NEPO is inviting suppliers to tender for NEPO234 Asbestos Management, a multi-supplier framework covering asbestos surveying, analytical services and asbestos removal works across public-sector properties.
The framework is estimated at £125 million excluding VAT (£150 million including VAT) and is expected to run from 25 January 2027 to 24 January 2031. Suppliers can tender for any or all relevant lots, and there is no cap on the number of suppliers appointed to each lot.
This creates opportunities for both regional asbestos specialists in the North East and businesses capable of delivering services nationally. Contact Thornton & Lowe if you would like support bidding for this opportunity.
How is NEPO234 structured?
The framework contains 12 lots, separated by geography, property type and service.
Northumberland and Tyne & Wear
- Surveying and analytical services – non-domestic properties
- Asbestos removal – non-domestic properties
- Surveying and analytical services – domestic properties
- Asbestos removal – domestic properties.
Durham and Tees Valley
- Surveying and analytical services – non-domestic properties
- Asbestos removal – non-domestic properties
- Surveying and analytical services – domestic properties
- Asbestos removal – domestic properties.
National lots, excluding North East England
- Surveying and analytical services – non-domestic properties
- Asbestos removal – non-domestic properties
- Surveying and analytical services – domestic properties
- Asbestos removal – domestic properties.
The national scope gives suppliers outside the North East a clear route into the framework, while the regional lots allow NEPO members to access suppliers with strong local delivery capability.
Who can use the framework?
The agreement will be available to NEPO Member Authorities and current and future Associate Members. NEPO also intends it to be available to contracting authorities across UK administrative regions, subject to the framework's permitted-user arrangements.
Call-offs can be awarded with or without further competition, depending on the requirements and framework documentation.
There is a maximum 1% framework fee payable by suppliers.
What are the deadlines?
Suppliers have a relatively short window to complete their bids:
- Enquiry deadline: 15 September 2026 at 12:00pm
- Tender submission deadline: 25 September 2026 at 12:00pm
- Estimated award decision: 26 November 2026.
Tenders are being submitted electronically through NEPO's Open system.
How will NEPO234 be evaluated?
The tender uses a 60% quality and 40% price weighting. Pricing must be submitted through NEPO's prescribed Pricing Schedule, with the lowest evaluated price receiving the maximum available price marks and other bidders scored proportionately.
This makes the quality response particularly important. Suppliers need to demonstrate not only technical competence but the operational capability to provide safe, reliable asbestos management services across the property types and locations covered by their selected lots.
Regional response requirements
The technical ability conditions include an emergency response requirement for relevant North East provision, requiring suppliers to be capable of responding within one hour of notification, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The notice confirms that this emergency-response condition does not apply to the national lots.
Suppliers pursuing the regional lots should therefore make sure their resource model, geographic coverage, mobilisation arrangements and out-of-hours capability are clearly evidenced.
What should bidders focus on?
A strong NEPO234 submission should make it easy for evaluators to understand how the supplier will deliver consistently across the lots selected.
Key areas are likely to include demonstrating:
- relevant experience across domestic or non-domestic estates;
- sufficient qualified resource for the geographical area;
- effective management of urgent and planned requirements;
- clear quality assurance and compliance processes;
- robust contract and performance management;
- safe working in operational public-sector environments; and
- competitive, sustainable pricing.
Suppliers bidding across several lots should also make sure that the scale of their proposal is supported by credible resource and management capacity rather than relying on the same evidence repeatedly.
Get support with your NEPO234 tender
Thornton & Lowe supports specialist contractors with framework applications and public-sector tender submissions, including quality responses, evidence development, bid management and review.
If you're preparing a bid for one or more NEPO234 lots, our team can help you interpret the requirements, organise your evidence and develop clear, evaluator-focused responses ahead of the September deadline. Get in touch with Thornton & Lowe for a focused assessment of your position, or read our asbestos tenders support page for specific context on specialist surveying, removal and compliance frameworks.
