Official UK procurement notice
Midlands Rail Hub Alliance – Alliance Partners (Non-Signalling Disciplines)
Authority: NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionNetwork Rail is responsible for maintaining, developing and operating Great Britain's railway infrastructure. The Midlands Rail Hub (MRH) is a programme of works covering a series of multidisciplinary infrastructure interventions to be undertaken across the West, Central and East Midlands of the UK. MRH will deliver a number of additional services between central Birmingham and key regional cities and transport hubs.
The MRH programme will be delivered through an Alliance delivery model with Alliance members consisting of:
- Network Rail (having two roles – one as a member of the Alliance and the other as Client);
- Multi-Disciplinary Partner(s) (covering all disciplines except signalling, power and communication roles set out in the Alliance scope document) appointed pursuant to this Contract Award Notice; and
- A Signalling Partner (covering the signalling, power and communication roles set out in the Alliance scope document) appointed via a separate sourcing event.
CPV: Building construction work · Construction work · Construction work for buildings relating to railway transport · Engineering design services for mechanical and electrical installations for buildings · Engineering design services for the construction of civil engineering works · Geotechnical engineering services · Overhead line construction · Railway bridge construction work · Railway construction works · Railway embankment construction work · Railway station construction work · Railway tunnel construction work · +4 more
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1The key objectives of MRH are to improve connectivity across the Midlands region;…Awarded
The key objectives of MRH are to improve connectivity across the Midlands region; boost economic growth; maximise use of HS2 to London through interchange in Central Birmingham; improve access to jobs, leisure, healthcare, and education; optimise the utilisation of station capacity in central Birmingham; and make rail journeys more attractive and encourage modal shift to rail.
The scope of the Alliance includes, but is not limited to, the design and build of: new platforms and sidings; up to two new chords into Birmingham Moor Street; widening of existing viaduct; power supply upgrades; new freight loops; new overhead line equipment (OLE) and various signalling works including the re-modelling of existing layouts.
The MRH programme consists of multidisciplinary infrastructure interventions are split over three sections described as West, Central and East according to the additional train services that they enable. The scope is currently divided into eight interventions across the three sections: West & Central Midlands interventions at Snow Hill, King’s Norton to Barnt Green (and interventions at King’s Norton and Barnt Green) and Birmingham Bordesley to Moor Street are in the process of securing final funding approval and are intended to be the initial deliverables. Additional interventions are also in scope of MRH and may be delivered subject to funding decisions and design development including West & Central interventions at Worcester to Hereford and Stoke Works Junction and East Midlands interventions at Water Orton and Nuneaton to Wigston.
East interventions are at an earlier stage of design development and are intended to form part of a separate business case; these interventions are subject to future funding decisions. It is also envisaged that the West intervention of Worcester-Hereford will be delivered by the Alliance but does not form part of the initial deliverables and is dependent upon as yet uncommitted renewals in the Worcester area.
The total Alliance Anticipated Final Cost (AFC) excluding VAT is circa £1.1m--£1.5bn GBP.
The AFC is split between the initial deliverables and additional interventions as follows:
- Initial deliverables (predominantly interventions in West and Central) are circa:
- Multi-Disciplinary (non-signalling, power and communications): £700m-£800m GBP (excluding VAT)
- Signalling, power and communications; £150m-£250m GBP (excluding VAT)
- Additional interventions (predominantly East) are circa:
- Multi-Disciplinary (non-signalling power and communications: £250m-£350m GBP (excluding VAT);
- Signalling, power and communications; £50m-£100m GBP (excluding VAT)
These figures are indicative only.
Network Rail has appointed all Partners to the Alliance using a modified NR35 Alliance Contract (based on the NEC4 Alliance Contract). Network Rail and each of the Partners have signed one Alliance contract.
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).
- Suitability
As stated in the procurement documents.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0025 Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (Directive 2014/25/EU)
- Procurement category
- Works
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 22 Nov 2023, 15:58 GMT
- Last source update
- 19 Dec 2025, 13:22 GMT
- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-084917- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-041c19Find a Tender
- Review procedure
In accordance with the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, Network Rail will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period prior to the award of any contract pursuant to this Contract Notice.
Publisher note: Following publication of a prior indicative notice (reference 2023/S 000-034592) Network Rail held a virtual market briefing session on 19 January 2024. The session covered an overview of MRH scope, the Alliance contract and key mechanics under the contract. A copy of this briefing session is provided as part of the procurement documents. Pre-qualification: Organisations wishing to express an interest in this opportunity must complete and submit a PQQ response by the date specified in Section IV.2.2. Submitting a response to this Contract Notice does not guarantee that a candidate will be invited to tender. Network Rail reserves the right to disqualify any candidate who provides information or confirmations which later prove to be untrue or incorrect; does not supply the information required by the PQQ or as otherwise directed during the procurement event; or does not meet the criteria stated in the PQQ. A pack of procurement documents (including the PQQ instructions and questionnaire) is being made available at the Network Rail’s sourcing platform: https://www.networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk. In order to access the procurement documents, interested organisations must register on the Bravo system (via the link above). If there are any difficulties in registering or accessing the procurement documents, please contact Network Rail via the email address stated in Section I.1. Interested organisations should note that the tender stage will include collaborative and behavioural assessments. These assessment will include interviews and group workshop assessments. Further details of the assessments, required attendees and administrative arrangements will be provided at ITT launch. Network Rail reserves the right to change any aspect of, suspend or terminate this procurement event and/or consider alternative procurement options. Under no circumstances shall Network Rail incur any liability (costs or otherwise) arising from an organisation expressing an interest in, preparing responses to and/or participating in this procurement.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 24 Apr 2024, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission","written"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bid validity
- 270 days from the deadline
Timeline
15 Feb 2024 → 19 Dec 2025 · 4 dates- Next notice expected15 Feb 2024
- Submission deadline24 Apr 2024, 17:00 BST
- Invitations to tender expected26 Jun 2024, 00:00 BST
- Notice published310 days ago19 Dec 2025, 13:22 GMT
Notice history
5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 26 Feb 2024- Published value updated to £1,380,000,00026 Feb 2024, 21:09 GMTwas £1,050,000,000
- Status changed to active26 Feb 2024, 21:09 GMT
- Procurement method changed26 Feb 2024, 21:09 GMT
- Deadline published: 24 Apr 2024, 17:00 BST26 Feb 2024, 21:09 GMT
- Status changed to complete19 Dec 2025, 13:22 GMT
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AtkinsRealis UK Limited, Laing O'Rourke Delivery Limited, VolkerRail Limitedjoint award | £103,509,864 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 084917-2025-ecm_49994-1 · AtkinsRealis UK Limited, Laing O'Rourke Delivery Limited, VolkerRail Limited
- Signed
- 17 Dec 2025
- Value
- £103,509,864
- Status
- active
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Cabinet OfficeReview contact point
- High Court of England and Wales Royal Courts of JusticeMediation body
Bidders & participating suppliers
3 commercial parties on the notice- AtkinsRealis UK LimitedAwarded supplier
- Laing O'Rourke Delivery LimitedAwarded supplier
- VolkerRail LimitedAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Economic and financial selection criteria
- Technical selection criteria