LHC Procurement Group, acting for the Scottish Procurement Alliance, is developing Consultancy Services 2, or CS2, as the successor to its existing consultancy arrangements. The current publication is a pre-market engagement notice, so the framework scope and lotting are still being developed rather than fixed.
The proposed framework has an estimated value of £100 million excluding VAT and is intended for public-sector consultancy requirements across Scotland. Crucially, it is much broader than a simple architects-and-surveyors opportunity. The planned scope covers a wide range of built-environment disciplines, from design and project management to engineering, retrofit, building safety and multidisciplinary services. If CS2 is relevant to your growth plans in Scotland, talk to Thornton & Lowe.
Disciplines in the proposed scope
The market engagement material identifies areas including architecture, project management, quantity surveying, building surveying, civil and structural engineering, building services engineering, principal designer services, employer's agent, planning, retrofit and decarbonisation, compliance and building safety, and multidisciplinary consultancy.
This means the likely supplier market ranges from specialist practices to larger multidisciplinary consultancies. The strongest route will depend on the final lot design, regional requirements and whether suppliers are expected to cover one discipline or combine services.
Lotting is not final
At this stage the notice does not set a final lot structure. SPA is asking the market to help shape the successor to Consultancy Services CS1 and the Multi-Disciplinary Consultancy arrangement. Suppliers should therefore avoid presenting draft lot assumptions as confirmed facts.
Thornton & Lowe's article on the first year of the Procurement Act discusses the increased use of early engagement and open framework approaches. For CS2, the practical point is simple: use the engagement period to understand the direction of travel, but wait for the formal tender documents before making final bid and teaming decisions.
What consultancies can prepare now
Built-environment frameworks commonly test both technical delivery and the systems behind it. Firms can start organising project examples, named personnel and CVs, professional registrations, design and quality assurance, programme and cost control, BIM and information management, building safety competence, retrofit outcomes, carbon evidence and social value delivery.
Smaller specialists should also consider whether they are most competitive as a direct bidder, a partner or a subcontractor within a multidisciplinary offer. The right decision will depend on the final lot rules and the evidence needed for each route.
Current framework position
- Stage: pre-market engagement
- Estimated value: £100 million excluding VAT
- Geographic scope: Scotland
- Successor to CS1 and the existing multidisciplinary consultancy arrangement
- Final workstreams and lotting: subject to market engagement
- Estimated publication of contract notice: 30 November 2026
Read the CS2 pre-market engagement notice and the associated SPA material for the latest information.
Prepare for CS2
Thornton & Lowe can help Scottish and UK-wide consultancies assess the opportunity, plan evidence and prepare for the formal framework tender. Speak to our professional services bid team about CS2.
