--- title: "Highway Grass Verge and Hedge Cutting, Rights of Way - Seasonal Vegetation cuts, Suds and Watercourse Maintenance" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f5d9" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f5d9" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f5d9.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f5d9.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "Bedford Borough Council" published: "2026-09-09" --- # Highway Grass Verge and Hedge Cutting, Rights of Way - Seasonal Vegetation cuts, Suds and Watercourse Maintenance Buyer: Bedford Borough Council Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f5d9 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f5d9) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f5d9.json) ## Summary Bedford Borough Council is buying outsourced grounds and highway vegetation maintenance services across Bedford. The requirement covers planning, managing and delivering highway grass verge and hedge cutting, seasonal vegetation cuts on rights of way, grip cutting to maintain drainage, and maintenance of SUDS and watercourses. It also includes mowing and baling at countryside sites. The work supports the council’s statutory highway maintenance responsibilities and must meet the specification, legal requirements, public safety obligations and expected aesthetic standards. The procurement is divided into four service areas: grass, hedge, SUDS and watercourse maintenance; rights of way seasonal vegetation cutting; grip cutting; and mowing and baling at countryside sites. This is a services contract for suppliers operating in grounds maintenance, vegetation management, highway maintenance or related land-management services. The process reached tender: Bedford Borough Council invited offers through an open procedure. Bids may be submitted electronically in English by 28 October 2026 at 12:00. The evaluation and award period is scheduled to end on 4 January 2027 at 23:59. The estimated total value is £1,835,885.70 excluding VAT, or £2,203,062.84 including VAT. Four lots are available, covering the service areas described above; the published lot values are £0. Each lot is evaluated on price, weighted at 55%, and quality, weighted at 45%. Contracts are scheduled to run from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2034, with renewal options of up to 36 months, giving a maximum contract end date of 31 March 2037. The opportunity is above the relevant threshold. This opportunity suits contractors able to organise and deliver recurring vegetation and land-management operations across highway verges, hedges, rights of way, drainage features, watercourses and countryside sites. Relevant capability includes grass and hedge cutting, seasonal vegetation control, grip cutting for highway drainage, SUDS and watercourse maintenance, and mowing and baling. Suppliers should be able to develop a programme, manage delivery across the council’s requirements and work to defined specifications while maintaining legal compliance, public safety and acceptable visual standards. The four-lot structure may suit businesses specialising in one service area as well as broader grounds-maintenance or highway-maintenance contractors able to cover several areas. The long planned service period and possible extension favour organisations with dependable operational capacity, suitable machinery, scheduling and supervision arrangements, and experience delivering safe, compliant outdoor maintenance services. ## Notice As a Unitary Council we have responsibility for Grass cutting & land management and have a statutory duty regarding levels of grass cutting due to duty to maintain the highway specified in Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980. The requirement involves the outsourcing of this provision to a provider who will develop a programme, manage and carry out Highway Grass Verge and Hedge Cutting, Grip maintenance, Rights of Way - Seasonal Vegetation cuts, Suds and Watercourse Maintenance Services in accordance with our Specification and ensure legal compliance, public safety, and aesthetic standards are met. Lot 1 - grass cutting, hedge, suds and watercourse Lot 2 - rights of way SVC (seasonal vegetation cut) Lot 3 - grip cutting (cut within highway verge to ensure drainage occurs) Lot 4 - mowing and bailing of countryside sites ### Lot Information Grass & Hedge Cutting, SUDS & Watercourse Maintenance Lot 1 Grass & Hedge Cutting, SUDS & Watercourse Maintenance Renewal: up to 36 months ROW_SVC Lot 2 ROW_SVC Renewal: up to 36 months GRIP Cutting Lot 3 GRIP Cutting Renewal: up to 36 months Mowing & Baling Countryside Sites Lot 4 Mowing & Baling Countryside Sites Renewal: up to 36 months ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085475-2026 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 9 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | 28 Oct 2026 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2034 | | Recurrence | 2033-09-09 | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £1,835,885 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | Bedford Borough Council | | Locality | BEDFORD | | Postcode area | Milton Keynes | | Postcode | MK42 9AP | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLH East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire | | ITL 3 | TLH24 Bedford | | Local authority | Bedford | | Electoral ward | Cauldwell | | Westminster constituency | Bedford | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 45 - Construction work - 77 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services ### Codes - 45112710 - Landscaping work for green areas - 45112730 - Landscaping work for roads and motorways - 77314100 - Grassing services - 77342000 - Hedge trimming ## Release History - 9 Sep 2026 at 15:24 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085475-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085475-2026 9th September 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/bedford/aspx/Home - 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-06f5d9. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f5d9.json.