Official UK procurement notice
Aggregate supply and track excavated waste
Authority: NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED (Central government)
What is being bought2 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionNetwork Rail is seeking to establish a national framework for the supply of aggregates (including blended ballast), the management of track excavated waste (hazardous and non-hazardous), and associated rail haulage services to and from Network Rail Aggregate Handling Depots (AHDs). The framework will support the provision of materials and services required for the maintenance, renewal and enhancement of the railway infrastructure across Great Britain.
The procurement is divided into two Lots, each comprising a group of AHD locations. Tenderers may submit a bid for one or both Lots. Network Rail intends to award two framework contracts, with one supplier appointed to each Lot. Where the same Tenderer achieves the highest overall score for both Lots, the Tenderer's stated Lot preference will be applied and the remaining Lot will be awarded to the next highest-scoring eligible Tenderer. Further details of the Lot structure and AHD locations are set out in the procurement documents.
The framework also includes provision for the future implementation of Aggregate Handling Depot (AHD) operational services at designated locations. These services will not commence automatically at the framework start date. Where Network Rail elects to introduce AHD operational services during the framework term, the scope, implementation arrangements and associated charges will be agreed in accordance with the framework contract provisions. Further details are set out in the procurement documents.
Read the full description (780 more characters)
Network Rail reserves the right to amend the composition of the Lots during the procurement process, including the removal of an AHD where required. Any such change will be communicated through the procurement documentation and conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023.
NOTE: The estimated framework value represents the total potential value across all Aggregate Handling Depots (AHDs) and the maximum framework term, including any extension option. The value is based on forecast demand and includes appropriate contractual headroom. It does not represent a guaranteed spend, minimum volume commitment, or value payable to any individual supplier. Following award, requirements will be allocated between the successful suppliers in accordance with their awarded Lot.
How the procedure runs: Network Rail will undertake a Competitive Flexible Procedure comprising a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) stage followed by a single tender stage. Tenderers may submit a bid for Lot 1, Lot 2 or both Lots. Following evaluation of technical and commercial submissions in accordance with the published evaluation methodology, more…
Tenderers will be ranked based on their combined technical and commercial scores for each Lot. A maximum of one Lot may be awarded to any Tenderer. Where the same Tenderer achieves the highest score for both Lots, the Tenderer’s stated Lot preference will be applied and the remaining Lot will be awarded to the next highest-scoring eligible Tenderer. Two framework contracts will be awarded, one for each Lot. Further details are set out in the procurement documents.
CPV: Ballast · Gravel, sand, crushed stone and aggregates
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Closed framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs are awarded directly to appointed suppliers, without further competition
- Places
- up to 2 suppliers
- Framework period
10 yrs · up to 15 yrs from 1 Apr 2028 — The framework term exceeds the standard eight-year maximum due to the substantial capital and infrastructure investment required from suppliers to establish and maintain the rail-linked processing, blending and recycling capabilities necessary for contract delivery. Market engagement identified that suppliers would be unlikely to recover these investments within an eight-year more…
term. A framework term of ten years, with an option to extend for up to a further five years, is therefore considered necessary to support investment, ensure ongoing market participation and competition, and facilitate the achievement of the framework's operational and sustainability objectives.
Published description of the framework
The framework will operate on a direct award basis. Two suppliers will be appointed, with each supplier allocated responsibility for a defined Lot comprising several Aggregate Handling Depots (AHDs). Contracts under the framework will be awarded directly to the supplier responsible for the relevant Lot and associated AHDs. Pricing will be established through the tender process, with Tenderers submitting pricing for each Lot bid for in accordance with the Pricing Document. Pricing will include rates broken down by individual Aggregate Handling Depot (AHD), together with other pricing components specified in the procurement documents. The agreed prices will form the framework charges and will apply to Contract Orders issued under the framework, subject to any price adjustment mechanism set out in the framework terms and conditions. Network Rail will issue Contract Orders under the framework to instruct the relevant Deliverables. A Contract Order will be issued on commencement of the framework to facilitate ordering and payment, with a new Contract Order issued for each Contract Year. Forecast quantities will be provided at the start of each Contract Year but will be indicative only and will not constitute a guarantee of demand or a commitment to purchase any minimum volume. No further competition will be undertaken for the award of contracts under the framework.
Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure
2 lots · all with a published value · win at most 1 of them · same conditions of participation on every lot · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1AHD Group ARenewalPublished value£1,064,000,000
- Value
- £1,064,000,000 exc. VAT · £1,276,800,000 inc. VAT
- Extensions
The framework includes an option for Network Rail to introduce Aggregate Handling Depot (AHD) operational services at designated locations during the framework term. These services do not form part of the initial scope at commencement of the framework. Any implementation will be undertaken in accordance with the framework agreement and the associated contractual provisions. · The framework will have an initial term more…
of ten (10) years. Network Rail may, at its sole discretion, extend the framework for a further period of up to five (5) years, giving a maximum potential framework term of fifteen (15) years.- Second stage
- 1–6 candidates invited to tender
Lot #2AHD Group BRenewalPublished value£1,064,000,000
- Value
- £1,064,000,000 exc. VAT · £1,276,800,000 inc. VAT
- Extensions
The framework includes an option for Network Rail to introduce Aggregate Handling Depot (AHD) operational services at designated locations during the framework term. These services do not form part of the initial scope at commencement of the framework. Any implementation will be undertaken in accordance with the framework agreement and the associated contractual provisions. · The framework will have an initial term more…
of ten (10) years. Network Rail may, at its sole discretion, extend the framework for a further period of up to five (5) years, giving a maximum potential framework term of fifteen (15) years.- Second stage
- 1–6 candidates invited to tender
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published — the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Technical — 50%
- Price — 50%
Published award criteria (2)
- Technical — Assessment of the tenderer's technical submission, including future operational delivery model, management of ballast supply and track excavated waste services, sustainability, social value, safety, resilience, capability and delivery arrangements, in accordance with the procurement documents.
- Price — Tenderers shall submit pricing for each Lot bid for, in accordance with the Pricing Document. Prices will include rates broken down by individual Aggregate Handling Depot (AHD), together with the other pricing components and volume-based pricing requirements specified in the Pricing Document. Commercial scores will be calculated using the published proportional pricing methodology, whereby the lowest priced compliant submission for each Lot receives the maximum commercial score and all other compliant submissions are scored proportionally against it.
A maximum of one Lot may be awarded to any Tenderer. Tenderers may submit bids for one or both Lots and will be required to state a Lot preference where bidding for multiple Lots. Where the same Tenderer achieves the highest evaluated score for more than one more…
Lot, the Tenderer's stated Lot preference will be applied and the remaining Lot will be awarded to the next highest-scoring eligible Tenderer. The same principle may be applied where a Tenderer is eligible to be offered zero-value framework arrangements in respect of more than one Lot.- Condition of participationshortlisting
Suppliers will be shortlisted based on the outcome of the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ). Only suppliers that satisfy the exclusion grounds checks, meet all conditions of participation and achieve a pass on all pass/fail questions will be more…
considered. The six highest-scoring suppliers, ranked according to their total weighted PSQ score, will be invited to participate in the tender stage.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
How NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED buys Gravel, sand, crushed stone and aggregates (CPV 1421) — and who usually turns up
NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED’s own published record, next to the Greater London market for the same work. This notice is a framework or DPS, so only frameworks and DPS are compared. Whole-market view: Gravel, sand, crushed stone and aggregates (CPV 1421) →
How the contest usually goes
Left: this authority. Right: the market where the work is delivered. Bids and award-vs-estimate pairs are per lot, from contested frameworks and DPS only — direct awards (including PA 2023 transparency notices) report one bid by definition and are left out. On Procurement Act 2023 notices the count is the tenders assessed at the final stage, not every submission received; pairs compare like with like (VAT-exclusive, or VAT-inclusive on both sides). Empty means nothing was published, not filled in from elsewhere.
NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED
framework/DPS notices in 36 months: 157 in all categories (16 without competition · 51 route not published)
i
How many companies usually bid for work like this.
Middle value of published bid counts, one per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.
Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 36 months: 97 lots. 26 lots are from Procurement Act 2023 notices (bids assessed, middle 4) and 71 from older notices (bids received, middle 4).
Nothing is filled in from UK-wide numbers. An empty tile means nothing usable was published.
i
How often only one company bid.
Share of lots that received exactly one bid, on the same competitions as the bids figure.
Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 36 months: 97 lots.
High means a thin market or an incumbent that is hard to beat.
i
Do awards for work like this land above or below the estimate.
Estimate against award per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.
Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 24 months: 6 pairs.
A past pattern, not a price to bid.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 36 months: 9 notices.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
i
How often this buyer changes a notice after publishing it.
Middle number of amendments per notice. Deadline extensions and corrections both count.
Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 24 months: 419 notices.
i
How often this buyer awards without a competition.
Direct or limited awards as a share of its notices that say which procedure was used. These routes are legal in defined cases. This is just the record.
Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 36 months: 106 notices.
Greater London · Gravel, sand, crushed stone and aggregates (CPV 1421)
framework/DPS notices delivered in Greater London in 36 months: 1 in CPV 1421 (0 competed) · 6 in division 14 (5 competed) · the notice publishes no delivery location, so the authority’s registered region is used
i
How many companies usually bid for work like this.
Middle value of published bid counts, one per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.
Based on this region’s tenders in this industry (CPV 14), last 36 months: 2 lots. 1 lots are from Procurement Act 2023 notices (bids assessed, middle 5) and 1 from older notices (bids received, middle 3). Small sample.
Nothing is filled in from UK-wide numbers. An empty tile means nothing usable was published.
i
How often only one company bid.
Share of lots that received exactly one bid, on the same competitions as the bids figure.
Based on this region’s tenders in this industry (CPV 14), last 36 months: 2 lots. Small sample.
High means a thin market or an incumbent that is hard to beat.
i
Do awards for work like this land above or below the estimate.
Estimate against award per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.
Nothing published for this region in this sector: not measured on frameworks — a panel award is a ceiling, not a price.
A past pattern, not a price to bid.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Based on this region’s tenders in this industry (CPV 14), last 36 months: 2 notices. Small sample.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
i
How much of this market goes to small and medium firms.
SME bidders where buyers published the split, otherwise SME winners.
Based on this region’s tenders in this sector (CPV 1421), last 36 months: 1 awards. Small sample.
i
How much work like this goes to companies based in the delivery region.
Awards in this category delivered here where the winner’s registered address is in the region.
Nothing published for this region in this sector: no winner locations published.
Registered address, so a national firm with a local branch counts as outside.
i
Where this tender’s estimate would land if the usual pattern repeats.
We apply the buyer’s usual movement between estimate and award (or the region’s) to the estimate on this notice.
This notice gives one total for several lots, so we show the percentage but do not turn it into pounds.
A benchmark, not a price to bid.
Coverage and what to read with care
- Each tile explains itself. The on a figure says what it is, how it is counted and which scope this notice’s own record came from (class, division, all categories, or the authority’s 24-month row). The two columns are never blended and nothing is filled from a UK-wide figure; an empty tile means the source published nothing usable. Long form: Methodology.
- Coverage. Roughly 40 % of notices publish a bid count; about half publish an ITL1 delivery location, so the market column reads the authority’s registered region when the notice has none (labelled). About 30 % of award-vs-estimate pairs are exact matches — the buyer published the award at the estimate. n is on every figure; a thin sample is muted, never hidden.
- “Match” and “relevance” are model scores from the nightly matcher, not published facts. Find a Tender does not publish who is bidding. Never shown: contact details, payment behaviour, or a recommended price.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Open admission
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Utilities
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA, CPTPP)
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 22 Sept 2026, 15:34 BST
- Last source update
- 22 Sept 2026, 15:34 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end — 21 Jun 2027, 23:59 BST
- Authority reference
SR40325- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-052b08Find a Tender
- How it runs
Network Rail will undertake a Competitive Flexible Procedure comprising a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) stage followed by a single tender stage. Tenderers may submit a bid for Lot 1, Lot 2 or both Lots. Following evaluation of technical and commercial submissions in accordance with the published evaluation methodology, Tenderers will be ranked based on their combined technical and commercial scores for more…
each Lot. A maximum of one Lot may be awarded to any Tenderer. Where the same Tenderer achieves the highest score for both Lots, the Tenderer’s stated Lot preference will be applied and the remaining Lot will be awarded to the next highest-scoring eligible Tenderer. Two framework contracts will be awarded, one for each Lot. Further details are set out in the procurement documents.
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Apply via Jaggaer- Expression of interest (EOI)
- 21 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
- Appointment period ends
- 21 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 13 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
8 published dates · Europe/London- Planning notice published2 Jun 2025, 16:58 BST
- Next notice expected1 Jul 2025, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice publishedearlier today22 Sept 2026, 15:34 BST
- Clarification questions byin 21 days13 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
- Expressions of interest byin 29 days21 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period endsin 29 days · period end, not a bid countdown21 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
- Award decision expected byin 272 days21 Jun 2027, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts1 Apr 2028, 00:00 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Nothing awarded yet- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Notice history
5 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 2 Jun 2025- Tender notice published22 Sept 2026, 15:34 BSTUK4
- Published value updated to £1,064,000,00022 Sept 2026, 15:34 BSTwas £240,000,000
- Status changed to active22 Sept 2026, 15:34 BST
- Procurement method changed22 Sept 2026, 15:34 BST
- Pipeline notice published2 Jun 2025, 16:58 BSTUK1
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (4)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Conflict of interest declarationNot published
- Bidding documents and specificationsAccess: Additional procurement documents may be issued during the procurement process through the Network Rail Sourcing Platform (Bravo). This includes documents to be provided to shortlisted suppliers at the tender stage, together with the Lease and Sub-Lease documents referenced within the procurement documentation.
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender