As described in the preliminary market engagement notice (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/054636-2026) dated 10 June 2026 and the planned procurement notice (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085054-2026) dated 8 September 2026, Norfolk County Council (the "Council") is formally launching a procurement using the Competitive Flexible Procedure under section 20(2)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023 (the "Procurement") (the "Act") for a highways and infrastructure professional services contract (the "Contract").
On the launch of this Procurement, the Council is seeking suitably qualified applicants (the "Applicants") capable of integrating with the Council's wider highways team, delivering high-quality professional services in the Norfolk geographic area, and structuring its approach to the delivery of the Contract in a manner which is pragmatic, innovative, and cost-effective.
The launch of the Procurement follows a period of sustained preliminary market engagement during which the Council engaged with prospective bidders regarding: (i) the approach to the Procurement (including the timeline, dialogue sessions, and possible award criteria); and (ii) the proposed approach to the Contract and scope of services under it.
The Council has designed a lean, dialogue-focused approach to the Procurement that leverages the full flexibility afforded to it by the Act. The Procurement is designed to ensure that the principles of delivering value for money, maximising public benefit, sharing information with Applicants, acting with integrity, and facilitating SME participation are built into every stage of the process.
Further detail regarding the stages and requirements are contained within the Procurement documents which can be accessed through the In-Tend platform. Please note that all materials prepared and shared with the market during the preliminary market engagement phase are available on the In-Tend platform via the clarifications facility.
A full breakdown of the scope of services forming part of the Contract is contained within the Procurement documents, including a draft scope made available with those documents. By way of illustration, the Council anticipates that the services required under the Contract, which will be carried out collaboratively with the Council's in-house teams, will include:
• Highway design services, project delivery (including early contractor involvement and developing works orders), stakeholder engagement and consultation, and specialist expertise required for the development of highway maintenance, asset management, and capital improvement schemes
• Major highway infrastructure and other design services (feasibility, preliminary and detailed including planning and other statutory approvals), through integrated design teams as well as wider resource provision (including necessary specialist resources)
•Bridges and structures design and advisory services, including asset management, inspection and maintenance
•Business case development, including in support of funding applications to funders such as the Department for Transport and Homes England (e.g., cost benefit analysis, carbon analysis, etc.)
•Environmental and ecology services (including carbon assessment), archaeology and heritage advisory services
•Travel and Transport planning advisory services (including strategic planning and travel planning services)
•Intelligent transport services, future mobility services, and design and advisory services
•Spatial planning (including master planning, planning applications, statutory services, carbon assessments and environmental impact assessments)
•Maritime services (including supporting design and project delivery for coastal, harbour and river environments)
•Flood and water management design and advisory services
•Land, property and asset management advisory services
•Economic development advisory services, including feasibility studies/assessments, strategic and project specific modelling, government engagement/lobbying, and associated reporting
•Quantity surveying, costing, commercial and contract administration services
•Development of tender documentation and tender evaluation support
•Construction phase services
•Surveys and investigations
•Development research, and developer design and build agreement checks
•Heat, energy, water and sewage advisory services
•Waste services, including advice on residual waste, household waste recycling centres, waste facilities planning advice/application, permitting
As many prospective Applicants will be aware, the Council prepared this Procurement within the context of local government reorganisation ("LGR") and devolution ("Devolution") and had proceeded on the basis that government was minded as part of LGR to reorganise the various Norfolk councils into three new unitary authorities.
On 7 September 2026 the government withdrew that decision and announced a "rapid review" of its LGR programme in respect of Norfolk.
With regards to Devolution, on 4 December 2025, the then Secretary of State for Local Government made a written statement [UIN HCWS1128] stating that government intends to establish a Mayoral Strategic Authority for Norfolk and Suffolk as soon as possible, and that it was minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections in May 2028. The current secretary of state said, in her statement of 7 December 2026: "The Prime Minister is really clear that the Government's ambition is to ensure that every area in England has, or is in the process of establishing, a strategic authority by the end of 2027, with strategic authorities in place everywhere by the end of 2028".
The Council is keen to emphasise that, despite the announcement, prospective Applicants should be confident that, in launching this Procurement in this manner and at this time, it intends to address any future considerations which may arise as a result of LGR and/or Devolution in a collaborative, solutions-focused manner which, to the greatest extent possible, protects: (i) the delivery of the Contract in the Norfolk area; and (ii) the volume of work under, and the value of, the Contract, whilst at all times being respectful of the time and costs likely to be incurred by Applicants in competing for this Contract.
The values stated in this notice exclude indexation and mobilisation.
