Lower Thames Crossing Market Engagement- Detailed design services for contestable gas assets

Concepts

• pipeline design
• bedford
• ltc
• lower thames crossing
• detailed design services
• contestable gas assets
• gas pipelines
• cadent gas ltd
• detailed design
• market engagement

Location

Bedford

Description

Highways England is the government company charged with operating, maintaining and improving England's motorways and major A roads. We want to engage with suppliers to inform our approach to procuring support for delivery of the Lower Thames Crossing scheme (LTC). The LTC scheme includes new roads and Europe’s largest bored tunnels. It will connect Essex and Kent to improve capacity of the road network for the South East. LTC represents a significant opportunity for businesses that want to be involved in the development of the project. This Prior Information Notice is being issued to start a dialogue process between Highways England and the market on the contract for detailed design services for contestable gas assets affected by the proposed LTC.

Total Quantity or Scope

The LTC project affects a number of statutory undertakers’ assets. This contract is to undertake the detailed design for the diversion of approximately 20 affected low, intermediate and medium pressure gas pipelines, which are owned by Cadent Gas Ltd (Cadent) and have been deemed to be contestable by Cadent. These assets are located along the LTC route between the proposed north tunnel portal and the proposed junction with the M25. The length of each individual diversion ranges from 100m to several kilometres, with a total length of pipelines to be diverted of approximately 15km. The detailed design study will conclude by obtaining a letter of acceptance from Cadent. The majority of contestable assets within scope have been agreed with Cadent during the initial LTC NRSWA/C2 enquiry and have been accepted by Cadent via submission of a Feasibility Study Report. However, a small number of those assets are known to be within the LTC works area but have not been assured to date via site investigations, so the location, characteristics and extent of the works is assumed. This will be required to be investigated to highlight any discrepancies and refine the extent of the scope for detailed design. The designer will undertake a gap analysis on the information provided and agree any further site investigations with Highways England, which will be delivered via LTC’s existing contracts. These assets do not have an accepted Feasibility Study Report and as such may require an additional submission to Cadent to obtain acceptance at Cadent Stage Gate “Final Design Review – Refresh (FDR-R)”. The designer will work with LTC throughout the detailed design to coordinate their design with LTC’s and third parties’ (in particular, other statutory undertakers) designs. The designer will also engage with Cadent via LTC to meet the requirements of the Cadent Stage Gate Definitions and Guidance. The designer will be Gas Industry Registration Scheme (GIRS) accredited to provide design services. We will use our e-Sourcing Portal Bravo, to communicate and undertake market engagement activities with those interested in this contract. If you are interested in participating, please register on the Bravo to receive information about the Detailed design services for contestable gas assets contract by visiting: www.highways.bravosolution.co.uk , (ITT_6048) . Note: Highways England is committed to ensuring fairness, openness, and transparency. This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to understand the level of market interest and does not constitute any commitment by Highways England to undertake any public procurement exercise. Highways England is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party responding to this PIN or any party who may participate in the market engagement exercise.

CPV Codes

• 71322200 - Pipeline-design services
• 44161100 - Gas pipelines
• 45230000 - Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways; flatwork
• 65000000 - Public utilities
• 79415200 - Design consultancy services

Indicators

Other Information

It will be a process of listening to what interested parties have to say and using the responses to shape the project’s development and the approach to this contract. We are issuing this PIN to understand the level of market interest.