Highways England is to hold a briefing day for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the East Midlands looking to provide technical services under its new asset-led delivery model.
The Government-owned company is also inviting suppliers to register an interest via its e-sourcing portal so it can alert them when packages of work become available.
It says SMEs in the region could be asked to carry out individual tasks associated with drainage, topographical and tree surveys, as well as surveys on road surface condition and material testing.
In December Highways England announced a major shake-up of its procurement and delivery arrangements with a raft of key responsibilities being brought back in-house.
The East Midlands region – Highways England’s ‘Area 7’ – was already operating under the new delivery model, following procurement difficulties.
Highways England says the new model enables it ‘to take more ownership of investment decisions on England’s motorways and major A roads, to increase intelligence on local factors that influence where work is needed and to directly manage aspects of the contract, including specialist services.‘
David Poole, Highways England’s executive director for commercial and procurement, said: ‘We are tasked with delivering the largest roads investment programme in a generation and for us to deliver on such a scale at the same time as maintaining the strategic road network, we have to work in a flexible, responsive and efficient way.'
He added: ‘This new procurement approach in the East Midlands is representative of Highways England’s commitment to really changing the way we deliver maintenance and investment over the next five years.’
And to register an interest in the briefing day, or for further details, email Area7ProcurementEnquiries@highwaysengland.co.uk
