Future Highways Provision - Market Engagement

Description

Essex County Council’s (the Council) current Highways Strategic Transformation Contract (Highways Contract) ends on the 31st March 2027 with no further option to extend. Therefore, the Council would like to engage further with the Highways Industry. We continue to progress development of the pre-procurement activity for the Future Highways contract in Essex and are currently working towards a revised provisional date of October 2025 to publish the tender. To inform the development of our procurement approach and tender pack, we are keen to gather further input from prospective bidders with regards to technology considerations. Please submit your feedback by copying and pasting the following link into your browser: https://forms.office.com/e/ZrT298DzMX Please provide your feedback by close of business on Friday the 14th of February 2025. Any input you are able to contribute to our thinking will be gratefully received. Important information Respondents are advised that the purpose of this notice is to provide an update on the indicative tender publication date and to gather further input from prospective bidders with regards to technology considerations. The scope of service, date of publication or potential contract value should not be taken as a final "version" of requirement. This notice is not a call for competition to procure any works or services and is not published to reduce time limited for the receipt of tenders. Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or (lack) to this notice. Please direct all queries through FHP.team@essex.gov.uk. Lot 1: What is happening in Highways? Essex County Council’s (the Council) current Highways Strategic Transformation Contract (Highways Contract) ends on the 31st March 2027 with no further option to extend. The Council has recently published a paper describing the move towards a mixed economy contract model, by packaging Carriageways surfacing works separately to the Integrated Service Provider/Term Maintenance contract. Therefore, the Council would like to engage further with the Highways Industry on approach, practicalities, and considerations. Market engagement This notice advertises three opportunities to the Highways Industry: two are themed questionnaires, and the third is an update and round table workshop event. Questionnaire ONE – Carriageways theme: The questionnaire seeks feedback from the Industry on the new Carriageways surfacing works arrangement that the Council will create. Questionnaire TWO – Technology theme: The questionnaire seeks feedback on technology used and IT service offerings within the Highways Industry. Both questionnaires can be accessed via the Council's e-sourcing portal, ProContract (https://procontract.due-north.com/Login). Search for the opportunity: “Essex County Council – Future Highways Provision - May 2024 Event”. Register your interest in the opportunity and you will have access to the questionnaires. The deadline for responses for both questionnaires is 12pm Friday 26th April 2024. Market update and round table workshop event: The event will be held in person at Essex Records Office, Essex on Wednesday 15th May 2024 from 1pm - 4pm. The proposed agenda will include an update on our current position, an opportunity for networking and a round table session with Council officers. In person attendance will be on a first come, first served basis (limited to two attendees per company) due to limited availability at the venue. If you cannot attend in-person, the update ONLY will be live streamed on Microsoft Teams. Numbers for the virtual update are unlimited, and attendees will be directed to the virtual update if in person demand exceeds venue capacity. How do I register for the event? To register, please use the messaging function in ProContract to submit the names of your attendees and preference, by 12pm Friday 10th May 2024. Further information is provided via the Council's e-sourcing portal, ProContract (https://procontract.due-north.com/Login). Search for the opportunity: “Essex County Council – Future Highways Provision - May 2024 Event”. Attendance will be confirmed via the portal and virtual login details will be provided by the 14th May 2024 at the latest. After the event: Following the event on the 15th May 2024, the Council will email a follow up questionnaire to all registered attendees (whether in person or virtual). Further individual conversations may be arranged, dependent on topic and intended audience, at the Council’s discretion. Important information Respondents are advised that the purpose of this notice is to engage in dialogue with the market. The scope of service, date of publication or potential contract value should not be taken as a final "version" of requirement. This notice is not a call for competition to procure any works or services and is not published to reduce time limited for the receipt of tenders. Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or (lack) to this notice. Nor shall a response to this notice guarantee an invitation to participate in this market consultation exercise or any future procurement process that Essex County Council may conduct. Essex County Council is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party responding to this PIN or any party who may participate in the market consultation exercise. Please direct all queries through the ProContract messaging functionality linked with the advertised opportunity. Anyone contacting the Council directly via email will be directed to the portal for communications. A registered supplier account is needed to access information, but registration is free of charge. The Proactis supplier helpdesk (https://www.proactis.com/uk/support-login/support/) can help with any registration queries. Please direct any technical queries to the helpdesk in the first instance, selecting the Supplier Support option on the home page. Additional information: This notice is not a call for competition to procure any works or services and is not published to reduce time limited for the receipt of tenders. Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or (lack) to this notice. Nor shall a response to this notice guarantee an invitation to participate in this market consultation exercise or any future procurement process that Essex County Council may conduct. Essex County Council is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party responding to this PIN or any party who may participate in the market consultation exercise. Please direct all queries through the ProContract messaging functionality linked with the advertised opportunity. Anyone contacting the Council directly via email will be directed to the portal for communications. A registered supplier account is needed to access information, but registration is free of charge. The Proactis supplier helpdesk (https://www.proactis.com/uk/support-login/support/) can help with any registration queries. Please direct any technical queries to the helpdesk in the first instance, selecting the Supplier Support option on the home page.