Description
As many organisations will be aware, Norfolk County Council ("NCC") recently conducted a procurement exercise for its highways professional services contract ("PSC") which it was unfortunately unable to conclude, and therefore it could not proceed to award a contract. NCC is currently reviewing the approach taken to that competition with the intention that it will, in due course, commence a new competition to replace the current PSC Contract, which is currently provided by WSP and expires on or before 31 March 2028 (the "Opportunity"). The intention is that the newly appointed PSC provider will work closely with Kier, NCC's recently mobilised term maintenance contractor (since April 2026).
NCC expects that the PSC will provide for professional services relating to topics including but not limited to highways, bridges and structures, travel and transport, spatial planning, economic development and strategy, environment, waste and infrastructure associated with NCC's estate and carbon assessments.
NCC anticipates that the services required under the PSC will be carried out collaboratively with NCC's in-house teams and will include:
- Highway design services, project delivery studies, stakeholder consultation studies, and specialist expertise required for the development of highway maintenance, asset management, and capital improvement schemes
- Design Services (feasibility, preliminary and detailed)
- Bridges and structures design and advisory services
- Business Case development in support of funding applications to funders such as DfT and Homes England (e.g., cost benefit analysis, carbon analysis, etc.)
- Archaeology and heritage advisory services
- Transport planning advisory services
- Intelligent transport services and Future Mobility Services design and advisory services
- Spatial planning (including master planning, planning applications, statutory services, carbon assessments and environmental impact assessments)
- Maritime services (including supporting design and project delivery for coastal, harbour and river environments)
- Flood and water management design and advisory services
- Land, property and assets management advisory services
- Economic development advisory services
- Quantity surveying and costing services
- Development of tender documentation; tender evaluation support
- Construction phase services
- Surveys and investigations
- Development research and design and build agreement checks
- Heat, energy and water network advisory services
- Any other related Services
The Council anticipates that the annual value of the PSC will be £7m (excluding VAT) subject to indexation in accordance with its terms.
To support development of this new competition, NCC has appointed Bird & Bird LLP, a respected and highly experienced firm of legal and procurement experts, with whom potential bidders may be familiar following their recent work with other local authorities such as Surrey, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Kent. Bird & Bird's role with NCC will include reviewing the previous procurement approach to ensure that the new competition offers all bidders a fair and equal opportunity to secure this important appointment.
The current intention is that the PSC will be procured using the competitive flexible procedure available under the Procurement Act 2023 ("PA23") and will include a comprehensive pre-market engagement phase to allow suppliers to offer their thoughts in relation to the Opportunity and for NCC to gather actionable feedback to integrate into the new procurement process. In particular, NCC will be keen to communicate to the market (i) the government's proposed structure for local authorities in Norfolk following its recent Local Government Reorganisation ("LGR") announcement, including how it proposes to accommodate this within the context of the Opportunity; and (ii) its latest understanding of government proposals relating to devolution. As such, NCC will be seeking specific feedback from the market on what it considers could be most attractive and appropriate in the LGR and devolution context.
In light of the anticipated LGR transition, NCC is seeking to procure this PSC on a basis that supports continuity of service delivery within the county council geographic area and the area of the proposed Norfolk and Suffolk county combined [mayoral] authority and provides a stable contractual framework capable of accommodating any future local government and/or mayoral structure. Further information regarding LGR and devolution is contained within the PME document.
NCC is publishing this preliminary market engagement notice to allow prospective bidders as much time as possible to prepare for the upcoming Opportunity. NCC intends to continue its engagement during face-to-face meetings with individual suppliers at Bird & Bird's London offices on 30 June and 1 July 2026, with a view to launching the formal procurement at an appropriate point following the summer.