Norfolk County Council has kicked off the procurement for a mammoth highways maintenance contract that could run for up to 14 years and produce spending of £700m.
Interested contractors have until December 13 to express an interest in bidding and the council is expected to produce a shortlist of contractors by the end of January next year.
This will include small and intermediate-scale schemes such as new roundabouts, junction improvements, bus lanes, bus interchanges, footways, cycleways and drainage improvement plus structural maintenance schemes including footway, drainage, structures and surfacing.
Bridge work, surface dressing, rejuvenation and other surface treatments, plus layered patching, slurry sealing and crack sealing will also form part of the contract, which will extend beyond highways to other related projects.
Additional jobs will range from passenger transport and active travel improvement schemes, including building work for travel interchanges plus waste-related work, such as recycling centres and transfer facilities.
Drainage, coastal and flood defence work will also be included and some enabling works on other projects may also feature in the 168-month long agreement, which will not be extended beyond this period.
Three contractors are expected to be shortlisted for the deal, which covers a swathe of highways work, with the incumbent, Tarmac, expected to bid.
The contract is separate from Norse Group's ongoing contract with the authority, which covers routine maintenance, emergency response, and winter gritting.
