Essex Highways and Transportation Contracts

As the local highways authority for Essex, Essex County Council (ECC) is responsible for managing and maintaining one of the largest and most diverse local highway networks in the country. In doing so, ECC fulfils its statutory duties under the Highways Act 1980 to ensure the network is safe, resilient and fit for purpose for residents, businesses and road users, and that traffic moves freely across the network under all conditions. This includes significant programmes of routine and reactive highways activity, such as asset maintenance and renewal, drainage management, winter services and the design and delivery of new transport infrastructure. ECC has previously undertaken market engagement in respect of its future Highways and Transportation Services. The procurement was paused to allow greater clarity to emerge around Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and its potential implications for future service delivery and governance arrangements. With greater clarity now in place, ECC is re commencing engagement with the market as it prepares to re-procure its Highways and Transportation Services, within the current Administrative Area of Essex. Ahead of commencing the procurement, ECC is undertaking this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to provide an update on ECC's emerging approach to the future delivery of Highways and Transportation Services, particularly in the context of anticipated Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and the transition to any future Unitary Authorities. The planned commencement date for the new Essex Highways and Transportation Services is 01 April 2028 with an initial seven-year term and potential options to extend for up to seven additional years. The current estimated maximum value of the contracts over a maximum fourteen-year term is £3 billion (excluding VAT). The contracting authority is Essex County Council and any Successor Body meaning one or more entities which assumes any of the ECC's functions (as applicable) as a result of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement notice is to notify the market of further upcoming market engagement opportunities ahead of tender publication. Further details are set out in the Engagement section of this notice.