The government has alerted contractors to a cross-departmental construction framework that could be worth £80bn.
The Cabinet Office this week (26 November) published a prior information notice teeing up procurement of the framework.
It will be known as the Construction Works and Associated Services including Healthcare and Offsite Solutions framework.
According to the notice, the deal will run for seven years and be available to all government departments and public bodies as well as their special purpose vehicles.
Health, education, culture, sport, housing, defence and infrastructure projects could all be procured through the framework.
Although most of the work is expected to take place in the UK, selected companies could also be asked to fulfil overseas requirements. Bids from suppliers based abroad will be considered.
As well as construction and real estate works, the framework is expected to cover electrical machinery; furniture and furnishings; structures and materials; repair and maintenance; and business services such as recruitment and marketing.
Market engagement is expected to begin in early 2025 with formal procurement processes starting in January 2026.
Contractors interested in attending an initial information session should email construction@crowncommercial.gov.uk by midday on 13 December 2024.
The Cabinet Office in September pushed back implementation of the Procurement Act to 24 February 2025.
Designed to wrap four pieces of legislation drafted under EU law into one, the act was put together by the former Tory government to create simpler processes, greater transparency, better value and more work for small companies.
The act uses the term ‘most advantageous tender’ to replace the ‘most economically advantageous tender’ in existing legislation, suggesting that procurers could give a higher weighting to issues such as social value, a move one construction boss told CN could benefit smaller contractors.
The notice statement said: “The lotting structure of this framework will be determined as a result of the market engagement with consideration to value, location and sector.”
