---
title: "W&W Frontline Labour Framework Market Engagement"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-064df9"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-064df9"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-064df9.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-064df9.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED"
published: "2026-02-11"
---

# W&W Frontline Labour Framework Market Engagement

Buyer: NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-064df9

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## Summary

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, a key player within the public authority central government sector, is engaging in preliminary market analysis for its future frontline labour services under the W&W Frontline Labour Framework. This planning stage of procurement aims to assess market capability for potential route-based frameworks for the Wales and Western Routes in the United Kingdom. The market engagement, set to conclude with a deadline of 27th February 2026, seeks input on mobilisation, resilience, and operational responsiveness for this labour provision. Participants should complete the provided Microsoft Form and submit responses electronically, ensuring they meet the submission deadline.

This engagement presents opportunities for businesses specialising in railway construction, maintenance, and consultancy services, with a focus on urban railway works and supply of personnel. Network Rail is interested in suppliers, both incumbent and new, who can offer core frontline labour as well as specialist services in electrification and signalling. These frameworks are ideal for Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs) with competence-managed rail labour capabilities, offering a sizable growth opportunity within the regions of Wales and Western UK. Suppliers can expect potential contract periods beginning in July 2027 with a value threshold above GBP 50 million, promising substantial business growth to those well-positioned to meet Network Rail’s stringent standards and requirements.

## Notice

Please note the contract start and end dates are to be confirmed. The dates represented in this notice are incorrect. Network Rail is undertaking preliminary market engagement in relation to the potential future provision of frontline labour services for the Wales Route and the Western Route. The current Frontline Labour Framework provides principal vendor arrangements for the supply of core frontline labour across geographic lots, supported by national specialist lots covering Electrification & Plant (E&P) and Signalling & Telecoms (S&T) grades. As part of an ongoing category and route-level review, Network Rail is considering whether future requirements for the Wales and Western Routes could be delivered through separate route-based frameworks, procured independently of other regions. The services in scope are expected to include the provision of frontline rail labour to support maintenance and enhancement activities on Network Rail infrastructure, including (but not limited to): Track (core) labour Civils (core) labour Trackworker protection roles Semi-professional grades Sentinel-sponsored and competence-managed rail labour All supplied personnel would be required to meet relevant industry standards, including Sentinel requirements and applicable Network Rail assurance, safety and competency frameworks. Through this preliminary market engagement exercise, Network Rail seeks to: Assess market capability and capacity to support route-specific frontline labour frameworks; Understand existing supplier presence and labour pool availability within the Wales and Western Routes; Test supplier appetite to bid for one or both route-based frameworks; Explore mobilisation, resilience and delivery considerations under a route-led procurement model; Gather insight into potential opportunities to enhance operational responsiveness, local accountability and overall value. This notice is issued for market engagement purposes only. It does not constitute a call for competition, does not commit Network Rail to undertake any procurement, and does not form part of a formal procurement process. Any future procurement would be subject to separate notice in accordance with applicable procurement regulations. Network Rail welcomes responses from both incumbent and non-incumbent suppliers with relevant frontline rail labour capability.

### Planning Information

How to Participate
1. Access the Microsoft Form using the link - https://forms.office.com/e/ndSXCLmaS6 
2. Review all questions carefully and provide complete responses.
3. Submit the form electronically by selecting “Submit” at the end of the questionnaire.
All responses must be submitted via the Microsoft Form. Responses submitted via email will not be accepted unless specifically requested by Network Rail.
Deadline for Responses
The closing date for submission of responses is:
27th February 2026 16:00
Responses received after this deadline may not be considered as part of this engagement.
Clarifications
If you require clarification regarding this market engagement exercise, please submit your query via email to:
Amy.Slocombe@networkrail.co.uk
Network Rail may share clarification responses in anonymised form where considered relevant to all participants.
Important Information
This market engagement exercise is for information-gathering purposes only. It does not constitute a call for competition, does not form part of a formal procurement process, and does not commit Network Rail to undertake any procurement activity.
Participation (or non-participation) in this engagement will not confer any advantage or disadvantage in any future procurement process.
Network Rail reserves the right to:
• Amend or discontinue this engagement exercise;
• Not proceed with any procurement;
• Conduct further engagement activities if required

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012449-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 11 Feb 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 14 Aug 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 30 Jul 2027 - 11 Nov 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £42,000,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South East London |
| Postcode | SE1 8SW |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East |
| ITL 3 | TLI45 Lambeth |
| Local authority | Lambeth |
| Electoral ward | Waterloo & South Bank |
| Westminster constituency | Vauxhall and Camberwell Green |
| Delivery location | TLI3 Inner London - West, TLI7 Outer London - West and North West, TLK South West (England), TLK11 Bristol, City of, TLL Wales |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 45 - Construction work
- 50 - Repair and maintenance services
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 45234100 - Railway construction works
- 45234120 - Urban railway works
- 45234125 - Underground railway station
- 50220000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services related to railways and other equipment
- 50225000 - Railway-track maintenance services
- 71311200 - Transport systems consultancy services
- 71311210 - Highways consultancy services
- 71311230 - Railway engineering services
- 79610000 - Placement services of personnel
- 79620000 - Supply services of personnel including temporary staff

## Release History

- 11 Feb 2026 at 14:16 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012449-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012449-2026
  11th February 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://forms.office.com/e/ndSXCLmaS6
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.networkrail.co.uk/

## 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-064df9. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-064df9.json.