It has also issued invitations to tender for up to £900m worth of enabling works and begun procurement for several million trees alongside the line.
Seven civil engineering contracts covering the 140 miles from London to Birmingham are expected to be signed in 2017 with the start of work on site one year later. Firms that deliver the best results in terms of value and efficiency will be eligible to bid for work on an additional 40 miles between Birmingham and Crewe, due to open in 2027.
The HS2 Bill is also due to return to the Commons today, Wednesday 23rd March, for the latest vote in the legislative process, before moving on to the Lords. Royal Assent is expected at the end of the year, with the start of construction in 2017.
The Phase One work, between London and Birmingham, has been divided into seven packages. The shortlisted bidders will be invited to tender for a maximum of four packages and – “in order to maintain competition and resilience of the project” says HS2 – no team will get more than two packages.
All the packages will be let as two part design and build contracts, to encourage innovation and flexibility in construction and design.
The following have been shortlisted for each work package:
Lot S1 – Euston Tunnels and Approaches (estimated cost £600m-£900m)
- SCS (Skanska, Costain, Strabag)
- Momentum Infrastructure (Dragados, Hochtief, Galliford Try)
- CEK (Carillion, Eiffage, Kier)
- Fusion (Morgan Sindall, BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial Agroman)
Lot S2 – Northolt Tunnels (£850m-£1.4bn)
- Align (Bouygues, VolkerFitzpatrick, Sir Robert McAlpine)
- CEK (Carillion, Eiffage, Kier)
- Fusion (Morgan Sindall, BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial Agroman)
- SCS (Skanska, Costain, Strabag)
Lot C1 – Chiltern Tunnels and Colne Valley Viaduct (£800m-£1.3bn)
- Align (Bouygues, VolkerFitzpatrick, Sir Robert McAlpine)
- BBV (Balfour Beatty, Vinci, BeMo)
- SCS (Skanska, Costain, Strabag)
- LFM (Laing O’Rourke, FCC, Murphy)
Lot C2 – North Portal Chiltern Tunnels to Brackley (£800m-£1.3bn)
- Align (Bouygues, VolkerFitzpatrick, Sir Robert McAlpine)
- BBV (Balfour Beatty, Vinci, BeMo)
- CEK (Carillion, Eiffage, Kier)
- Momentum Infrastructure (Dragados, Hochtief, Galliford Try)
Lot C3 – Brackley to Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel South Portal (£600m-£900m)
- Align (Bouygues, VolkerFitzpatrick, Sir Robert McAlpine)
- ASL (Acciona Infraestructuras, John Sisk, Lagan Construction)
- Catalyst (Bechtel)
- CEK (Carillion, Eiffage, Kier)
- Momentum Infrastructure (Dragados, Hochtief, Galliford Try)
Lot N1 – Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel to Delta Junction/Birmingham Spur (£900m-£1.5bn)
- BBV (Balfour Beatty, Vinci, BeMo)
- Fusion (Morgan Sindall, BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial Agroman)
- LFM (Laing O’Rourke, FCC, Murphy)
- SCS (Skanska, Costain, Strabag)
Lot N2 – Delta Junction to West Coast Main Line Tie-in (£800m-£1.3bn)
- BBV (Balfour Beatty, Vinci, BeMo)
- Fusion (Morgan Sindall, BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial Agroman)
- LFM (Laing O’Rourke, FCC, Murphy)
- Momentum Infrastructure (Dragados, Hochtief, Galliford Try)
In December 2015 HS2 announced the shortlist for enabling works. [See our previous report here.] These firms have been invited to tender for one or more of the three packages on offer:
- BBV
- CEK
- Costain Skanska JV
- LM (Laing O’Rourke, J Murphy & Sons)
- Fusion
- Align
- Momentum Infrastructure.
Today also marks the start of the procurement process to source seed and begin nearly two million native trees for advance planting and up to five million more to be bought in over the next 10 years. The total value of the contracts will be between £5m and £9m, with the first contract award in September 2016.
HS2 Ltd chief executive Simon Kirby said: “Today’s announcements are a major milestone for the project. Over the next 10 years HS2 will help create tens of thousands of job opportunities, build specialist skills and expertise across the country and create at least 2,000 new apprenticeships.
“Collaboration will be at the heart of everything we do. Together with our suppliers, we will create these opportunities while continuing to push for the best value and long term efficiency that will be essential to delivering this transformational project on time and on budget.”
In a further milestone for the wider project, HS2 Ltd also published details of engineering design work worth up to £500m for developing the detailed plans for Phase Two, including Crewe to Manchester and Birmingham to Leeds, ahead of a formal route decision on Phase Two, expected in the autumn. Applicants are expected to be shortlisted in the summer with the successful bidders appointed once the route has been announced.
Additional work covering stations and railway systems will follow over the course of the next year.
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