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HS2 engineering contracts out to tender next month

Contracts for major civil engineering works in HS2, including tunnels and viaducts, will be put out to tender next month.

An HS2 Ltd spokesperson told RTM that it will issue invitations to tender for an ‘engineering delivery partner’ (EDP) to provide works valued at £350m.

It also said a second £900m contract for enabling works, such as clearings sites and demolition, will be put out to tender in the autumn.

The procurement process for most of the major engineering works between London and Birmingham will start after the publication of a pre-qualification questionnaire next month. There will be contracts for seven lots, ranging between £700m and £1.1bn, totalling £6.4bn.

Beth West, HS2’s commercial director (pictured on the right),  said in a statement to RTM: “To deliver Europe’s largest infrastructure project on time and on budget, we need to work closely with suppliers to ensure that sufficient planning is in place before the start of the formal procurement process.

“This will also benefit business, by giving them a head start to make the investments they require in recruitment, training and education to support the innovative ways of working we need to develop HS2.”

Royal Assent is not expected until the end of next year. But West said the current procurement exercises do not “pre-empt the granting of Royal Assent for the HS2 Bill currently going through Parliament”.

She added: “Only essential work would be carried out in preparation for the start of the main construction period in 2017.”

The below graphic explains more about the HS2 procurement timeline:

Earlier this month, RTM reported on rumours that two joint ventures, one between Atkins and CH2M and another between Bechtel and Jacobs, had emerged as the potential frontrunners for the project’s EDP.

This week it was announced that Jacobs would open a new office in Birmingham, partly due to HS2.

Vice president Bob Duff told the Birmingham Post that the high-speed project was a “big driver” behind the expansion and a significant part of the firm’s current strategy – but said the new office near the HS2 headquarters also sought to “get involved in some of the exciting things that will happen in the region”.

Construction works on the first phase of the project are expected to start in 2017, with trains expected to be running by 2026.

Below is more information about the value of the coming HS2 contracts:

HS2 chief executive Simon Kirby is a keynote speaker at RTM’s upcoming black-tie event in Manchester, TransCityRail North. Find out more and get your ticket here.