National Highways awards Lower Thames Crossing regulatory advice contract to INDEPEN LIMIT

Tender information last checkedLast checked 9 Oct 2026, 10:25.

Opportunity overview

To provide specialist advice and support to the Programme Director in the planning and delivery of transition arrangements around risk management / regulation to enable successful delivery of the private sector transfer of Lower Thames Crossing .

Awarded to

Amounts belong to published awards or contracts. Where several suppliers share one value, it is labelled as shared and is not a supplier-specific allocation.

Indepen Limited

Matched by number

Published award value: £310k
Awarded: 15 Sept 2026
Award ID: 1
Status: active
Identifier: GB-COH 06914574
Location: Frieston, UKF30, NG32 3BY, United Kingdom

Classification

No classification was supplied.

Lots

Lot 1Value not stated

Documents and notices

Contract details notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗

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: pro_24549
Status: complete
Procurement Method: direct
Procurement Method Details: Direct award
Why this procedure was chosen: Retaining the existing regulatory advisors, on the project provides clear commercial, programme, and risk management benefits: The current advisors have developed a detailed understanding of the project’s regulatory framework, key risks, and stakeholder expectations. Replacing them would result in a loss of knowledge, requiring significant time and cost to onboard new advisors. Introducing new advisors at this stage would create avoidable delays while they familiarise themselves with the project, potentially impacting critical milestones. Maintaining the existing team supports continuity and protects the programme timeline. Transitioning to new advisors would incur duplication of work, additional onboarding costs, and inefficiencies during the handover period. Retention avoids these unnecessary expenditures. Changing advisors risks inconsistency in outputs and could undermine prior work or require revalidation.

Legal basis

Id: 2023/54
Scheme: UKPGA
Uri: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ↗

Procedure reasons

Entry 1

Id: additionalRepeatExtensionPartialReplacement

Lots and requirements

Entry 1

Id: 1
Status: complete

Published documents

Entry 1

Id: conflictOfInterest
Document Type: conflictOfInterest
Description: Not published

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1

Name: National Highways Limited
Id: GB-PPON-PGMJ-3793-VBBN

Identifier

Scheme: GB-PPON
Id: PGMJ-3793-VBBN

Address

Street Address: Three Snowhill, Snow Hill Queensway
Locality: Birmingham
Postal Code: B4 6GA
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom
Region: UKG31

Contact

Email: info@nationalhighways.co.uk
Telephone: 0300 123 5000

Roles

buyer

Details

Url: https://nationalhighways.co.uk ↗

Classifications

Entry 1

Scheme: UK_CA_TYPE
Id: publicAuthorityCentralGovernment
Description: Public authority - central government

Organisation 2

Name: Indepen Limited
Id: GB-COH-06914574

Identifier

Scheme: GB-COH
Id: 06914574

Address

Street Address: Frieston Grange, 15 Hough Road
Locality: Frieston
Postal Code: NG32 3BY
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom
Region: UKF30

Contact

Email: John.hargreaves@indepen.uk.com

Roles

supplier

Details

Scale: sme
Vcse: No
Public Service Mission Organization: No
Sheltered Workshop: No

Award information

Award 1

Id: 1
Status: active
Main Procurement Category: services

Items

Item 1

Id: 1
Related Lot: 1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1

Scheme: CPV
Id: 79410000
Description: Business and management consultancy services

Suppliers

Supplier 1

Id: GB-COH-06914574
Name: Indepen Limited

Related lots

Contracts and changes

Entry 1

Id: 1
Award ID: 1
Status: active
Above Threshold: Yes
Date Signed: 9 Oct 2026, 00:00

Period

Starts: 12 Oct 2026, 00:00
Ends: 31 Jul 2028, 23:59

Value

Including VAT: 372,000
Amount: 310,000
Currency: GBP

Agreed Metrics

Entry 1

Id: 1
Title: Time cost and quality
Description: Scope contains a number of timed deliverables

Observations

Entry 1

Id: frequency

Period

Duration In Months: 1

Documents

Entry 1

Id: 095460-2026
Document Type: contractNotice
Notice Type: UK7
Description: Contract details notice on Find a Tender
Url: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095460-2026 ↗
Published: 9 Oct 2026, 08:56
Format: text/html

Recorded locations

Buyer location · Birmingham · UKG31 · B4 6GA · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

3 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

3 VERSIONS

092209-2026Transparency notice on Find a Tender · 30 Sept 2026, 10:31
092212-2026Contract award notice on Find a Tender · 30 Sept 2026, 10:34
095460-2026Contract details notice on Find a Tender · 9 Oct 2026, 08:56

PROCURAAXIS AWARD ANALYSIS

Award outcome intelligence

Evidence-bound analysis of the published award appears below the official tender and award information.

ANALYSIS PREVIEW

Award intelligence at a glance

National Highways Limited has directly awarded INDEPEN LIMITED a contract for regulatory, economic and transition support connected with the private-sector transfer of the Lower Thames Crossing.

Published outcome signals

Award statusActiveEvidence: Award 1 is recorded with status 'active'.
Contract statusActiveEvidence: Contract 1 is recorded with status 'active'.
Contract signed9 October 2026Evidence: Contract 1 gives dateSigned as 2026-10-09.

98% approved-analysis confidence1 supplier record analysed4 source limitations

SOURCE AND FRESHNESS

Traceable procurement data

Source: Find a Tender
Notice reference: 095460-2026
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-077d35
First published: 30 Sept 2026
Last checked: 9 Oct 2026, 10:25
Notice versions reviewed: 3

View Find a Tender notice ↗

HOW THIS WAS PREPARED

Approved, evidence-bound analysis

ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.

Analysis status: Approved for publication
Analysed: 9 Oct 2026

Read the analysis methodology →

AWARD OUTCOME

What happened

National Highways Limited has directly awarded INDEPEN LIMITED a contract for regulatory, economic and transition support connected with the private-sector transfer of the Lower Thames Crossing.

Published outcome

The published contract record identifies one active award and contract, awarded to INDEPEN LIMITED. The contract was signed on 9 October 2026, starts on 12 October 2026 and ends on 31 July 2028.

Market significance

This is a £310,000 net (£372,000 gross) specialist consultancy engagement awarded without competition on continuity grounds, retaining the project’s existing regulatory advisers.

AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS

1 supplier record analysed

INDEPEN LIMITED

99% confidence

Award 1 · Lots 1 · £310,000 net; £372,000 gross GBP · verified; active award

View supporting evidence

Award 1 names Indepen Limited as supplier; supplier verification identifies legal name INDEPEN LIMITED (company number 06914574). The single contract linked to award 1 has £310,000 amount and £372,000 gross amount.

LIFECYCLE

Award or contract stage

Award status

99% confidence

Active

View supporting evidence

Award 1 is recorded with status 'active'.

Contract status

99% confidence

Active

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 is recorded with status 'active'.

Contract signed

99% confidence

9 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 gives dateSigned as 2026-10-09.

Contract start

99% confidence

12 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 period startDate is 2026-10-12.

Contract end

99% confidence

31 July 2028

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 period endDate is 2028-07-31.

VALUES

Published values explained

Contract value, excluding VAT

99% confidence

£310,000

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 value amount is 310000 GBP.

Contract value, including VAT

99% confidence

£372,000

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 value amountGross is 372000 GBP.

Value allocation

98% confidence

The published contract value relates to the sole contract linked to award 1 and lot 1.

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 references awardID 1; award 1 relates to lot 1 and names one supplier.

TIMELINE

Procurement timeline

Award date

99% confidence

16 September 2026

View supporting evidence

The award record gives award_date as 2026-09-16.

Transparency notice

98% confidence

30 September 2026

View supporting evidence

Release history records transparency notice 092209-2026 on 2026-09-30.

Contract award notice

98% confidence

30 September 2026

View supporting evidence

Release history records contract award notice 092212-2026 on 2026-09-30.

Contract details notice published

99% confidence

9 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Contract document 095460-2026 was published on 2026-10-09.

Contract signed

99% confidence

9 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-09.

Contract period

99% confidence

12 October 2026 to 31 July 2028

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 period specifies these start and end dates.

SCOPE

What was awarded

Requirement

98% confidence

Specialist regulatory, economic and transition advice and support for the Lower Thames Crossing private-sector transfer.

View supporting evidence

The procurement description states that advice and support will assist the Programme Director with transition arrangements around risk management and regulation.

Service category

99% confidence

Business and management consultancy services (CPV 79410000).

View supporting evidence

Award item 1 carries CPV 79410000.

Lot structure

99% confidence

One published lot (lot 1); no lot title or detailed lot description supplied.

View supporting evidence

Tender and award data identify lot 1, while the lot record has no title or description.

Performance measures

97% confidence

Time, cost and quality, with timed deliverables and monthly observations.

View supporting evidence

Contract agreed metrics are titled 'Time cost and quality'; the description refers to timed deliverables and observations have a one-month frequency.

PROCEDURE

Procedure and competition

Procedure

99% confidence

Direct award

View supporting evidence

Tender procurementMethod is 'direct' and procurementMethodDetails is 'Direct award'.

Stated rationale

98% confidence

Continuity of existing regulatory advisers, including retained project knowledge, programme protection, avoided onboarding and handover inefficiencies, and reduced risk of inconsistent outputs.

View supporting evidence

The published procurement-method rationale sets out these reasons for retaining the existing advisers.

Competition information

99% confidence

No bidder count, competing suppliers, evaluation scores or award scoring information supplied.

View supporting evidence

Information not supplied in the published notice data.

Legal basis

99% confidence

Procurement Act 2023 (2023/54).

View supporting evidence

Tender legalBasis is identified as UKPGA 2023/54.

CONTRACT TERMS

Published contract terms

Term

99% confidence

12 October 2026 to 31 July 2028.

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 period startDate and endDate.

Signed contract date

99% confidence

9 October 2026.

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 dateSigned.

Above-threshold indicator

99% confidence

Yes.

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 records aboveThreshold as true.

Extensions or options

99% confidence

Unknown; no extension or option terms supplied.

View supporting evidence

Information not supplied in the published notice data.

COMMERCIAL VIEW

Commercial observations

Commercial continuity signal

98% confidence

The buyer explicitly cites retaining existing advisers as a way to preserve project knowledge and avoid delay, duplication, onboarding costs and handover risk.

View supporting evidence

Published direct-award rationale.

Engagement scale

98% confidence

£310,000 net over the stated contract period for specialist consultancy support.

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 value is £310,000 excluding VAT and its period runs from 12 October 2026 to 31 July 2028.

Delivery focus

97% confidence

The contract’s published metric framework links delivery to time, cost and quality and includes timed deliverables.

View supporting evidence

Contract agreedMetrics entry.

ANALYSIS QUALITY

98%overall confidence

Confidence reflects the completeness and consistency of the published award data.

Reference: ocds-h6vhtk-077d35
Analysed: 9 Oct 2026

APPROVED AWARD ANALYSIS

BUYER CONTEXT

Buyer context

Buyer

99% confidence

National Highways Limited

View supporting evidence

The buyer party is named National Highways Limited.

Buyer type

99% confidence

Public authority – central government

View supporting evidence

Buyer party classification is UK_CA_TYPE publicAuthorityCentralGovernment.

Buyer location

99% confidence

Birmingham, United Kingdom

View supporting evidence

Buyer address gives Birmingham, B4 6GA, United Kingdom.

SUPPLIER CONTEXT

Supplier context

Legal supplier identity

99% confidence

INDEPEN LIMITED (company number 06914574)

View supporting evidence

Supplier verification matched company number 06914574 and gives verified company name INDEPEN LIMITED.

Source trading/case presentation

99% confidence

Indepen Limited

View supporting evidence

The supplier party and source supplier name are recorded as Indepen Limited.

Supplier classification

98% confidence

SME

View supporting evidence

Supplier party details record scale as sme.

Supplier verification

99% confidence

Verified by supplied Companies House company-number match; verified company status recorded as Active.

View supporting evidence

Supplier verification reports match method 'company_number', status 'verified', and verified company status 'Active'.

RENEWAL OUTLOOK

Renewal outlook

Estimated re-procurement or renewal timing

90% confidence

Around 31 July 2028, based solely on the published contract end date; this is not a procurement forecast.

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 ends on 2028-07-31; no renewal or extension terms are published.

DATA QUALITY

Gaps and source limitations

Notice sequence

99% confidence

The record contains award and contract notices followed by a contract details notice; the signed date and contract period are explicitly published.

View supporting evidence

Release history and contract 1 dateSigned/period fields.

Lot detail

99% confidence

Lot 1 has no published title, description or separate value.

View supporting evidence

Lot record has null title, description and value amount.

Competition and evaluation detail

99% confidence

Bidder numbers, evaluation methodology, scores and pricing detail are not supplied in the published notice data.

View supporting evidence

Information not supplied in the published notice data.

Conflict-of-interest publication

99% confidence

The conflict-of-interest document is marked 'Not published'.

View supporting evidence

Tender documents include conflictOfInterest with description 'Not published'.

SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS

Information not supplied in the published notice

Lot 1 has no published title, detailed description or individual lot value.
Information on bidder numbers, competing suppliers, evaluation methodology, award scores and pricing breakdowns was not supplied in the published notice data.
No extension, option or formal renewal terms were supplied; the renewal timing is only an estimate derived from the stated end date.
The conflict-of-interest document is identified as not published.

MARKET THEMES

Relevant award themes

COMMON QUESTIONS

About this award

Who won the Lower Thames Crossing regulatory and transition support contract?

INDEPEN LIMITED (company number 06914574) is the verified legal supplier named for award 1.

What is the value of the contract?

The published contract value is £310,000 excluding VAT and £372,000 including VAT.

When does the contract run?

The published period runs from 12 October 2026 to 31 July 2028. The contract record states it was signed on 9 October 2026.

Why was the contract directly awarded?

National Highways stated that retaining its existing regulatory advisers would preserve project knowledge, protect the programme timeline and avoid onboarding, duplication and handover risks.

ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.

LTC Co Regulatory & Economic Advice / Transition Support

Opportunity overview

Awarded to

Indepen Limited

Classification

Lots

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Scope, procedure and submissions

Legal basis

Procedure reasons

Lots and requirements

Published documents

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Identifier

Address

Contact

Roles

Details

Classifications

Identifier

Address

Contact

Roles

Details

Award information

Items

Additional Classifications

Suppliers

Related lots

Contracts and changes

Period

Value

Agreed Metrics

Observations

Period

Documents

Recorded locations

Notice and amendment history

Award intelligence at a glance

Published outcome signals

Traceable procurement data

Approved, evidence-bound analysis

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