EiB’s strategic consultant supported our client through review and challenge of its PQQ and ITT submissions and helped it secure a place on Lot B – Buildings, Bridges and Structures for the £680 million Civils Framework for Scotland’s Railway
The opportunity
Replacing the current REF Frameworks scheduled to expire in late 2025, Network Rail’s £900 million CP7 Civils Framework for Scotland’s Railway was a 5+3-year NEC4 tender procured under the Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016.
Through this tender, Network Rail was seeking long-term strategic partners to support delivery of the Scottish Government’s priorities, to strengthen its ‘one team’ approach and to build on successes achieved in CP6.
The tender opportunity consisted of:
- Lot A: Minor Civils Steelwork (£100 million)
- Lot B1 and B2: Buildings, Bridges and Structures (£680 million)
- Lot C: Earthworks (£320 million).
Following submission of a PQQ, Network Rail sought to select up to six candidates to go forward to ITT stage. Our client was seeking to be one of the two delivery partners who would then be chosen for Lot B and share a programmed work bank of multiple projects throughout the Scottish rail network.
Allocated based on capacity, capability and performance, these projects could include:
- bridge deck replacements and demolitions
- buildings and structures renewals
- accessibility schemes
- station redevelopments and new builds.
EiB approach and involvement
As well as the associated company information, the PQQ involved eight written responses, including a technical response requiring project examples of nine different work packages, each aligned to the proposed scope of Lot B.
For the ITT, there were two safety-focused responses and seven technical responses comprising of projects from the proposed work bank that covered the scope of activities to be delivered within Lot B.
These were all required to detail an options appraisal and complete a Task Specific Methodology and Hazard Management template and delivery programme with two responses also requiring production of a Form A – Certificate of Approval in Principle (AiP). All had to be developed in accordance with the CR-T requirements included in the tender documentation.
For both the PQQ and ITT, we reviewed all of the tender documents including the Instructions to Participants, the structure of the required responses and the evaluation criteria. This involved ‘red’ reviews, challenging the emerging responses drafted by the client technical staff, all of whom were fully engaged in the process and delivered high quality technical solutions for the responses. We then conducted a final ‘gold’ review on all responses prior to submission.
Success and outcomes
Our client was successfully awarded a place on the £680 million Lot B Framework. Our client subsequently invited EiB to deliver the same support for the CP7 Civils Reactive and Minor Works framework tender opportunity.