By ashleykaren
Suppliers have been invited by Network Rail to tender for its Eastern Routes Partnership (ERP) framework, which has an estimated value of £4bn and contains buildings, civils, and geotechnical works.
The eastern region comprises routes and areas from the borders of Scotland to London and contains other cities like Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Norwich, and Cambridge.
Network Rail issued the tender announcement for its Eastern Routes Partnership (ERP) framework on 21 April.
The initial duration of the ERP is five years, with an option to prolong the ERP by yearly increments up to an additional five years.
The framework encompasses four lots that cover buildings, civils, structural and geotechnical works; signaling and telecoms; contact systems works; and distribution and plant.
The first lot is divided into three; Lot 1A covers generalist buildings and civils and has an evaluated worth of £1bn, Lot 1B covers specialist structures and is worth £72M, and Lot 1C covers specialist geotechnical works and is worth £64M.
The scope of work comprises building/civils and related mechanical and electrical works, geotechnical works for earthwork embankments, soil and rock cuttings, and drainage works.
In addition, it contains structural works for underbridges, preventative tunnel interventions, culverts, overbridges, tunnel repair, retaining structures, footbridges, equipment support structures, and scours works.
The second Lot is divided into Lot 2A, Lot 2B, and Lot 2C and covers generalist and specialist signaling and telecoms works. The third Lot is split into Lot 3A and Lot 3B and covers generalist and specialist contact systems works. And the fourth Lot is divided into Lot 4A and Lot 4B and covers generalist and specialist distribution and plant.
The framework incorporates two levels: generalist and specialist. Network Rail is prompting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), new entrants and discipline experts to participate in the process of the specialist level.
On the other hand, for the generalist level, Network Rail is looking to engage suppliers able to take on projects with advanced complexity/stakeholder management. These suppliers should also be able to provide the volumes demanded against the desired unit rates to deliver Network Rail’s strategic business plan.
Moreover, Network Rail has claimed that it is searching for contractors who can work with it to establish the mandated collaborative behaviors under the ERP while acknowledging the challenging commercial environment.
Therefore, as part of the invitation to tender, bidders will be needed to undertake a behavioral assessment.
The tender applications’ deadline is said to be at 11 am, 2 June 2023.
