Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) - Specialist Technical and Professional Services Framework (STaPS)
National Highways · Central government
In brief
National Highways has announced plans to buy architecture and engineering work. This is an early notice: there is nothing to bid on yet, but it tells you a tender may follow.
It is a framework worth up to £16,666,667 excluding VAT: the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers, not one contract.
The contract runs for 6 years, up to 8 years with extensions, starting 1 January 2027.
The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.
Can I win this?
Competition
Typical: a median of 3 bids per contract for this buyer (from 11 awards in the last 12 months).
Framework
Winning puts you on a list of suppliers the buyer can call on; it does not guarantee work. The £16,666,667 is the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers over the framework's life, not one contract.
What the notice says
This procurement is being conducted by National Highways Ltd. as current promoter of A122 Lower Thames Crossing. However, in the 2025 autumn budget statement the Government announced that it has committed to providing public funding to complete the publicly-funded works for the Lower Thames Crossing, the final tranche of government support to enable the private sector to take forward construction and long-term operation of the Lower Thames Crossing. The government’s preferred financing option at this stage is the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model which will assume some or all of the functions, rights and liabilities of National Highways Ltd for the construction and long-term operation of…Read the full description
How to bid
- Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
- Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
- Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.
Timeline
- Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 045078-2026
- Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 045253-2026
- Pipeline notice · UK1, notice 047777-2026
About the buyer
Procurements
332Awards
253Suppliers it has used most for architecture and engineering
- Network Rail3 contracts
- M Group Services2 contracts
- RSS International Ltd2 contracts
- Amey OW Ltd1 contract
- AtkinsRealis UK Limited1 contract
Similar open tenders
All open architecture and engineering tenders- £50mframework ceiling
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- £4.5mframework ceiling
- £173kframework ceiling
From notice 045078-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 15 May 2026, last updated 22 May 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.