Great Places Housing Group is developing the next Innovation Chain North (ICN) Framework, a proposed £1.5 billion procurement arrangement covering construction and associated professional services across the North of England. The framework will support new homes, refurbishment projects and associated social infrastructure, creating potential opportunities for building contractors, engineering businesses, architectural practices and other construction consultants.
Although the main tender is not expected until July 2027, suppliers can already contribute to the framework's development through preliminary market engagement. Great Places is inviting contractors and consultants to complete surveys, with further opportunities to participate in supplier events. For businesses interested in securing a place on the future framework, this provides an opportunity to understand the proposals early and help inform the procurement arrangements before they are finalised.
What is the Innovation Chain North Framework?
Innovation Chain North is a procurement framework for construction and associated professional services, designed to support housing development and related social infrastructure. The next iteration is being developed by Great Places Housing Group Limited, with the intention of providing a compliant procurement route for housing associations, local authorities and other eligible organisations delivering development and refurbishment programmes.
The key details are:
- Framework organisation: Great Places Housing Group Limited
- Procurement reference: DN832043
- Estimated value: £1.25 billion excluding VAT (£1.5 billion including VAT)
- Proposed framework period: 1 August 2028 to 29 July 2032
- Main coverage: Northern England, with wider geographical scope
- Current stage: Preliminary market engagement
- Engagement deadline: 2 January 2027
- Estimated tender publication: 8 July 2027
- SME suitability: The opportunity is identified as particularly suitable for SMEs
These dates and arrangements are provisional and may change as the framework develops. The Innovation Chain North preliminary market engagement notice provides further information about the proposed procurement and opportunities to participate.
What construction opportunities will the framework cover?
The framework is intended to support the delivery of new homes and associated social infrastructure, alongside refurbishment activity. Its principal geographical focus includes the North West, North East, and Yorkshire and the Humber, with the procurement also identifying the East Midlands and West Midlands within its proposed coverage. The planned scope combines construction works and associated professional services, creating potential opportunities for different businesses involved in housing development.
New-build housing and construction
The framework will support organisations delivering new homes and related development projects. This could be relevant to main contractors with experience in residential construction, as well as businesses offering specialist capabilities within larger development programmes.
Housing projects often require coordination across multiple disciplines, from initial site preparation and construction through to completion and handover. Contractors interested in the future framework should consider which parts of their existing experience most closely align with housing development and public sector delivery.
The detailed construction lots, contract value bands and participation requirements have not yet been confirmed. These will be important considerations when the main procurement documents become available.
Refurbishment and social infrastructure
Innovation Chain North is also intended to provide a route for refurbishment projects and associated social infrastructure. For contractors, this may create opportunities beyond new-build housing, particularly where their experience includes improving existing properties or delivering construction work for housing and community facilities.
The precise categories will depend on the final framework structure. Businesses should therefore avoid assuming that a particular specialist trade or refurbishment service will have its own lot until Great Places publishes the detailed requirements.
Architectural, engineering and construction consultancy
Professional services are an important part of the proposed framework. The procurement covers associated consultancy services supporting construction and infrastructure delivery, potentially making it relevant to architectural practices, engineering consultancies, project managers and other professional advisers.
Consultants participating in market engagement have an opportunity to contribute their views on how specialist services should be procured and how the framework could accommodate businesses of different sizes.
How suppliers can participate in market engagement
Great Places has launched a preliminary market engagement programme to understand supplier capacity, gather industry feedback and inform the design of the future framework. This is not yet a competition for framework appointments. Completing an engagement survey or attending an event does not constitute a tender submission or guarantee eligibility for the eventual procurement. Nevertheless, participating now could help suppliers understand the proposed arrangements and provide feedback on issues that may affect their ability to compete.
Contractor and consultant surveys
Separate surveys are available for contractors and consultants. Businesses can complete the relevant form directly:
- Innovation Chain North contractor engagement survey
- Innovation Chain North consultant engagement survey
The surveys opened on 15 October 2026 and are intended to remain available for a minimum of six weeks. Great Places may determine the final survey closing date. The overall preliminary market engagement deadline is listed as 2 January 2027, but suppliers interested in the surveys should not assume that the forms will necessarily remain open until that date.
Participating businesses can provide market insight that may help shape the framework's requirements, commercial arrangements and delivery approach.
Open supplier engagement webinar
Great Places intends to host an online engagement event for interested suppliers during November or December 2026. The event will provide an overview of the proposed framework and opportunities to discuss its development. The date has not yet been confirmed. Contractors and consultants can register their interest through the relevant engagement survey.
Yorkshire supplier and client engagement event
A separate in-person event is planned for Yorkshire during November 2026. This will bring together contractors, consultants and potential framework users to discuss regional requirements and delivery considerations. Attendance will be by invitation because of venue capacity.
Yorkshire-based suppliers interested in participating should complete the relevant contractor or consultant survey so that Great Places can consider their involvement. The engagement programme also includes a separate event for potential framework users on 26 November.
What is Great Places seeking to understand?
The market engagement programme is intended to help Great Places assess the capacity of the construction and consultancy market before finalising its procurement strategy. Several objectives are particularly relevant to prospective suppliers.
- Market capacity and interest
Great Places wants to understand the level of interest in the future framework and the capabilities available across the market. Feedback from contractors and consultants can help identify whether the proposed arrangements reflect the range of businesses capable of delivering relevant services. - Framework design and commercial arrangements
The organisation is seeking input to inform the future requirements, commercial structure and overall framework design. These decisions may have important implications for suppliers, including the types of opportunities available and the practical arrangements for bidding and delivering work. - Consistency of delivery
The engagement is also intended to help develop a consistent approach to framework delivery. For suppliers, this creates an opportunity to raise practical considerations based on their experience of delivering housing and construction projects.
Great Places has also indicated that the framework will place greater emphasis on social value, with the intention that individual contracts contribute positively to local communities.
Is Innovation Chain North suitable for SMEs?
The preliminary market engagement notice identifies the framework as particularly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. This is encouraging for regional construction businesses and specialist consultancies that may be interested in securing public sector work. The size and number of lots, financial thresholds, technical requirements and appointment arrangements will all influence how accessible the eventual procurement is to smaller suppliers.
SMEs should use the engagement period to consider whether the proposed approach reflects their capabilities and the kinds of contracts they could realistically deliver. For example, smaller contractors may be interested in how work will be divided by project value or geography, while specialist consultants may want to understand whether the framework will accommodate individual professional disciplines.
Participation offers suppliers an opportunity to explain their circumstances and contribute to the development of commercially workable procurement arrangements.
How to prepare for the future Innovation Chain North tender
The main tender is expected to be published on 8 July 2027, leaving time for interested businesses to prepare before the competitive process begins. Although the detailed tender requirements are not yet available, contractors and consultants can take several useful steps now.
Review relevant experience
Start by identifying previous projects that demonstrate relevant construction or consultancy capabilities. For contractors, this might include housing developments, refurbishment programmes or associated infrastructure projects. Consultants could review assignments involving architectural design, engineering, project delivery or specialist advisory services. Relevant case studies should explain the services provided, the challenges addressed and the outcomes achieved.
Assess capacity and geographical coverage
The framework's proposed geographical scope extends across several regions of England. Businesses should consider where they can realistically deliver work, including any requirements for regional teams, specialist personnel or delivery partners. Understanding these capabilities now may help inform future decisions about which lots to pursue.
Prepare supporting information
Contractors and consultants can use the period before tender publication to review their existing bid documentation. This may include project references, professional qualifications, insurance arrangements, health and safety information and other relevant business evidence. The specific Conditions of Participation will be confirmed when the tender is published, so suppliers should avoid treating general preparation as a substitute for checking the final requirements.
Consider social value delivery
Great Places has identified social value as an important feature of the future framework. Businesses should consider how their work could contribute to local communities through relevant employment, training, supply chain or other initiatives. Any proposed commitments should reflect the organisation's capabilities and be achievable within the projects it may deliver.
Once the tender documentation becomes available, suppliers will need to align their responses with the actual social value requirements and evaluation methodology.
Thornton & Lowe's bid writing services support construction businesses and professional consultants with framework applications, helping them develop relevant evidence and prepare responses against published procurement criteria.
What happens after market engagement?
Following the engagement programme, Great Places will use the feedback received to inform the framework's final requirements and procurement strategy. The main tender is currently expected in July 2027, with the framework scheduled to begin in August 2028. These dates are indicative. The final scope, lot structure, supplier eligibility requirements, assessment methodology and submission arrangements will be established through the formal procurement documentation.
Interested contractors and consultants should monitor the Find a Tender service and Innovation Chain North's procurement updates for further announcements. Businesses that take part in the current engagement should also retain a record of the information shared and any subsequent communications about the framework.
How Thornton & Lowe can support future ICN bidders
Innovation Chain North represents a significant proposed opportunity for businesses involved in housing construction, refurbishment and professional consultancy services across Northern England. While the framework is still being developed, suppliers can use this period to engage with Great Places, assess their capabilities and prepare for the eventual competition.
Thornton & Lowe works with construction contractors and professional services firms to identify suitable opportunities, assess bidding requirements and prepare competitive framework submissions. Our bid administration service can also support businesses with monitoring procurement opportunities and maintaining the information needed for future applications.
If you're interested in the forthcoming Innovation Chain North Framework, speak to Thornton & Lowe about preparing your business for the tender process.
