Scope
Reference
CT4692
Description
The East West Railway Company (EWR Co.) is responsible for the delivery of East West Rail (EWR), a rail project providing infrastructure to enable services to link Oxford to Cambridge.
The scale of the EWR project and the complexity of developing new line and structures (stations & depots) with existing track means it is critical to ensure we have the best suppliers on board. To achieve this we recognise the importance of building the right commercial model to attract strong competition and incentivise collaborative working across the supply chain.
This Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) Notice is to inform the market that EWR Co. intends to commence market engagement to support the development of the procurement strategy for the delivery of a Programme Support Works Framework, with multiple lots and multiple suppliers. The framework is intended to accelerate readiness and de-risk the programme, maximising land access opportunity, provide a continuity of existing services via expiring contracts, provide access to SME/Tier 2s, deliver social value and innovation and provide a learning platform for future works and opportunities.
The anticipated lot structure is:
1: Archaeology and Heritage
2: Ground Investigations and Monitoring
3: Environmental and Ecological Works
4: Principal Contractor/Co-ordination/Minor Civils
5: Utilities and Services
The market engagement will commence with an initial virtual briefing session setting out EWR Co's proposed procurement strategy on 6th November 2025 at 12:30 - 13:30pm. This will be followed by a questionnaire inviting potential suppliers to provide their feedback on our proposed approach.
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £700,000,000 excluding VAT
- £840,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 4 January 2027 to 3 January 2031
- Possible extension to 3 January 2035
- 8 years
Main procurement category
Works
CPV classifications
- 45000000 - Construction work
- 71311230 - Railway engineering services
- 71310000 - Consultative engineering and construction services
- 45200000 - Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work
- 65000000 - Public utilities
- 45213321 - Railway station construction work
- 71351720 - Geophysical surveys of archaeological sites
- 71351811 - Topographical surveys of archaeological sites
- 71250000 - Architectural, engineering and surveying services
Contract locations
- UKJ12 - Milton Keynes
Engagement
Engagement deadline
6 November 2025
Engagement process description
The preliminary market engagement will commence with an initial virtual briefing session setting out EWR Co's proposed procurement strategy on 6th November 2025 at 12:30 - 13:30pm. This will be followed by a questionnaire inviting potential suppliers to provide their feedback on our proposed approach.
The objectives of the preliminary market engagement are to understand a number of key areas including but not limited to:
• Supplier capacity
• Market interest
• Effectiveness and fairness of the lotting strategy
• The Competitive Flexible Procedure
• Procurement timeline
• Call off contract options
• Proposed incentivisation mechanism
• Project risks
• Key performance indicators
To register your interest in the preliminary market engagement, please ensure you:
• Register on our Jaggaer portal if you are not already registered via the following link: https://eastwestrail.ukp.app.jaggaer.com/esop/ogc-host/public/eastwestrail/web/login.jst?_ncp=1677595912567.609209-1
• Express interest on our Jaggaer portal by 4th November 5pm: https://eastwestrail.ukp.app.jaggaer.com/go/52388121019A1689B851
• Provide the names and positions of up to 2 members who will represent your organisation via the correspondence facility in Jaggaer
• Hold the time in your diary until formal invitations are issued on 5th November.
Registration deadline is 4th November at 5pm. Invitations to the virtual briefing will be sent via email to the 2 email addresses provided on 5th November.
Points to Note:
Please also note the following important notices before registering an interest:
1) This PME is not a call for competition and is not published with the intention of reducing any time limits for the receipt of tenders.
2) EWR Co. reserves the right not to commence any procurement process or award any contracts in respect of the EWR project and to amend the requirements stated in this PME (or as stated in any pre-procurement market engagement documents).
3) EWR Co. will provide information on its emerging thinking on packaging and contracting approach for the framework at the virtual briefing event and within the pre-procurement market engagement documents which will be made available to relevant registered suppliers by EWR Co. EWR Co. reserves the right to further develop and change the procurement strategy and/or other aspects of the proposed procurement and delivery strategy as a result of pre-procurement market engagement or otherwise.
4) EWR Co. may undertake further and other pre-procurement market consultation exercises but, initially, the market engagement briefing event is to commence market engagement and give suppliers emerging information about the requirements.
5) Publication of this PME is part of the normal EWR Co. due diligence process on its options, and the publication of this PME does not indicate that a decision has been made on a particular route for a procurement and/or subsequent contract award, if any.
6) Registration does not bind EWR Co. to include any party/economic operator in the pre-procurement market engagement exercise.
7) EWR Co. is not obliged to communicate with any parties /economic operators that register after the deadline for registration has passed.
8) EWR Co. is not obliged to respond to any correspondence on this notice or any matter related to this preliminary market engagement exercise and the decision to accept the registration of any interested party/economic operator, and subsequent inclusion in any engagement process shall remain with EWR Co. alone.
9) Non-participation in this process will not prevent any party/economic operator from participating in any procurement process in due course.
10) Given the early stage of the project, and the anticipated impact of the market engagement process, and other internal processes, any information provided to the market shall be subject to change and EWR Co. (insofar as it is permitted by law) shall not be liable for any losses incurred by any party/economic operator as a result of reliance on such information.
11) Any values set out in this PME are indicative and is subject to revision and is subject to confirmation in any future notices in relation to EWR procurement.
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
1 April 2026
Procedure
Special regime
Utilities
Contracting authority
East West Rail Company Limited
- Companies House: 11072935
The Quadrant, Milton Keynes
MILTON KEYNES
MK9 1EN
United Kingdom
Region: UKJ12 - Milton Keynes
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
Other organisation
These organisations are carrying out the procurement, or part of it, on behalf of the contracting authorities.
ARCADIS LLP
Summary of their role in this procurement: Procurement and commercial partner
- Companies House: OC368843
80 Fenchurch Street
London
EC3M 4BY
United Kingdom
Region: UKI31 - Camden and City of London