they have entered into to exploit the network. Understandably they seek to protect those exclusive rights, by requiring indemnities and other contractual mechanisms to cover losses to their assets where they are caused by third party design work. Market engagement has confirmed that this means that design service providers in the wider market would choose not to bid or introduce unaffordable risk pricing, and as a result of this analysis Highways England considers that there is not a reasonable alternative to using Instalcom, and the award of the detailed design contract has therefore been made to Instalcom who are the utility asset owner.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/caf8b65f-f064-40e5-a20a-14ea07a8bf28 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Other - Direct Award to Statutory Undertaker Instalcom who own the assetts. |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 17 Feb 2021 |
| Submission deadline | 18 Feb 2021 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 17 Feb 2021 |
| Contract period | 19 Feb 2021 - 19 Feb 2022 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £60,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £60,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | HIGHWAYS ENGLAND |
| Locality | BEDFORD |
| Post town | Milton Keynes |
| Postcode | MK41 7LW |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLH24 Bedford |
| Local authority | Bedford |
| Electoral ward | Harpur |
| Westminster constituency | Bedford |
| Delivery location | TLI London, TLJ South East (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | INSTALCOM |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 71242000 - Project and design preparation, estimation of costs

## Release History

- 17 Feb 2021 at 14:29 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/caf8b65f-f064-40e5-a20a-14ea07a8bf28

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/caf8b65f-f064-40e5-a20a-14ea07a8bf28
  17th February 2021 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-ede2de4a-abc7-449d-b9b0-b46858010471. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-ede2de4a-abc7-449d-b9b0-b46858010471.json.