Drainage Capital Works Framework

Kent County Council (the Employer) is the largest local authority in England covering an area of 3,500 square kilometres. It has an annual expenditure of over £1bn on goods and services and a population of 1.5m. The Employer provides a wide range of personal and strategic services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district councils and 316 parish and town councils.

Starting from the financial year of 2020/21, the Employer has been allocated additional £2m capital funding annually to deliver a backlog of Drainage Schemes throughout the county. To ensure the programme is delivered, the Employer intend to procure a three-contractor framework to supplement its Highway Term Maintenance Contract during this period.

The drainage works consist of the provision of labour/resources, plant and materials to carry out all works associated with the Highway Drainage Maintenance on both highway and non-highway sites.

This could include but is not limited to the following activities:

•Scheme works which may include new surface water drainage systems, including drains, pipe work, culverts, pumping stations, and/or new SUDS retro fit features, manholes/Catchpits, soakaways, gullies, improvement works to ponds and lagoons, etc.
•Routine maintenance
•Replace or repair damaged assets which may include broken pipes, deep bore of existing soakaways, broken covers, manholes, gullies, brickwork including headwalls, damaged culverts, etc.

The successful Contractors will also be expected to undertake traffic management operations associated with the Employer’s instruction including permitting/noticing and any design of temporary works required.

Routine maintenance works under £15k will be awarded to the appointed framework contractor in accordance with the framework procedures. These works will be commissioned through the Schedule of Rates awarded in the contract. Schemes or package of schemes over £15k will undergo a mini competition procedure across the three appointed framework contractors before the works are awarded.

The framework will commence in April 2020 and will be for an initial period of 18 months, with potential for a further 12-month extension. The Contractors will provide the services in accordance with Good Industry Practice and comply with the Contract, specifications, British Standards, guides, protocols and codes of practice as updated, amended and superseded from time to time.

The framework will be based on NEC3 Framework Contract (April 2013) with all call off orders and packaged works being based on the NEC3 Term Services Contract (April 2013). The total value of the framework and subsequent call off contracts will be no more than £4.5m over its duration through the three contractors.