Countryside Land Management and Estate Maintenance Framework

The Authority supplies, installs and maintains bridges on public rights of way throughout the National Park including bridleways and footpaths for use by horse riders, cyclists, mobility scooters and pedestrians. We are seeking suppliers who can assist with the following:

• Supply bridge materials as component parts and/or complete structures in a variety of materials including recycled plastic, metal, timber, concrete, stone. These bridges will need to be to our specification or bespoke design in some cases.
• Using the materials listed above, build and install those bridges in a wide variety of locations, including some remote and difficult to get to. This can include machine work, working with helicopter delivery companies, working with hand tools, demolition and construction of abutments.
• To repair existing bridge structures in situ, including replacement of handrails, decking boards, beams, abutments e.g. stonework.
• To provide designs to structural engineers' standards to meet the supplied specifications for a wide range of bridge types, including footbridges, bridleway bridges and those suitable for road traffic in some instances. This might include reviewing and revising our existing designs and specifications, to producing bespoke designs for individual unique locations and bridge types.
• For structural engineers to inspect the current condition of bridges and abutments to check they meet the standards for the required user groups and to sign off newly installed bridges to verify that they meet the required specification and standards.
• To provide, erect and use scaffolding, including in remote locations, to complex designs, to enable the team to carry out maintenance and construction work on the bridges and other rights of way work in a safe and secure manner, following current industry and health and safety standards.

Services required:

• Supply of prefabricated bridge kits
• Provision of materials e.g. timber/ plastic/ metal
• Bespoke design of bridges
• Installation of bridges
• Repair of bridges
• Engineer surveys on bridges
• Scaffolding on bridges to support safe installation or repair

The Authority requires qualified suppliers for the supply, delivery and installation of materials and services to support our countryside construction and maintenance projects. It aims to ensure high-quality, timely, and cost-effective delivery of materials and services while complying with health, safety, and environmental standards. It also aims to facilitate the provision of locally sourced materials to reduce transport mileage, to support the economic wellbeing of the National Park, and to showcase local products.

Suppliers under this framework must demonstrate relevant experience, proven quality standards and the capacity to meet delivery schedules. Services and materials will be provided according to defined specifications, with monitoring of performance through key indicators such as timeliness, quality, and responsiveness.

Suppliers must ensure that all materials supplied meet relevant British Standards or industry-recognised equivalents.

Goods required:

• Pipes/drains
• Grass seed
• Treated and some graded timber for fencing and the construction of timber boardwalks
• Gates
• Waymark roundels for Public Footpaths, Bridleways, Byways and permitted routes
• Local stone (from the Lake District) for construction of unbound surface paths, stone for drainage works and dry-stone walling and bridge revetments
• Plastic boardwalks from 1m to 3m width with non-slip finish
• Metalwork (gate springs, gate hinges, catches screws, nuts, etc.)
• Screened (inert) topsoil
• Fingerposts and Waymarkers
• Benches
• Fencing wire
• Metal fencing (i.e. Clipex)
• Native tree species grown from seeds sourced in seed zone 301, or if unavailable, 302.

The Authority requires a range of qualified suppliers for delivery of practical works and services supporting our countryside access and nature conservation projects across the National Park. This often requires working in remote locations with challenging access. All work standards and specifications will be set out in relevant documents. All work will need to be carried out to all relevant legislative requirements by appropriately trained and qualified staff.

Examples of the types of work the Authority requires are: construction, repair and maintenance of structures, furniture and surfaces forming part of Public Rights of Way work (PROW) such as footpaths, bridleways and byways.

Surfacing -The supply, construction, repair and maintenance of;

• Un-bound, bound, crushed stone or tarmac paths.
• Machine construction of profile inversion (subsoil) paths
• Supply and delivery and laying of stone flags
• Construction and repair of pitched stone paths using local stone.

Drainage works - The supply, construction, repair and maintenance of;

• Plastic drainage of all sizes.
• Stone culverts
• Drainage ditches.

Fencing, Walling and hedgerows- The supply, construction, repair and maintenance of;

• All forms of fencing including Post and rail, post and wire, metal estate style
• Drystone and bound (mortared) walling in local vernacular style.
• Hedgerows planted and maintained in the local vernacular style.

Vegetation management

• Mechanical and chemical control of vegetation on public rights of way, open land and formal sites including control of Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS).

Countryside Furniture - The supply, construction, repair, and maintenance of;

• Wooden and metal fingerposts, signs, benches, gates stiles, boardwalks and other countryside furniture.

Tree Works

• Surveying, planting, felling, maintaining and high access rope work relating to tree management.
• Supply of native tree and plant species.

Transportation

• Transportation of plant, machinery, materials to accessible parts of the National Park.

Habitat Restoration Works

• Restore peatland areas by hand and or machine.
• Planting of native species

Traffic Management

Supply and management of traffic control systems on public highways up to 'A' road standards.

Please see our Rights of Way Specification Resource Pack at Appendix 1.

Services required:

• Surfacing
• Drainage installation and maintenance
• Sub soiling
• Installation of stone flags
• Pitching to create paths
• Fencing
• Walling
• Vegetation control and clearance
• Installation of countryside furniture (e.g. fingerposts/benches)
• Tree works
• Planting (trees and hedgerows)
• Spraying (herbicides)
• Hedge trimming
• Salting and gritting paths
• Trail sweeping
• Mooring works (Ullswater/servicing)
• Graffiti removal
• Woodland management through thinning, coppicing, halo thinning, girdling, and processing of timber
• Bracken management through mowing, rolling, or chemical application
• Scrub management
• Hedge laying
• Grassland restoration and management activities; mowing, baling, weed wiping, harrowing, seeding, plug planting
• Chemical control of invasive, non-native species

Please also see Appendix 1 of the ITT.

The Authority requires a range of consultancy services to assist it in carrying out its statutory duties and project work. Our work is incredibly varied, and consultancy is required in relation to all stages of a project from feasibility, design, planning, and surveying. We require specialist advice in relation to Rights of Way, and lake/water works. Other areas of the Authority's work include historic buildings and environment, planning and architectural surveying so we welcome consultants from a range of specialist practice areas. Advice sought could be, for example, in the form of written reports, design drawings to agreed standards, survey datasets (in agreed formats) or overseeing the delivery of defined projects around nature recovery or access and recreation related works.

This Lot is divided into three individual sub-lots based on the type of consultancy required.

Lot 4a: Access and Recreation services required:

• Traffic management e.g. traffic lights
• Planning consultancy
• Structural engineering design
• Construction Design and Management works
• Electronic counting surveys - people, horses, vehicles, bikes etc
• Rights of Way consultants
• Project managers
• Visitor monitoring and data
• Property management and consulting

Lot 4b: Natural Environment:

• Ecological surveys (e.g. habitat surveys using NVC, UKHAB frameworks/Habitat condition monitoring using BNG or CSM methods/specialist surveys for taxonomical groups i.e Bryophytes, Lichens, protected species groups, insects)
• Baseline surveys
• Biodiversity Net Gain Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans
• Biodiversity Net Gain Habitat bank monitoring survey and reporting
• Habitat and property management and monitoring planning
• Drone Surveys
• Geospatial surveys

Lot 4c: Historic Environment:

• Historic Structure Surveys (e.g. condition surveys, archaeological and structural assessments and repair schedules)
• Archaeological surverys (e.g condition surveys, fieldwork, heritage assessments)
• Contract administration services for Historic Structure Construction Projects

he Authority requires qualified companies to provide essential training to ensure that individuals working in various roles are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to work safely and in compliance with regulatory requirements and legislation. The training requirements cover a range of topics, including first aid, manual handling, chainsaw, plant and equipment operation (to name a few - please see Appendix 2 for a full concise list), which are required to minimise risks and ensure a safe working environment. Courses will need to be accredited by recognised bodies, providing learners with the necessary qualifications to meet industry standards.

• First aid
• Manual handling
• Practical countryside management training e.g.: walling, fencing
• Plant and machinery operations e.g.: 4WD training, chainsaws, quad bikes, strimmers;
• Species management training (e.g tree conditions surveys)
• Please see Appendix 2 of the ITT for a list of all training requirements.

The Authority has an internal fleet of various machinery, equipment and plant. We require services for maintenance and servicing of all types of equipment, plant, and machinery. We also require suppliers who can source and provide new equipment, plant and machinery as required.

For example, current categories include:

• Plant: diggers, dumpers, tracked power barrows, remote flails, chippers.
• Vehicles: land rovers, pick-ups, 4x4s, electric vans and cars.
• Power tools: compressors, jet washes, cement mixers, drills, stone saws, angle grinders chop saws etc.
• Hand tools: spades, panel saws, shovelers, tampers, steel bars etc.
• PPE: chainsaw trousers, hard hats, eye protection, hearing protection etc.
• Fuel (Aspen, diesel, petrol, LPG etc.)
• Servicing and safety inspections (e.g. LOLA checks on lifting strops and chains, and general servicing of tools like compressors)
• Bi-annual service of outboard motors for patrol boats
• Servicing of patrol boat trailers
• Annual servicing of life jackets, patrol boat radar systems and CCTV systems.

We require maintenance and servicing of all machinery and vehicles. Services required:

• Servicing
• Repairs
• Maintenance (boats, outboard engines, trailers, lifejackets, diggers, dumpers, radar, CAT scanners, generator calibration)
• Inspection of kit/ equipment
• LOLER items checks
• Supply of new machinery as required

Provide helicopter operations for the transportation of stone and other materials to remote locations throughout the Lake District: movement of prebagged fell stone in one-ton bags to high altitude worksites on popular mountain paths. Stropping, bunding and prepping materials such as flagstones, fence posts or bridge materials prior to flying. Providing specialist safety advice to officers involved in helicopter operations - before during and after any operations. Provide experienced ground crew for hooking on and assessing loads, receiving loads where necessary and ensuring specialist kit or equipment such as signage strops and radio headsets are available. To provide an indication of volume, in 2025 LDNPA flew over 400 tonnes of stone to high altitude sites. Suppliers must hold all relevant Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approvals, USL Licensing and operate in accordance with UK aviation regulations.

Services required:

• Transport of materials and equipment within the Lake District National Park using helicopters
• Airlift operations
• Load preparation (stropping, bunding)
• Ground crew provision
• Flight planning and risk assessment

The Authority secures frequent bids for grant money provided by national, regional and local government as well as charitable organisations and private funding organisations. This funding enables the Authority to undertake larger scale and usually multi-facetted projects or programmes of work varying in value from the high tens of thousands of pounds to the low millions of pounds. Such projects may involve delivery of one type of product or service across a range of sites throughout the park or a multi-facetted project including access, nature conservation, interpretation, and conservation of the heritage-built environment. We are looking for suppliers who can provide work at scale and across a range of areas, either directly or by acting as Primary Contractors and providing project management and delivering work through co-ordinating multiple suppliers and contractors. Examples of such work packages include the establishment of the Coast-to-Coast National Trail, barn restoration through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme and Access for All projects. The type of work is similar to that contained in Lots 1, 2, and 3 but at large scale.

Services required:

• General construction project work (see description)
• Sub soiling
• Stone flags
• Pitching
• Construction Design and Management work
• Supply and construction of bridges
• Public path works
• Securing relevant consents, assents and planning permissions
• Woodland Management
• Grassland restoration
• Riverbank Stabilization