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Construction Contract Leads

Changes to notice

This notice has been edited. The previous version is still available.

Correcting links to eTender portal:

Scope

Reference

CPU8222

Description

Nottingham City Council is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced contractor for a scheme covering the following elements:

• RIBA Stage 4 design of a new rail gantry and associated pipework.

• ÂÜÀòÔ­´´ of a new rail gantry and associated pipework.

• Commissioning of new pipework and associated electrical connections.

• Demolition and removal of the existing rail gantry.

Nottingham City Council operates a district heating system from its London Road Heat Station. The system serves c5,000 households and commercial customers with heat and hot water, alongside a private wire with c200 domestic and business users. The main energy supply to the heat station is from a high-pressure steam feed from the nearby Eastcroft Incinerator.

The steam is fed through a pipe which crosses the railway by a gantry to the east of Nottingham Station and west of London Road. The Authority has been asked to move the existing gantry to align closer to London Road to allow a proposed development to take place on the site shown to the north of the railway.

A RIBA Stage Three design has been undertaken and planning permission for the scheme is being sought.

The contractor, or a member of their consortium for group bids, will need to be a Network Rail approved contractor and have experience in the construction and commissioning of high-pressure steam and other ancillary pipes and electrical connections.

The commissioning of the new pipes is targeted to take place during the summer shutdown in July 2027.

Total value (estimated)

• £3,000,000 excluding VAT
• £3,600,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

• 26 October 2026 to 31 July 2027
• 9 months, 6 days

Main procurement category

Works

Additional procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

• 45221118 - Pipeline-carrying bridge construction work
• 45231400 - ÂÜÀòÔ­´´ work for electricity power lines
• 45232140 - District-heating mains construction work
• 71220000 - Architectural design services
• 71300000 - Engineering services

Contract locations

• UKF14 - Nottingham

Justification for not using lots

The nature of the scheme (design & construction of a gantry over Network Rail land carrying high-pressure steam pipes and high-voltage cables) is considered to carry multiple very high risks, and in mitigation of these risks the Council is seeking to appoint a single entity or consortium that will take responsibility for both phases of the project rather than engaging a separate design team and contractor.

Participation

Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation

The contractor will be required to hold the following levels of insurance:

• Employer's Liability: £5,000,000 (where required by law)

• Public Liability: £20,000,000

• Professional Indemnity: £5,000,000

• All Works Insurance at the contract value

Tenderers must either confirm they hold these already, or commit to having them in place if awarded the contract.

Technical ability conditions of participation

The contract requires consent to be obtained from Network Rail to carry out works above and around a railway line, and so the contractor (or a member of their consortium / group or subcontractor) must be a Network Rail approved contractor.

The contractor (or members of their consortium / group or subcontractors) must be able to demonstrate they are capable of designing and building the high-pressure steam pipework and high-voltage electrical connections required by the project.

Submission

Enquiry deadline

16 September 2026, 12:00pm

Submission type

Tenders

Tender submission deadline

16 September 2026, 12:00pm

Submission address and any special instructions

All tenders must be submitted via the Council's eProcurement portal:

Tenders may be submitted electronically

Yes

Languages that may be used for submission

English

Award decision date (estimated)

9 October 2026

Award criteria

Other information

Description of risks to contract performance

• Local Government Reorganisation: During the anticipated contract period, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire may be subject to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), a national programme led by central government to restructure two-tier authorities into single unitary councils. This process involves Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, the district/borough councils, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, and may lead to changes in governance, boundaries and service delivery arrangements that could affect this contract. Tenderers should therefore note that organisational and contractual arrangements may need to adapt in line with any LGR implementation.

• Design: the design has to satisfy a number of stakeholders, most notably Network Rail, Zurich Engineering and the operators of the heat network. Failure to deliver a satisfactory design may result in delay and revision, which will have to be undertaken at the contractor's cost.

• Planning: in the event that planning consent is not granted and the design needs to be realigned, the Authority may amend the contract, in accordance with the contract, to allow for the Contractor to partake in any new design activity required.

• Time: the windows for undertaking the new connection and commissioning it are small, due to the operational nature of the asset. Missing this window may result in extended delay to the project and additional cost before the next suitable window is available.

• Third Party interactions - design and operational sign off will be required from third parties such as Network Rail and the Heat Station / its insurers - Zurich Engineering. Failure to achieve these consents in a timely manner could lead to delay and additional cost to the contractor.

• Working on and around operational sites and systems - both the nature (high pressure steam and electricity) and location (spanning significant railway infrastructure) of the asset create risks, which will require the contractor to have robust method statements in place for the safe delivery of the work alongside the agreement of asset owners that work can proceed.

Applicable trade agreements

• Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes

Procedure

Procedure type

Competitive flexible procedure

Competitive flexible procedure description

The intention is to award the contract at the first time of asking and Tenderers should prepare and submit their Tenders accordingly.

In the event that no tenders are considered satisfactory in all respects and the contract cannot be awarded, the Authority will invite all tenderers which have submitted an otherwise compliant tender to participate in a second stage aimed at improving the content of their tenders. Following the conclusion of this stage tenders will be invited for a second time, and the contract awarded.

Documents

Associated tender documents

Link to the opportunity on the Council's eProcurement portal. Tender documents are available to download from the portal, and tender responses and all other communications regarding the tender must be conducted via the portal.

Contracting authority

Nottingham City Council

• Public Procurement Organisation Number: PZGG-1891-TDCX

Loxley House, Station Street

Nottingham

NG2 3NG

United Kingdom

Contact name: Jonathan Whitmarsh

Email: procurement [at] nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Website: /

Region: UKF14 - Nottingham

Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government

Other organisation

These organisations are carrying out the procurement, or part of it, on behalf of the contracting authorities.

Pick Everard

Summary of their role in this procurement: Technical consultants

• Public Procurement Organisation Number: PGXJ-9617-YWTL

Halford House, Charles Street

Leicester

LE1 1HA

United Kingdom

Email: bidhub [at] pickeverard.co.uk

Website:

Region: UKF21 - Leicester

Contact organisation

Contact Nottingham City Council for any enquiries.