---
title: "Archaeology Framework"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-02a845"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02a845"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02a845.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02a845.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "HIGHWAYS ENGLAND"
published: "2021-04-20"
---

# Archaeology Framework

Buyer: HIGHWAYS ENGLAND  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-02a845

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## Summary

Highways England is undertaking an open tender process for an "Archaeology Framework" aimed at delivering site-investigation services essential for preserving archaeological remains during road construction and improvement projects. This procurement encompasses various lots with values ranging from less than £2 million to over £5 million, with the framework being available for use by other Highways England contractors. The contract was awarded on 14th September 2020 and includes multiple key components, such as detailed design and investigative work across several stages to ensure compliance with legal obligations regarding archaeological preservation.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses specialising in archaeological services, particularly those with expertise in site investigations, historical documentation, and mitigation strategies. Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that can demonstrate technical competence and capacity are well-positioned to bid, especially for the lower value lots. The competitive nature of this framework should encourage innovative approaches while allowing successful bidders to establish long-term relations with Highways England, thus enhancing their growth prospects in public procurement.

## Notice

Highways England (HE) has a legal obligation to ensure that archaeological remains are preserved, and recorded where new roads, motorway widening projects and trunk road improvements are built by providing appropriate archaeological expertise, advice on design and contract documentation, supervising, monitoring, search and recovery and reporting progress on all stages of work. HE has highlighted the need for an archaeology framework with technically competent, capacity enabled suppliers, to provide a consistent route across programmes/directorates, drive savings and build direct relationships with suppliers. The framework will be enabled for use by Highways England other Contractors. The framework will be composed of six lots. Work orders will be undertaken through lots 1a, 2a and 3a with values based on individual Schemes within each lot: Lot 1a: up to GBP 2 million, Lot 2a: GBP 2 million --

### Lot Information

Lot 1a

The scope of the services and works that will be delivered under the framework will cover six stages: Stage 1: The provision of general early-stage, desk-based advice on the production and costing of deliverables and interventions to inform a submission. Stage 2: Includes the provision of detailed assessment from the framework suppliers. This would cover the range of skill sets not normally found 'in-house' within the client's design-consultancy providers. Stage 3: Detailed design and implementation of investigations. The framework suppliers supply non-intrusive and intrusive archaeological investigations as appropriate. Stage 4: Mitigation measures including: * avoidance, preservation by burial or investigation in the case of archaeological remains; * relocation, photographic or drawn to scale surveys in the case of historic buildings; * recording, information panels or landscape works in the case of impacts on historic landscapes; and * reduction to impact on setting through screening or landscaping. Stage 5: Archaeological mitigation for on-site works * preservation of archaeological sites in situ (some may require small scale investigation); and * archaeological recording of assets to be removed by the package contract. Stage 6: Archaeological mitigation programme for off-site works * preliminary processing of excavated material and data; * post-fieldwork assessment; * analysis and publication; and * public archaeology and community engagement. Where archaeological remains are to be preserved in situ the archaeological. Supplier may be required to undertake or monitor other suppliers' activities. Additional information: Lot 1a is for schemes of value < 2 million. As the roads investment strategy 2 period progresses Highways England reserves the right to transfer any unallocated value between lots to fund additional schemes. When considering potential value of work which may be won by a successful supplier, tenderers should consider the total expected value of the framework as well as the relevant lot.

Lot 1b

The scope of all lots covers six stages: Stage 1: The provision of general early-stage, desk-based advice on the production and costing of deliverables and interventions to inform a submission. Stage 2: Includes the provision of detailed assessment from the framework suppliers. This would cover the range of skill sets not normally found 'in-house' within the Client's design-consultancy providers. Stage 3: Detailed design and implementation of investigations. The framework suppliers supply non-intrusive and intrusive archaeological investigations as appropriate. Stage 4: Mitigation measures including: * avoidance, preservation by burial or investigation in the case of archaeological remains; * relocation, photographic or drawn to scale surveys in the case of historic buildings; * recording, information panels or landscape works in the case of impacts on historic landscapes; and * reduction to impact on setting through screening or landscaping. Stage 5: archaeological mitigation for on-site works: * preservation of archaeological sites in situ (some may require small scale investigation); and * archaeological recording of assets to be removed by the package contract. Stage 6: archaeological mitigation programme for off-site works * preliminary processing of excavated material and data; * post-fieldwork assessment; * analysis and publication; and * public archaeology and community engagement. Where archaeological remains are to be preserved in situ the archaeological supplier may be required to undertake or monitor other suppliers' activities.

Lot 2a

The scope of all lots covers six stages: Stage 1: The provision of general early-stage, desk-based advice on the production and costing of deliverables and interventions to inform a submission. Stage 2: Includes the provision of detailed assessment from the framework suppliers. This would cover the range of skill sets not normally found 'in-house' within the Client's design-consultancy providers. Stage 3: Detailed design and implementation of investigations. The framework suppliers supply non-intrusive and intrusive archaeological investigations as appropriate. Stage 4: Mitigation measures including: * avoidance, preservation by burial or investigation in the case of archaeological remains; * relocation, photographic or drawn to scale surveys in the case of historic buildings; * recording, information panels or landscape works in the case of impacts on historic landscapes; and * reduction to impact on setting through screening or landscaping. Stage 5: archaeological mitigation for on-site works: * preservation of archaeological sites in situ (some may require small scale investigation); and * archaeological recording of assets to be removed by the package contract. Stage 6: archaeological mitigation programme for off-site works * preliminary processing of excavated material and data; * post-fieldwork assessment; * analysis and publication; and * public archaeology and community engagement. Where archaeological remains are to be preserved in situ the archaeological supplier may be required to undertake or monitor other suppliers' activities Additional information: Lot 2a is for schemes of value GBP 2 million -- < GBP 5 million. As the roads investment strategy 2 period progresses Highways England reserves the right to transfer any unallocated value between lots to fund additional schemes. When considering potential value of work which may be won by a supplier, tenderers to consider the total expected value of the framework as well as the relevant lot

Lot 2b

The scope of all lots covers six stages: Stage 1: The provision of general early-stage, desk-based advice on the production and costing of deliverables and interventions to inform a submission. Stage 2: Includes the provision of detailed assessment from the framework suppliers. This would cover the range of skill sets not normally found 'in-house' within the Client's design-consultancy providers. Stage 3: Detailed design and implementation of investigations. The framework suppliers supply non-intrusive and intrusive archaeological investigations as appropriate. Stage 4: Mitigation measures including: * avoidance, preservation by burial or investigation in the case of archaeological remains; * relocation, photographic or drawn to scale surveys in the case of historic buildings; * recording, information panels or landscape works in the case of impacts on historic landscapes; and * reduction to impact on setting through screening or landscaping. Stage 5: archaeological mitigation for on-site works: * preservation of archaeological sites in situ (some may require small scale investigation); and * archaeological recording of assets to be removed by the package contract. Stage 6: archaeological mitigation programme for off-site works * preliminary processing of excavated material and data; * post-fieldwork assessment; * analysis and publication; and * public archaeology and community engagement. Where archaeological remains are to be preserved in situ the archaeological supplier may be required to undertake or monitor other suppliers' activities

Lot 3a

The scope of all lots covers six stages: Stage 1: The provision of general early-stage, desk-based advice on the production and costing of deliverables and interventions to inform a submission. Stage 2: Includes the provision of detailed assessment from the framework suppliers. This would cover the range of skill sets not normally found 'in-house' within the Client's design-consultancy providers. Stage 3: Detailed design and implementation of investigations. The framework suppliers supply non-intrusive and intrusive archaeological investigations as appropriate. Stage 4: Mitigation measures including: * avoidance, preservation by burial or investigation in the case of archaeological remains; * relocation, photographic or drawn to scale surveys in the case of historic buildings; * recording, information panels or landscape works in the case of impacts on historic landscapes; and * reduction to impact on setting through screening or landscaping. Stage 5: archaeological mitigation for on-site works: * preservation of archaeological sites in situ (some may require small scale investigation); and * archaeological recording of assets to be removed by the package contract. Stage 6: archaeological mitigation programme for off-site works * preliminary processing of excavated material and data; * post-fieldwork assessment; * analysis and publication; and * public archaeology and community engagement. Where archaeological remains are to be preserved in situ the archaeological supplier may be required to undertake or monitor other suppliers' activities. Additional information: Lot 3a is for schemes of value > GBP 5 million. As the roads investment strategy 2 period progresses Highways England reserves the right to transfer any unallocated value between lots to fund additional schemes. When considering potential value of work which may be won by a successful supplier, tenderers should consider the total expected value of the framework as well as the relevant lot.

Lot 3b

The scope of all lots covers six stages: Stage 1: The provision of general early-stage, desk-based advice on the production and costing of deliverables and interventions to inform a submission. Stage 2: Includes the provision of detailed assessment from the framework suppliers. This would cover the range of skill sets not normally found 'in-house' within the Client's design-consultancy providers. Stage 3: Detailed design and implementation of investigations. The framework suppliers supply non-intrusive and intrusive archaeological investigations as appropriate. Stage 4: Mitigation measures including: * avoidance, preservation by burial or investigation in the case of archaeological remains; * relocation, photographic or drawn to scale surveys in the case of historic buildings; * recording, information panels or landscape works in the case of impacts on historic landscapes; and * reduction to impact on setting through screening or landscaping. Stage 5: archaeological mitigation for on-site works: * preservation of archaeological sites in situ (some may require small scale investigation); and * archaeological recording of assets to be removed by the package contract. Stage 6: archaeological mitigation programme for off-site works * preliminary processing of excavated material and data; * post-fieldwork assessment; * analysis and publication; and * public archaeology and community engagement. Where archaeological remains are to be preserved in situ the archaeological supplier may be required to undertake or monitor other suppliers' activities

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008404-2021 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large, SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 20 Apr 2021 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 13 Sep 2020 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £273,200,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## 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 | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 7 |
| Supplier names | AECOM; ARCHAEOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS; CONNECT ARCHAEOLOGY; HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY; INFRA JV; MUSEUM OF LONDON ARCHAEOLOGY; OCA JV |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 71510000 - Site-investigation services

## Release History

- 20 Apr 2021 at 21:55 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008404-2021

## Notice URLs

- http://www.highwaysengland.co.uk
- https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:331367-2020:TEXT:EN:HTML

## 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-h6vhtk-02a845. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02a845.json.