Dorset Council are looking to secure a strategic partner for Dorset Council’s Highways Service to assist in delivering the services capital works programmes. The operating model agreed will consist of an in-house workforce supplemented by a single provider, for specific works, to support programme delivery through a mixed economy model.
About the area of Dorset Council
Dorset Council is a unitary authority responsible for delivering a wide range of local government services across the Dorset area. These include, but are not limited to, waste management, highways maintenance, flood risk management, environmental services, and community infrastructure. As the Local Highway Authority, Dorset Council manages approximately 3,795 km of highway network, together with associated assets such as bridges, drainage systems, street lighting, traffic management infrastructure, and elements of coastal defence.
In its capacity as Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), Dorset Council has responsibilities for managing local flood risk from surface water, groundwater, and ordinary watercourses. This includes the inspection, maintenance, and improvement of highway drainage systems, as well as coordination with relevant partners to mitigate flood risk.
All works, services, and contracts commissioned by Dorset Council are undertaken within the Council’s administrative boundary and apply to all Dorset Council owned land, assets, and property.
Summary of Existing Provision
The highway service is delivered through a mixed economy delivery model which involves Dorset Highways working with a wide range of private sector suppliers across multiple Frameworks, contracts and Dynamic Purchasing Systems.
The Core Purpose and Strategic Objectives of the Framework
The purpose of the proposed Framework is to provide Dorset Council with a compliant, flexible and efficient procurement mechanism for the delivery of highways, flood risk management, and associated infrastructure works and services.
The proposed Framework will support the Council in fulfilling its statutory functions as Local Highway Authority and Lead Local Flood Authority through the provision of works, services and goods required to maintain, manage and improve its highway network and related assets.
This will be a bespoke contract based on the NEC4 suite of contracts. The contract incorporates the NEC4 Framework Contract, under an agreement that includes a first call off of a NEC4 Term Service Contract (TSC). The framework makes provision for the subsequent call off arrangements for works and services under individual Works Orders and Time Charge Orders in a consistent, transparent and auditable manner.
The Framework will support the Council’s mixed economy delivery model, whereby an in-house service is supplemented by a single Supplier to provide additional capacity, specialist skills and resources, particularly for works of greater scale, complexity or technical requirement.
The Framework provides a strategic mechanism to ensure continuity of service delivery, resilience and the ability to respond to variations in demand, funding and operational priorities over the contract period.
A partnering culture between the Provider and Dorset Highways Service[DG3.1][PH3.2] will be a critical element of the delivery of this contract. The contract framework information, scope and specification explain how the partnering culture is expected to be managed and the tender evaluation will have a significant focus on
this.
A Preliminary Market Engagement notice was advertised 17th April 2025 with a deadline for comments in relation to this procurement of 6th May 2025. This was followed up with a supplier’s day presentation on 25th June 2025.
This is a competitive flexible procedure in accordance with Sections 20(1) and (2)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023. In accordance with Sections 20(4) and 20(5) the procedure allows for the refining of the award criteria and limiting the number of participating suppliers, generally or in respect of particular tendering rounds or other selection processes and there is no scope to negotiate.
In accordance with Section 18 of the Procurement Act 2023, the use of lots was considered during the planning phase of this procurement and it was determined that dividing the requirement into lots would not be appropriate or beneficial in this instance. Therefore, a single contract approach has been adopted.
