Race starts for £800m south Wales civils framework

More than 60 firms face a fight to retain their places as bidding opens for the next-generation South West Wales civils framework worth up to £800m.

Five councils have launched the contest for the replacement deal, covering everything from small local repairs to major £3m-plus schemes and specialist infrastructure work.

Carmarthenshire County Council is leading the procurement with Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea councils.

The framework will run for three years from February 2027, with an option to extend for a further 12 months.

The final tender sets out 16 lots, with the ceiling for smaller civils jobs raised to £1m from the £750,000 proposed earlier.

Four geographical lots will cover these smaller schemes in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea, and Ceredigion.

Larger projects will be split between two regional lots for work worth £1m-£3m and £3m or more.

A separate lot for civil engineering resource services up to £100,000 will allow contractors to supplement councils’ in-house workforces.

Nine specialist lots cover:

Demolition

Public lighting and associated electrical works

Lining and road marking

Surfacing

Ground investigations

Marine works excluding coastal works

Traffic management

Bridge maintenance and associated infrastructure

Hard and soft landscaping and maintenance

Price will account for 60% of bid scores on the two larger civils lots, with quality carrying 40%. Specialist lots will be assessed on a 70% price and 30% quality split.

Natural Resources Wales, Powys County Council and the Mining Remediation Authority are among other bodies able to use the framework.

Bids are now due by 2pm on 26 November, with award decisions expected on 18 January ahead of an 8 February start.

Tender documents are available through eTenderWales under project reference 61783.

Race starts for £800m south Wales civils framework | Construction Enquirer News