The contracts, which start on 1 April 2014, are with Network Rail’s Infrastructure Projects (IP) Southern region, and will cover much of the region’s £2.5bn workload in control period five (CP5) which runs from 2014 to 2019.
The four frameworks, which each have an agreed minimum contract value, are with:
- VolkerFitzpatrick (Anglia);
- Costain (Kent);
- Bam Nuttall (Sussex);
- Geoffrey Osborne (Wessex).
The framework involves projects across a number of multidisciplinary works, covering civil engineering, track construction, power delivery, signalling, and mechanical & electrical works. The projects will include underbridge repair and replacement, footbridge construction, major earthworks, and works to tunnels and station platforms and buildings.
Costain said that its contract was expected to be worth £60m to it over the five-year term. Osborne said that its deal for the Wessex Route was worth £250m over the duration.
The agreements are intended to encourage and facilitate suppliers working closely with Network Rail from initial development to delivery and will incorporate jointly agreed objectives which align with Network Rails outputs for CP5. Collaboration formed 25% of the evaluation criteria emphasising the commitment by Network Rail to work more closely and transparently with its supply chain. This is also supported by the introduction of NEC 3 (New Engineering Contract), which has not been used by Network Rail before.
For the first time, safety issues made up 15% of the evaluation criteria for selecting the contractors.
Network Rail IP Southern regional director Nick Elliott said: “This represents a significant change in the way we assess safety and underlines our commitment to delivering a fundamental improvement in workforce safety within the rail industry. When you combine this with BS11000 and early contractor involvement in design, it shows how we are changing the way we work to bring even closer collaboration between Network Rail and the supply chain.”
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