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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

Essex Highways and Transportation Contracts

Essex County Council · Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 2 Oct 2026, 18:21.

Opportunity overview

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.

Classification

  • CPV45233000 — Construction, foundation and surface works for highways, roads
  • CPV50230000 — Repair, maintenance and associated services related to roads and other equipment
  • CPV63712200 — Highway operation services
  • CPV71000000 — Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

Lots

  • Lot 1Value not stated

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
C001PA
Main Procurement Category
services
Above Threshold
Yes
Status
planned

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Amendments

Entry 1
Description
*UPDATE 22 APRIL 2026 All interested suppliers are invite to complete a pre market engagement questionnaire via Microsoft Forms and submit feedback by 5pm on 28 April 2026. The link to the form is included in the 'Engagement' section of this notice.*
Id
036721-2026

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Has Renewal
Yes
Status
planned

Contract period

Starts
1 Apr 2028, 00:00
Ends
31 Mar 2035, 23:59
Max Extent Date
1 Apr 2042, 00:59

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
45233000
Description
Construction, foundation and surface works for highways, roads
Entry 2
Scheme
CPV
Id
50230000
Description
Repair, maintenance and associated services related to roads and other equipment
Entry 3
Scheme
CPV
Id
63712200
Description
Highway operation services
Entry 4
Scheme
CPV
Id
71000000
Description
Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKH3
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Planning and budget

Milestones

Entry 1
Id
engagement
Type
engagement
Description
Update Provided 22 April 2026 We are continuing to develop our understanding of how highways and transport services could be structured and delivered in the future. As part of this work, we are seeking further feedback from the market to help inform our thinking and ensure any future procurement and service design reflects a modern, resilient and future ready operating environment. We invite all interested suppliers to complete the pre market engagement questionnaire via the Microsoft Form link below and submit your feedback by 5pm on 28 April 2026. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=TzK0qFwVFUKg8X7YzJqZL4qLg6G3JzVEljwhsbWVgUtUNDk2QjlBNzdFWkhSUkFKSEtPUlFHMzJXOSQlQCN0PWcu -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous Information (now expired) All prospective bidders are invited to attend a virtual pre-market engagement event on 16 April 2026 which will be conducted via Microsoft Teams at 11:00am. The event will provide an opportunity to hear directly about recent changes to some of the approaches previously briefed on, the influence of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on the procurement, and the next stages of the programme, as well as to raise early questions and engage in discussion. The key items on the agenda are as follows: 1. Introduction - key programme and LGR update 2. Independent Contracts 3. Procurement updates - Competitive Flexible Procedure and high-level procurement timetable and change in ECC procurement system 4. Further market engagement details We strongly encourage all interested suppliers to attend, at all levels of the supply chain. If you would like to attend, please send your expression of interest to FHP.Team@essex.gov.uk by midday on 15 April 2026 including the names and email addresses for attendees from your organisation. A link to the event will then be issued. Please note that you will be issued with a questionnaire shortly after the virtual market engagement event on 16 April 2026 with a response deadline of 28 April 2026. There will also be an in-person event and potential 1-2-1s week commencing 11 May 2026. Important information Respondents are advised that the purpose of this notice is to engage directly with the market. The Procurement description, estimated contract start and end date, estimated date of publication or estimated contract value should not be taken as a final "version" of ECC's requirements. This notice is not a call for competition to procure any works or services. Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response, or lack thereof, to this notice. Nor shall a response to this notice guarantee an opportunity to participate in this market engagement exercise or any future procurement process that ECC may conduct. The virtual market engagement event will be recorded, and a link will be available upon request. Essex County Council is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party responding to this notice or any party who may participate in the market engagement exercise. For reference, previous Prior Information Notices issued under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (old notices) associated with this project can be located via the following notice identifiers: F01. 2023/S 000-017107, F01. 2023/S 000-027435, F01. 2024/S 000-012457, F14. 2025/S 000-003014
Due
28 Apr 2026, 23:59
Status
scheduled

Documents

Entry 1
Id
036721-2026
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Published
22 Apr 2026, 15:33
Format
text/html

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Name
Essex County Council
Id
GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PWVM-4844-NRQH

Address

Street Address
County Hall, Market Road
Locality
Chelmsford
Postal Code
CM1 1QH
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKH36

Contact

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Id
publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Description
Public authority - sub-central government

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Chelmsford · UKH36 · CM1 1QH · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKH3 · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

2 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

2 VERSIONS
  1. 032116-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
  2. 036721-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·