---
title: "Essex Highways and Transportation Contracts"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04fc31"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04fc31"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04fc31.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04fc31.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2026-04-22"
---

# Essex Highways and Transportation Contracts

Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04fc31

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## Summary

Essex County Council is in the planning stage of re-procuring its Highways and Transportation Services within Essex's administrative area. The tender, titled "Essex Highways and Transportation Contracts," targets the construction and maintenance of highways, roads, and associated services. The council is conducting a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to gather feedback from interested suppliers about modernising their approach to delivering these services in light of anticipated Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). Suppliers are encouraged to complete the pre-market engagement questionnaire by 28th April 2026 and participate in virtual and in-person events planned for May 2026. The contracts, expected to begin on 1st April 2028, carry a potential value of up to £3 billion over a 14-year term.

This tender presents considerable business opportunities for firms with expertise in construction, highways maintenance, engineering, and architectural services. With a focus on creating a resilient and future-ready operating environment, it seeks suppliers that are adept in delivering best practices, innovations, and adopting new technologies. The competitive flexible procedure offers a chance for businesses across various levels of the supply chain to become integral partners in Essex's growth agenda. Companies capable of delivering extensive programmes of routine and reactive highway activities, asset maintenance, and infrastructure design and implementation will be well-suited to compete, thereby strengthening their foothold in public sector projects.

## Notice

As the local highways authority for Essex, Essex County Council (ECC) is responsible for managing and maintaining one of the largest and most diverse local highway networks in the country. In doing so, ECC fulfils its statutory duties under the Highways Act 1980 to ensure the network is safe, resilient and fit for purpose for residents, businesses and road users, and that traffic moves freely across the network under all conditions. This includes significant programmes of routine and reactive highways activity, such as asset maintenance and renewal, drainage management, winter services and the design and delivery of new transport infrastructure. ECC has previously undertaken market engagement in respect of its future Highways and Transportation Services. The procurement was paused to allow greater clarity to emerge around Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and its potential implications for future service delivery and governance arrangements. With greater clarity now in place, ECC is re commencing engagement with the market as it prepares to re-procure its Highways and Transportation Services, within the current Administrative Area of Essex. Ahead of commencing the procurement, ECC is undertaking this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to provide an update on ECC's emerging approach to the future delivery of Highways and Transportation Services, particularly in the context of anticipated Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and the transition to any future Unitary Authorities. The planned commencement date for the new Essex Highways and Transportation Services is 01 April 2028 with an initial seven-year term and potential options to extend for up to seven additional years. The current estimated maximum value of the contracts over a maximum fourteen-year term is PS3 billion (excluding VAT). The contracting authority is Essex County Council and any Successor Body meaning one or more entities which assumes any of the ECC's functions (as applicable) as a result of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement notice is to notify the market of further upcoming market engagement opportunities ahead of tender publication. Further details are set out in the Engagement section of this notice.

### Planning Information

Update Provided 22 April 2026
We are continuing to develop our understanding of how highways and transport services could be structured and delivered in the future. As part of this work, we are seeking further feedback from the market to help inform our thinking and ensure any future procurement and service design reflects a modern, resilient and future ready operating environment.
We invite all interested suppliers to complete the pre market engagement questionnaire via the Microsoft Form link below and submit your feedback by 5pm on 28 April 2026.
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=TzK0qFwVFUKg8X7YzJqZL4qLg6G3JzVEljwhsbWVgUtUNDk2QjlBNzdFWkhSUkFKSEtPUlFHMzJXOSQlQCN0PWcu 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous Information (now expired)
All prospective bidders are invited to attend a virtual pre-market engagement event on 16 April 2026 which will be conducted via Microsoft Teams at 11:00am. The event will provide an opportunity to hear directly about recent changes to some of the approaches previously briefed on, the influence of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on the procurement, and the next stages of the programme, as well as to raise early questions and engage in discussion.
The key items on the agenda are as follows:
1. Introduction - key programme and LGR update
2. Independent Contracts
3. Procurement updates - Competitive Flexible Procedure and high-level procurement timetable and change in ECC procurement system
4. Further market engagement details
We strongly encourage all interested suppliers to attend, at all levels of the supply chain. If you would like to attend, please send your expression of interest to FHP.Team@essex.gov.uk by midday on 15 April 2026 including the names and email addresses for attendees from your organisation. A link to the event will then be issued.
Please note that you will be issued with a questionnaire shortly after the virtual market engagement event on 16 April 2026 with a response deadline of 28 April 2026. There will also be an in-person event and potential 1-2-1s week commencing 11 May 2026.
Important information
Respondents are advised that the purpose of this notice is to engage directly with the market. The Procurement description, estimated contract start and end date, estimated date of publication or estimated contract value should not be taken as a final "version" of ECC's requirements.
This notice is not a call for competition to procure any works or services.
Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response, or lack thereof, to this notice. Nor shall a response to this notice guarantee an opportunity to participate in this market engagement exercise or any future procurement process that ECC may conduct. The virtual market engagement event will be recorded, and a link will be available upon request.
Essex County Council is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party responding to this notice or any party who may participate in the market engagement exercise.
For reference, previous Prior Information Notices issued under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (old notices) associated with this project can be located via the following notice identifiers: F01. 2023/S 000-017107, F01. 2023/S 000-027435, F01. 2024/S 000-012457, F14. 2025/S 000-003014

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036721-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Competitive flexible procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 22 Apr 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 31 Oct 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2028 - 31 Mar 2035 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £3,000,000,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planned |
| Lots status | Planned |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL |
| Locality | CHELMSFORD |
| Post town | Chelmsford |
| Postcode | CM1 1QH |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH3 Essex |
| ITL 3 | TLH36 Heart of Essex |
| Local authority | Chelmsford |
| Electoral ward | Moulsham and Central |
| Westminster constituency | Chelmsford |
| Delivery location | TLH3 Essex |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 45 - Construction work
- 50 - Repair and maintenance services
- 63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 45233000 - Construction, foundation and surface works for highways, roads
- 50230000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services related to roads and other equipment
- 63712200 - Highway operation services
- 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

## Release History

- 22 Apr 2026 at 14:33 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036721-2026
- 8 Apr 2026 at 15:49 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032116-2026
- 28 Oct 2025 at 13:50 - PlanningUpdate - UK1 - Pipeline Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068984-2025
- 28 Oct 2025 at 13:46 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068980-2025
- 4 Aug 2025 at 15:00 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045741-2025
- 9 Jun 2025 at 10:21 - Planning - UK1 - Pipeline Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030867-2025
- 8 Apr 2025 at 08:37 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013538-2025
- 2 Apr 2025 at 14:34 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012600-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036721-2026
  22nd April 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032116-2026
  8th April 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068984-2025
  28th October 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068980-2025
  28th October 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045741-2025
  4th August 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030867-2025
  9th June 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013538-2025
  8th April 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012600-2025
  2nd April 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=TzK0qFwVFUKg8X7YzJqZL4qLg6G3JzVEljwhsbWVgUtUNDk2QjlBNzdFWkhSUkFKSEtPUlFHMzJXOSQlQCN0PWcu
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-04fc31. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04fc31.json.