Official UK procurement notice
CP2608-24 Highways Term Maintenance Contract
Authority: Devon County Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionDevon County Council (DCC) is undertaking a programme of Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) ahead of an upcoming procurement for a new NEC4 Term Service Contract for highway maintenance services. Contract award is anticipated in 2028, with a contracted start of services on 1st April 2029.
The current arrangement expires on 31 March 2029, and the Authority intends to put in place a future-focused, value-driven contract that supports safe, resilient and sustainable highway operations across Devon, both now and for the long term.
This early engagement builds on feedback from previous market engagement, which is actively informing our emerging Contract Strategy. The purpose of this PME is to better understand market capacity, current innovations, risks and opportunities, and to help shape a procurement and contract structure that is fair, competitive and genuinely attractive to the market.
Background
DCC manages the largest highway network of any local authority in England, supporting residents, businesses and visitors across a uniquely varied geography. The network spans two national parks, two coastlines, remote rural communities and growing urban centres, presenting both opportunity and challenge for the delivery of highway maintenance services.
The performance of the next contract will play a critical role in maintaining the safety, reliability and resilience of this network, while also helping the Council respond to wider pressures such as climate change, evolving customer expectations, workforce sustainability and the need to deliver long-term value for money.
DCC is therefore seeking a delivery partner that can work with us in a collaborative, transparent and innovative way, recognising that strong outcomes will be achieved through long-term partnership rather than transactional contracting.
The Authority is therefore seeking a solution that:
-supports safe, reliable, and responsive services for residents, businesses and the travelling public
-strengthens value for money and long-term affordability
-unlocks efficiencies and delivers “more for less” through smarter ways of working
-maximises performance through collaborative behaviours and shared ownership of outcomes
-enables innovation and continuous improvement across the supply chain
-contributes to DCC’s broader economic, environmental and social priorities, including carbon reduction and social value
The indicative annual contract value is in the region on £65 million. DCC is looking to establish a long-term relationship however the duration of the contract is yet to be determined.
Vision
DCC is committed to delivering high-quality, cost‑effective and resilient highway maintenance services. Through this procurement, we aim to:
-appoint a Tier 1 delivery partner to establish a long-term, collaborative “win‑win” partnership aligned with ISO 44001 principles.
-deliver economic, environmental and wider social benefits for communities across Devon.
-create the conditions for continuous improvement, innovation, and modernisation throughout the life of the contract.
-support consistency, efficiency and resilience and access for Tier 2 supply providers.
We look forward to engaging with the market as we shape this important contract. Your insight and experience will help inform a procurement and contractual model that is deliverable, collaborative, innovative and aligned with the long-term needs of Devon’s residents, communities and businesses.
Thank you for your interest in working with Devon County Council.
- How the procedure runs: This Notice is to notify the market that the contracting authority is seeking to extend their existing contract for the provision of highway maintenance services with M Group Highways. Originally awarded on the 21st November 2016 and due to expire on 31 March 2027 it has been extended to 31 March 2029. The current contract is being modified to allow extension under Regulation 72(1)(c) Unforeseen circumstances that could have not been predicted. The need for modification has been brought about by the surprise Government proposals published in the form of a White Paper on 16th December 2024 announcing plans for English Devolution ("Government Proposals"). In essence, all two-tier councils will be abolished over the next three years. These circumstances could not have been foreseen. The Procurement Process for this the successor Contract (this Notice) is to be commenced in 2027 for an anticipated contract award in 2028 with a Service start date of 01 April 2029.
CPV: Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services · Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways; flatwork · Graffiti removal services · Gully cleaning and emptying services · Ice-clearing services · Landscaping work for roads and motorways · Planting and maintenance services of green areas · Related minerals, precious metals and associated products · Repair, maintenance and associated services of vehicles and related equipment · Road equipment · Snow-clearing services · Structural products · +1 more
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1PlannedRenewal
Pipeline intelligence · planning stage: how this market runs before the tender is published
How Devon County Council buys Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways; flatwork (CPV 4523), and who usually turns up
Devon County Council’s published record next to the market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are left out: they draw different bid counts. Whole-market view: Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways; flatwork (CPV 4523) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Local means the winner is registered in the region where that award was delivered. The market figure counts awards delivered in South West England.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners were registered in the region where that award was delivered.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the bid deadline to the award date, on competitions that published both.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards have an award date within 61 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
Both shares are minimums: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Missing bid counts may hide more single-bid awards. This share is a minimum.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid0% / 17%
2–30% / 38%
4–660% / 25%
7+40% / 21%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Below estimate60% / 30%
Within ±2%0% / 39%
Above estimate40% / 30%
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1CPV 4511Published estimate£910m
This lot is listed as CPV 4511. The table above uses the notice category.
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 265 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid11%
2–325%
4–629%
7+36%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
Candidate suppliers for this notice have not been worked out yet, so this is not a verdict that nobody fits.
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Works
- Notice status
- Planned procurement
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 20 May 2025, 12:52 BST
- Last source update
- 13 Apr 2026, 16:10 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 30 Jun 2028
- Authority reference
CP2608-24- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-085068- Latest notice
- Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0518a0Find a Tender
- How it runs
This Notice is to notify the market that the contracting authority is seeking to extend their existing contract for the provision of highway maintenance services with M Group Highways. Originally awarded on the 21st November 2016 and due to expire on 31 March 2027 it has been extended to 31 March 2029. The current contract is being modified to allow extension under Regulation 72(1)(c) Unforeseen circumstances that could have not been predicted. The need for modification has been brought about by the surprise Government proposals published in the form of a White Paper on 16th December 2024 announcing plans for English Devolution ("Government Proposals"). In essence, all two-tier councils will be abolished over the next three years. These circumstances could not have been foreseen.
The Procurement Process for this the successor Contract (this Notice) is to be commenced in 2027 for an anticipated contract award in 2028 with a Service start date of 01 April 2029.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 31 Aug 2027, 12:00 BST
- Submission deadline
- 31 Aug 2027, 12:00 BST
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
20 May 2025 → 1 Apr 2029 · 7 dates- Planning notice published20 May 2025, 12:52 BST
- Latest notice published197 days ago13 Apr 2026, 16:10 BST
- Market engagement180 days ago29 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
DCC invites interested suppliers to participate in Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) through a structured, four phase programme designed to support open dialogue, enable meaningful feedback and ensure the market has sufficient opportunity to inform the development of the future contract.
The proposed engagement activities are as follows:
Phase 1 – PME Launch Event Webinar
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An online launch event will be held via Microsoft Teams on the afternoon of 30 April 2026
The webinar will introduce the opportunity, outline the Council’s emerging Contract Strategy and explain the scope and objectives of the PME. A live Q&A session will provide an early opportunity for questions from the market.
To indicate your organisation's interest in attending, please provide the email addresses of all attendees for your organisation to - procurement-mailbox@devon.gov.uk. Joining instructions for the event will then be sent to all those wishing to attend.
Phase 2 – PME Questionnaire
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A short, written questionnaire will be published on Supplying the Southwest portal following the launch event.
The questionnaire is intended to capture informed market views on key strategic, commercial and operational considerations and will complement the discussion topics set out in the webinar. All interested suppliers may submit a completed questionnaire. Completed responses must be submitted by midnight on 11 May.
Phase 3 – In‑person PME Questionnaire Discussions
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DCC will hold face‑to‑face discussion sessions at Stover Country Park on 19 and 20 May.
Participation in these will be limited to Tier 1 (Main) Contractors or Consortium Bidders who would be capable of bidding as Prime Contractor for the future TMC.
Tier 1 (Main) Contractors who wish to attend are asked to complete the capability statement in the PME questionnaire and to indicate availability for either morning and/or afternoon sessions on these dates. Individual meeting slots will then be allocated accordingly.
Interested suppliers who wish to express their interest in attending the in-person PME questionnaire discussions at the Stover Country Park on 19 and 20 May can also do so now by emailing procurement-mailbox@devon.gov.uk. These sessions will provide an opportunity to explore the respondent’s questionnaire response in more depth and to engage in open, constructive dialogue with the project team.
Phase 4 – Consideration of Feedback and Update to Market
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All feedback received through this PME process will be reviewed and considered as part of the ongoing development of the procurement and contract approach.
An update to the market summarising key themes and next steps from the Q and A session, questionnaires and the 1:1 discussion is expected to be published in July 2026, reaffirming how market input has influenced the Council’s direction.
Participation in this PME is voluntary and does not form part of any future selection or evaluation process and is not a pre‑condition for participation in any subsequent procurement. The Council will ensure that no supplier participating in the PME including the 1:1 discussions, gains an unfair advantage in any future procurement. The information provided by potential suppliers during PME discussions may inform the Council’s thinking but will not be adopted in a way that disadvantages non‑participants.
DCC will be using Supplying The Southwest procurement portal. All those interested in this Opportunity will need to register with Supplying The Southwest.
- Today27 Oct 2026
- Tender notice expectedin 217 days1 Jun 2027, 23:59 BST
- Submission deadlinein 307 days31 Aug 2027, 12:00 BST
- Award decision expected by30 Jun 2028, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts1 Apr 2029, 00:00 BST
Notice history
7 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 20 May 2025- Pipeline notice published20 May 2025, 12:52 BSTUK1
- Pipeline notice published21 May 2025, 11:51 BSTUK1
- Planned procurement notice published18 Dec 2025, 11:12 GMTUK3
- Published value published: £700,000,00018 Dec 2025, 11:12 GMT
- Procurement method changed18 Dec 2025, 11:12 GMT
- Pipeline notice published19 Dec 2025, 16:00 GMTUK1
- Preliminary market engagement notice published13 Apr 2026, 16:10 BSTUK2
Published amendments (2)
The estimated contract start date was incorrect and has now been correct.
The estimated Contract dates are now 1 April 2029 to 31 March 2036 Possible extension to 31 March 2043 The estimated Value is £700,000,000 Ex VAT
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2025-05: 1 release · 20 May 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Pipeline notice- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender