---
title: "Highways & Infrastructure Planning Solution"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05a082"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05a082"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05a082.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05a082.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2025-10-08"
---

# Highways & Infrastructure Planning Solution

Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05a082

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05a082.json)

## Summary

The procurement process led by Essex County Council culminated in the award of a contract for the "Highways & Infrastructure Planning Solution" (HIPS) to DEF Software Limited. This initiative focuses on providing a cross-departmental planning solution for Essex, covering areas from planning responses to the management of developer contributions and highway assets. The procurement utilized a direct award method due to the absence of competing bids, and the contract is now at the award stage. The contract, signed on 6th October 2025, commences on 9th October 2025 and extends for an initial five-year period with a possible continuation on a rolling basis. The main procurement category is services, specifically related to planning systems and software-related services, with an award value of approximately £387,833.97 excluding VAT.

This tender presents opportunities for businesses that specialise in software solutions, particularly those focusing on infrastructure planning and management systems. Companies that can deliver comprehensive planning and management tools are well-suited to compete in similar future contracts, benefiting from the chance to establish relationships with local government entities like Essex County Council. SMEs could find particular growth potential given the Council's preference for innovative, versatile solutions that can streamline and support statutory duties across multiple departments. Businesses aiming to expand within the public sector technology or services domain would find such contracts appealing for growth and establishment in the market.

## Notice

Procurement of a single cross departmental solution for managing planning responses, management of onsite activities through to adoption of new highway assets, including the management of developer contributions (S106), ensuring Essex County Council is supported by the best technology in its day-to-day operations and can deliver its statutory duties.

### Procurement Information

At the Prior Information Notice (PIN) stage, there were 12 expressions of interest from suppliers. The tender process for the service commenced on 21 February 2025 and two suppliers - both of whom had responded to the PIN initially expressed an interest However, when the tender closed on 24 March 2025, no bids were received.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063442-2025 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 8 Oct 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 22 Sep 2025 |
| Contract period | 8 Oct 2025 - 8 Oct 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £387,833 |
| Contracts value | £387,833 |

## Status

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

## 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 | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | DEF SOFTWARE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages
- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

### Codes

- 30196000 - Planning systems
- 72260000 - Software-related services

## Release History

- 8 Oct 2025 at 15:39 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063442-2025
- 23 Sep 2025 at 17:01 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/059042-2025
- 23 Sep 2025 at 16:42 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/059038-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063442-2025
  8th October 2025 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/059042-2025
  23rd September 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/059038-2025
  23rd September 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://def.co.uk
- http://www.essex.gov.uk
- 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-05a082. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05a082.json.