Official UK procurement notice
Distribution and Plant Framework
Authority: NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionNetwork Rail is issuing this preliminary market engagement notice to better understand the current capabilities of the supply market for Distribution and Plant works across the Eastern routes. The framework will cover works associated with power supplies, signalling, LV distribution systems, LV switchgears, HV cabling, operational lighting and pump control systems.
Please note, the final structure of the framework is yet to be confirmed. It will either be a single lot for the whole coverage, or split between an Eastern lot and an Anglia lot. The final value is still to be confirmed, and is dependent on tender structure. The value provided below is an estimate of spend across the North & East, East Coast, East Midlands Routes and Anglia within the intended 5 year (including extensions) contract term. The orders traditionally placed under this framework are low value (under 100k).
Specific details of the RISQS codes that must be held at contract award can be found by following the link in the 'engagement process description' section.
CPV: Electrical installation work · Engineering design services for mechanical and electrical installations for buildings · High voltage installation work · Low-voltage installation work · Railway signalling works · Repair and maintenance services of electrical building installations · Repair and maintenance services of electrical machinery, apparatus and associated equipment
How this framework works
From the published notice- Framework period
- 3 yrs · up to 5 yrs from 1 Apr 2028
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1PlannedRenewal
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).
- “Distribution and Plant Framework” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Pipeline intelligence · planning stage: how this market runs before the tender is published
How NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED buys Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways; flatwork (CPV 4523), and who usually turns up
NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED’s own published record, next to the published market for the same work. This notice is a framework or DPS, so only frameworks and DPS are compared. Whole-market view: Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways; flatwork (CPV 4523) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Here, local means registered in Greater London (authority’s region).
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered in Greater London.
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.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards were announced within 156 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
Both shares are minimums: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Direct awards or one recorded bid are common here. Check the route before spending time on a bid.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid9% / 4%
2–336% / 20%
4–627% / 38%
7+27% / 38%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
On a framework or DPS, prices are agreed when work is called off.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Not comparable on a framework or DPS. The notice sets up a supplier panel and a ceiling value; what the work actually costs is agreed later, on each call-off or mini-competition, and those publish as contract notices of their own. The award-vs-estimate record of this market therefore sits on the call-offs; this page shows it on the contracts, not on the panel that frames them.
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1CPV 4523Published estimate£48m
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 152 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid1%
2–310%
4–616%
7+74%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amalgamated Construction LtdEarlier contract | Eastern Region Distribution & Plantnotice published May 2023 | Eastern region Distribution & Plant Framework | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| M Group Transport (Rail & Aviation) LimitedEarlier contract | Eastern Region Distribution & Plantnotice published May 2023 | Eastern region Distribution & Plant Framework | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| LINBROOKE SERVICES LIMITEDEarlier contract | Eastern Region Distribution & Plantnotice published May 2023 | Eastern region Distribution & Plant Framework | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| POWER SUPPLY PROJECTS LIMITEDEarlier contract | Eastern Region Distribution & Plantnotice published May 2023 | Eastern region Distribution & Plant Framework | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| ROTHWELL GROUP LIMITEDEarlier contract | Eastern Region Distribution & Plantnotice published May 2023 | Eastern region Distribution & Plant Framework | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
Candidate suppliers for this notice have not been worked out yet, so this is not a verdict that nobody fits.
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
What this replaces i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
41% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
41% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
The prior contract this notice most likely re-tenders · matched by title and category (41% title match), the holder is not guaranteed to re-bid
Eastern Region Distribution & Plant, winner not published; no contract end date published.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Works
- Notice status
- Planned procurement
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Utilities
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 19 Aug 2026, 16:02 BST
- Last source update
- 19 Aug 2026, 16:02 BST
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-079146- Latest notice
- Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e7eeFind a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- —
Timeline
19 Aug 2026 → 1 Apr 2028 · 4 dates- Planning notice published62 days ago19 Aug 2026, 16:02 BST
- Market engagement48 days ago2 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
Network Rail is using this market engagement to better understand the capability and assess the level of interest to deliver the current proposed approach. This feedback will help inform Network Rail how best to deliver this potential procurement event.
For the sake of clarity, this is not a call to competition and no contract(s) will be awarded to any supplier as a result of participating in this exercise.
The Market Engagement for the 'Distribution and Plant Framework’ will be conducted through the completion of a questionnaire. This questionnaire deadline is 02/09/2026.
Responding to this Notice is an opportunity to engage, share relevant information and provide feedback.
Should you wish to respond to this Notice please follow the instructions below:
- Accessing the documents:
a. Follow the link: networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html ↗
b. From the welcome screen, access the “Current Opportunities” link and select “Distribution and Plant Framework”. Login is not required.
c. The released documents will be at the bottom of the page in the attachments section.
- Once you have reviewed all the documents, please complete the questionnaire via the link provided within the attachments. Please ensure you follow these instructions carefully to submit your information correctly.
- Any feedback, questions or clarifications in respect of this notice, should only be addressed to [email protected]
Please note that any content received via response to this Notice will be used purely for information purposes only and will not be deemed as forming part of any proposed bid now, or any potential future tender. This Notice does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services, supplies or works mentioned in this Notice and Network Rail will not accept any proposals offered in response to this Notice. Network Rail is not liable for any costs, fees, or expenses incurred by any party in replying to or attending any Notice event.
- Today20 Oct 2026
- Tender notice expectedin 35 days23 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts1 Apr 2028, 00:00 BST
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Preliminary market engagement notice published19 Aug 2026, 16:02 BSTUK2
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Pipeline notice- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender