DMNH 033 - North West Relief Road Project

Description

Shropshire Council (the “Council”) is at an exciting stage in its project to construct the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road (“NWRR Project”). This will provide a new, single carriageway road linking the northern and western parts of Shrewsbury. It will include a new bridge over the River Severn and its flood plain, a new bridge over the Shrewsbury-Chester railway line and will connect the A5 at Welshpool Road roundabout in the west to the Ellesmere Road roundabout in the north. The Council is preparing to commence the formal competitive procurement process to award the contract for the NWRR Project. In the interest of running a fair, efficient and effective procurement process and to help inform the Council’s approach to the eventual procurement, the Council is seeking to engage with potential lead contractors experienced in leading and delivering similar major capital highways projects of similar size and nature (at least £50 million in value) in advance of commencing the formal procurement process. Further details are provided in section II.2.4 below. Lot 1: An overview of the NWRR Project and the Outline Business Case including a copy of the General Arrangement Drawing (Appendix A) may be found on the Council's website. The Council is currently proposing to use the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 to award the contract for the NWRR Project. It is envisaged that the contract notice to commence the formal procurement will be issued at the end of January 2024 although this may be subject to change. The anticipated form of contract is the NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract (“ECC ”) with Main Option C, Secondary Option Clauses and amendments by way of Z clauses. The Council is inviting potential lead contractors experienced in leading and delivering similar major capital highways projects of similar size (at least £50 million in value) to contact the Council for a short individual meeting in advance of the formal procurement process. These meetings are intended to help the Council understand the following with regard to a major capital highways project of this nature: (a) the market’s expectations in respect of risk allocation (e.g. in terms of costs, delays and liabilities); (b) the market’s current approach to pricing; (c) the market’s potential to achieve tangible social value benefits; and (d) any other risks or issues that could affect the successful delivery of the NWRR Project that might need to be taken into account when preparing the procurement. Potential lead contractors interested in attending a meeting with the Council are requested to contact the Council at the e-mail address in section I.1 above by no later than 3pm on 12 January 2024. Subject to capacity constraints, the Council plans to hold individual meetings (each of up to an hour long) with potential lead contractors who respond within the above specified timescale on 17 and 18 January 2024. Such meetings will be held on an individual basis via Microsoft Teams. Any information provided by potential lead contractors in response to this market engagement exercise and highlighted as commercially sensitive will be treated as such and not disclosed to any third parties without the express written permission of the potential lead contractor concerned. Non-participation in this market engagement process does not preclude any potential lead contractors from participating in the formal procurement process. The Council is running this market engagement exercise in compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and will take steps to ensure that any potential lead contractor who participates in the market engagement exercise is not put at an unfair advantage and that competition in relation to the award of the eventual public contract for the NWRR Project is not otherwise distorted. Any additional information about the NWRR Project provided by the Council during the course of the individual sessions will be collated by the Council and distributed to all potential lead contractors who participate in this market engagement exercise. Such information will also be shared as part of the procurement documentation published in the ensuing formal procurement procedure. Note, the NWRR project is subject to funding and approval by the Council. Additional CPV codes: 45112500 - Earthmoving work 45200000 - Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work 45221000 - Construction work for bridges and tunnels, shafts and subways 45221100 - Construction work for bridges 45221111 - Road bridge construction work 45221112 - Railway bridge construction work 45221121 - Road viaduct construction work 45223200 - Structural works 45233120 - Road construction works 45233130 - Construction work for highways 45233124 - Trunk road construction work 71311220 - Highways engineering services 71322000 - Engineering design services for the construction of civil engineering works 71631480 - Road-inspection services