Future opportunity

River Thames Scheme - Construction Partner - Market Engagement

  • Environment Agency

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-018013

Published 28 July 2021, 10:45pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Environment Agency

Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street, Westminster

London

SW1P 4DR

Contact

Ben Rawlings

Email

RTS_Commercial@environment-agency.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 2072385921

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk

Buyer's address

https://defra.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

National or federal Agency/Office

one.5) Main activity

Environment


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

River Thames Scheme - Construction Partner - Market Engagement

Reference number

Bravo reference: 33469

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 45000000 - Construction work

two.1.3) Type of contract

Works

two.1.4) Short description

This notice is only an invitation to express interest to participate in a market engagement exercise for the River Thames Scheme. The Environment Agency and Surrey County Council, through a collaboration partnership, are issuing this PIN for the purpose of seeking organisations that wish to take part in Market Engagement exercises, Phase 1 to Phase 5 before we start a formal procurement process, for which a separate contract notice will be issued. Organisations should ensure that they express their interest for all the relevant phases of the market engagement process so that their intent is correctly noted by the Environment Agency.

The Environment Agency has already developed outline design proposals and an initial procurement and contract strategy for the delivery phases of the River Thames Scheme, which will involve a range of works to reduce flood risk from the River Thames between Egham Hythe, Staines and Teddington weir. The Environment Agency intends to test this strategy and the outline design proposals through Phase 1, 2 and 3 of the Market Engagement whilst undertaking the Environmental Impact Assessment and preparing for the consenting process.

Our current project programme intends to initiate publishing a contract notice and the tender documents in the autumn of 2022 with contract award anticipated in summer 2024 (subject to required approvals). We are seeking feedback from the supply market to help us shape our current strategy, design, contracting and risk management proposals to ensure delivery in the most efficient and effective way.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £275,000,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 45110000 - Building demolition and wrecking work and earthmoving work
  • 45112700 - Landscaping work
  • 45200000 - Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work
  • 45210000 - Building construction work
  • 45221245 - Under-river tunnel construction work
  • 45233100 - Construction work for highways, roads
  • 45240000 - Construction work for water projects
  • 45246000 - River regulation and flood control works
  • 45262000 - Special trade construction works other than roof works

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance

South East, works to be carried out near or on the River Thames, from Egham Hythe, Staines to Teddington.

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Environment Agency are looking to bring on board a Construction Partner for the River Thames Scheme. Our current project programme aims to initiate a procurement exercise in autumn of 2022 with contract award anticipated summer 2024 (subject to required approvals).

Up to July 2020, the RTS included a flood channel in three sections but, following confirmation of the funding position, channel section 1 is now removed. The scope of the Construction Partner Contract and main works include the detailed design and construction of new flood channel built in 2 channel sections:

First section (Runnymede channel) – Egham Hythe to Chertsey

Second section (Shepperton channel) – Laleham to Shepperton

Other works include the following areas:

Includes increasing the flow capacity of existing Sunbury, Molesey and Teddington weirs

Increasing the capacity near the Desborough Cut

Utility diversion works

New road and pedestrian bridges to accommodate the new channel sections

New permanent compounds for Environment Agency operational use

Demolition of residential properties to make way for the Runnymede channel

Landscaping works including creation of areas for community use post construction and areas of habitat created to mitigate impacts during construction

Earthworks including excavation, material storage, treatment, logistics and disposal of material including landfill waste, topsoil, alluvium and gravels.

The following areas sit out of scope from the construction partner contract main contract:

Further design and construction works on M3 motorway assets. The approximate value of the design and construction works is expected to be approximately £250 - £275 million.

The market engagement exercise will be carried out in phases and each phase will have a different focus. The phased market engagement process is due to run from July 2021 – Autumn 2022, at which point the Environment Agency will progress with the pre- tender briefing phase.

An overview of each phase and anticipated timescales have been provided below:

Phase 1 Strategy Testing (July – December 2021): This phase will test and seek market feedback on our procurement and contract strategy and current commercial approach;

Phase 2 Tier 2 and SME engagement (August 2021 – Jan 2022): This is a targeted engagement event to receive feedback from Tier 2 and SME’s in the NEC scope planning and risk approach;

Phase 3 Design, scope and site information (April – September 2022) : An opportunity for the market to review our outline design proposals, survey information, summary of our constraints, construction planning, site information etc. that will become part of the NEC ECC Scope;

Phase 4 Contract Testing (February – May 2022: This phase will test and seek market feedback on the draft contract, contract risk allocation, incentive model etc;

Phase 5 tender briefing (November 2022): This phase will provide an overview of our tender process and tender requirements prior to issuing the formal contract notice and tender documents.

Additional information will be provided via the Defra e-sourcing portal, Bravo, which can be accessed using this link https://defra.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html. Interested suppliers must register on the portal, then search for the project code – 33469 or project title – River Thames Scheme – Construction Partner, in the “Current Opportunities” area.

Please ensure that your organisation is registered in order to gain access to the briefing documents and questionnaires to take part in the Phase 1 Strategy testing of the market engagement process. In case of any queries, please email: RTS_Commercial@environment-agency.gov.uk

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

18 November 2022


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

Organisations must register their interest for this market engagement exercise via the Defra e-sourcing portal, Bravo, which can be accessed using this link https://defra.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html. Interested suppliers must register on the portal, then search for the project code – 33469 or project title – River Thames Scheme – Construction Partner, in the ‘Current Opportunities’ area.

Organisations should note the anticipated timescales for each stage as below.

Market engagement briefing documents and questionnaire will be available during August and the questionnaire return deadline October 2021. A broadcast presentation is planned for early September and full details will be provided via the portal.

The results of the market engagement exercise (including any 1-to-1 discussions) may be used to shape and refine the Environment Agency's proposition before any formal procurement commences. It should be noted that any information provided on our current thinking should be considered formative in nature and could be refined/changed as necessary. All participants in the market engagement exercise will do so at their own cost.

The Environment Agency will use its discretion and invite suppliers for a one to one meeting which will be based upon the following key factors:

The quality of information received through the questionnaires and participating supplier organisation’s responses;

Representation of suppliers across a wider cross-section of the market that is proportionate to this procurement exercise;

Representation of suppliers that have divergent views.

The Environment Agency reserves the right to share information and/or summary outputs, outcomes of the engagement to the wider supply market which will be based on participating supplier questionnaire responses and information shared in any subsequent 1 to 1 meetings.