Orbit Group has launched a major procurement for planned property improvement, remediation and major projects across its housing stock in the Midlands, East of England and South East. Despite being grouped with framework opportunities in many pipelines, the Find a Tender notice is structured as a procurement for regional contracts rather than describing a framework agreement.
The estimated total value is £1,435,200,000 including VAT over the maximum 15-year period. This is a substantial long-term housing works opportunity, but the five regional lots and competitive flexible procedure mean contractors should assess geography, capacity and evidence carefully before committing. If you want a second view on fit or bid strategy, contact Thornton & Lowe.
What the contracts cover
The scope combines three connected areas of work. Planned component upgrades include kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors and compliance equipment, with a decarbonisation workstream included. Remediation covers investigative, design, advisory and construction activity for fire safety, structural and other building defects. Major Projects bring together planned investment and remediation where more complex design or planning is required.
This makes the opportunity relevant to experienced social housing improvement contractors with the ability to manage residents, compliance, specialist subcontractors and multi-workstream programmes. Our construction tender guidance covers recurring themes such as method statements, health and safety, quality, resident impact and social value.
Five regional lots
The lots cover Stratford and the South Midlands, Central and East Midlands, East Anglia, Erith and North Kent, and the South Coast. The notice assigns substantial estimated values to each region, with the total across the procurement reaching more than £1.4 billion including VAT.
The tender documents also contain restrictions on how multiple lots can be awarded. Contractors should not assume that bidding across several regions means they can win them all. Resource modelling should reflect the lot award rules, mobilisation commitments and the delivery capacity that Orbit will test.
Competitive flexible procedure
Orbit will first shortlist expressions of interest, with the top seven bidders per lot, or more where scores are tied, moving forward to the full tender stage. The process can then include initial tender submission, dialogue or negotiation meetings, final tender submission and presentations, interviews or case studies.
The headline final evaluation is 60% quality and 40% price. That balance rewards competitive pricing but still gives significant weight to delivery detail and evidence. Contractors should expect to demonstrate how they will manage occupied homes, safety, defects, programme control, supply chain, resident communications and performance over a long-term contract.
Key dates and values
- Total estimated value: £1,435,200,000 including VAT
- Five regional lots
- Initial contract period: 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2033
- Two possible five-year extensions, taking the maximum term to 31 March 2043
- Enquiry deadline: 26 August 2026 at 5:00pm
- Deadline for requests to participate: 3 September 2026 at 5:00pm
Read the Orbit Planned Investment Find a Tender notice and the full tender pack for the regional and award constraints.
Support with Orbit's planned investment tender
Thornton & Lowe can support the selection stage, bid strategy, method statements, resident-focused responses, social value and final tender review. Talk to our construction bid team about the Orbit procurement.
