Five councils in South West Wales are procuring a new £800 million Regional Civil Engineering Contractors Framework, creating opportunities for businesses delivering highways, infrastructure and specialist construction works.
The framework covers 16 lots, ranging from smaller civil engineering activities valued below £100,000 to major projects worth more than £3 million. It also includes specialist work such as demolition, road surfacing, public lighting, ground investigations, bridge maintenance and landscaping.
The tender deadline is 26 November 2026 at 2pm. However, contractors should review the lot structure before applying, as restrictions prevent suppliers from bidding for certain combinations of work.
South West Wales Civil Engineering Framework 2027: key details
Carmarthenshire County Council is establishing the framework alongside Ceredigion County Council, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and Swansea Council. It will replace the existing regional arrangement and provide a route for procuring civil engineering projects across the participating authorities.
The main details are:
- Estimated value: £800 million excluding VAT (£960 million including VAT)
- Initial framework period: 8 February 2027 to 7 February 2030
- Potential extension: Up to 12 months, ending 7 February 2031
- Number of lots: 16
- Main geographical coverage: South West Wales
- Procurement procedure: Open
- Enquiry deadline: 19 November 2026 at 2pm
- Tender deadline: 26 November 2026 at 2pm
- Estimated award decision: 18 January 2027
The framework will also be available to certain other eligible authorities, including Natural Resources Wales and Powys County Council, subject to the geographical restrictions applicable to their use. The £800 million figure represents estimated expenditure across the entire framework. It does not guarantee any particular volume of work or represent the value of an individual lot.
Suppliers can review the South West Wales Regional Civil Engineering Contractors Framework tender notice for the full procurement information.
Understanding the 16 framework lots
The framework separates general civil engineering work by project value and location, alongside specialist lots available across the region.
Lot | Work category | Scope or value band |
|---|---|---|
1 | Very Small Civil Engineering Resource Services | Up to £100,000 |
2A–2D | Regional Civil Engineering Works | Up to £1 million |
3 | Civil Engineering Works, All Areas | £1 million to £3 million |
4 | Civil Engineering Works, All Areas | £3 million and above |
5 | Demolition | All areas |
6 | Public Lighting and Associated Electrical Works | All areas |
7 | Lining and Road Marking | All areas |
8 | Surfacing | All areas |
9 | Ground Investigation | All areas |
10 | Marine Works, excluding Coastal | All areas |
11 | Traffic Management | All areas |
12 | Bridge Maintenance and Associated Infrastructure | All areas |
13 | Hard and Soft Landscaping and Maintenance | All areas |
Although the lot numbering runs from 1 to 13, the four separate regional categories under Lot 2 bring the total to 16.
Lot 1: Very small civil engineering works
Lot 1 covers civil engineering resource services valued at up to £100,000. Appointed contractors will supplement the participating councils' in-house workforces, undertaking activities such as fencing, bricklaying, masonry, kerbing, concrete repairs, welding, bridge painting and emergency works.
This creates a potential route for smaller civil engineering businesses and specialist subcontractors seeking public sector work. However, Lot 1 has some of the most significant bidding restrictions in the framework, which suppliers should consider before applying.
Lots 2A–2D: Regional civil engineering works
The four Lot 2 categories cover civil engineering projects worth up to £1 million, separated geographically:
- Lot 2A: Pembrokeshire
- Lot 2B: Carmarthenshire
- Lot 2C: Neath Port Talbot and Swansea
- Lot 2D: Ceredigion
These lots may appeal to regional contractors with established local delivery teams and experience managing smaller infrastructure programmes. Businesses operating across several areas can consider multiple regional lots, subject to the framework's restrictions.
Lots 3 and 4: Larger civil engineering projects
Lots 3 and 4 provide opportunities for contractors capable of delivering higher-value projects across the region. Lot 3 covers works valued between £1 million and £3 million, while Lot 4 covers projects valued at £3 million and above. These categories include civil engineering and, where applicable, associated ancillary property construction works. Suppliers considering these lots should assess their experience, technical resources and financial capacity against the detailed requirements.
Lots 5–13: Specialist civil engineering services
The remaining nine lots cover specialist disciplines, including demolition, electrical works, surfacing, marine works and bridge maintenance. These categories allow businesses with particular technical capabilities to pursue opportunities aligned with their expertise. For example, a road marking contractor may be interested in Lot 7, while a business specialising in structural repairs could consider Lot 12. The specifications and participation requirements should determine which lots are appropriate for each supplier.
Important restrictions on which lots suppliers can bid for
The framework includes several restrictions on bidding for particular combinations of lots. These are especially important for contractors offering both general civil engineering and specialist services.
Lot 1 and the regional Lot 2 categories
Suppliers may submit bids for Lot 1 alongside Lots 2A–2D. However, they cannot ultimately be appointed to both Lot 1 and any of the Lot 2 categories. Contractors bidding for these combinations must identify their preferred appointment arrangements if successful.
Lot 1 and larger or specialist works
Businesses applying for Lot 1 cannot also bid for Lots 3–13. This makes Lot 1 a particularly important decision for smaller contractors with ambitions to pursue other categories.
Bridge maintenance and landscaping
Lots 12 and 13 cannot be combined with Lots 1, 2A–2D, 3 or 4. Contractors interested in these specialist categories should therefore examine the restrictions carefully before selecting their wider bidding strategy.
Other specialist lots have fewer stated compatibility restrictions, but applicants should still check the individual instructions. A business shouldn't assume it can apply for every category matching its capabilities. Choosing the right combination is an essential part of preparing a compliant submission.
How will civil engineering tenders be evaluated?
The framework uses different price and quality weightings depending on the value and type of work.
Lot 1: Very Small Civil Engineering Resource Services
- Price: 90%
- Quality: 10%
Lots 2A–2D: Regional civil engineering up to £1 million
- Price: 80%
- Quality: 20%
Lots 3 and 4: Larger civil engineering works
- Price: 60%
- Quality: 40%
Lots 5–13: Specialist civil engineering services
- Price: 70%
- Quality: 30%
These differences have important implications for suppliers. For smaller contracts, pricing carries particularly significant weight. Contractors will need to ensure their commercial submissions are competitive, accurate and sustainable.
Larger civil engineering lots place greater emphasis on quality, making the presentation of relevant project experience, technical methodologies and management arrangements more influential. Specialist contractors must balance competitive pricing with clear evidence of their ability to deliver the required work.
Thornton & Lowe's construction bid writing services can help businesses interpret evaluation requirements and develop responses that demonstrate their relevant experience and delivery capabilities.
Is the framework suitable for SMEs?
All 16 lots are identified as particularly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The range of project values creates opportunities for contractors of different sizes, including smaller businesses delivering local civil engineering works and established organisations undertaking larger infrastructure projects.
However, SME suitability doesn't remove the need to satisfy the relevant qualification, technical and commercial requirements. Businesses should assess their ability to resource the selected lots, provide appropriate supporting evidence and deliver work within the relevant geographical areas. For smaller contractors, concentrating on a limited number of suitable lots may be more effective than preparing applications across numerous categories.
How to prepare a competitive framework submission
The framework's varied lot structure makes early preparation particularly important.
- Start by identifying the categories that match your business's experience and checking whether the desired combination is permitted.
- Once the preferred lots are selected, review the specifications and evaluation criteria for each one.
- Relevant project examples should demonstrate comparable work, including contract values, technical requirements and successful delivery.
- For higher-value civil engineering projects, suppliers should consider how they will evidence project management, resource planning, subcontractor coordination and quality assurance.
- Specialist contractors may need to demonstrate technical competence, relevant qualifications and experience of managing particular operational risks.
- Pricing also deserves careful consideration, particularly for the lower-value lots where it carries up to 90% of the evaluation.
- Businesses should allow sufficient time to review the completed submission against the relevant specifications and tender instructions.
How to apply for the South West Wales framework
The competition is being managed through the eTenderWales portal. Suppliers can access eTenderWales and locate the opportunity using project reference 61783. The submission process involves an overarching Qualification Invitation to Tender (ITT), together with separate lot-specific ITTs.
To submit a valid application, contractors must complete:
- The overarching Qualification ITT, reference itt_124418.
- A separate lot-specific ITT for every category they wish to pursue, including the relevant technical and commercial responses.
Suppliers will also need a Supplier Qualification Information Share Code generated through the Find a Tender Central Digital Platform. This differs from their Public Procurement Organisation Number and is required to access the ITTs through eTenderWales.
The key deadlines are:
- 19 November 2026, 2pm: Enquiry deadline
- 26 November 2026, 2pm: Tender submission deadline
Business Wales is also offering a free live-tender webinar on 3 November 2026 for businesses interested in applying.
How Thornton & Lowe can support civil engineering contractors
The South West Wales Regional Civil Engineering Contractors Framework 2027 offers opportunities for businesses ranging from local civil engineering specialists to larger infrastructure contractors. However, selecting suitable lots, complying with the bidding restrictions and responding to different evaluation requirements will be essential to preparing a competitive application.
Thornton & Lowe supports construction and civil engineering businesses with framework applications, quality responses and tender preparation, helping suppliers demonstrate their capabilities clearly and meet complex procurement requirements. If you're considering applying for the South West Wales framework, contact Thornton & Lowe to discuss how we can support your submission ahead of the November deadline.
