Wiltshire Council has published a preliminary market engagement notice for HE2395, its renewal of the Specialist Highway Works Framework. The framework is intended to provide access to multiple suppliers who can deliver specialist highways works on an “as instructed” basis, supporting highway asset maintenance and delivery of the wider highways service.
With an engagement session scheduled imminently, this is a useful opportunity for contractors to shape expectations around scope, lotting and delivery requirements before the tender is released.
Key dates (at a glance)
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Engagement deadline: 2 February 2026
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Market engagement event: online via Teams on 3 February 2026
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Estimated tender publication date: 31 March 2026
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Estimated contract term: 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029, with possible extension to 31 March 2034
What is being procured?
Wiltshire Council is renewing the framework to support delivery of specialist highway works, with multiple suppliers appointed and called off as required. The notice positions this as a flexible route to market for “as instructed” works aligned to ongoing maintenance needs.
The estimated total value is £3,000,000 (ex VAT).
Why market engagement matters
Because the engagement is running just ahead of the tender, suppliers can use it to influence the practical details that often decide bid outcomes later, such as:
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how “specialist works” will be defined in the final specification
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expectations for response times, emergency cover and out of hours provision
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approach to pricing schedules and daywork rates
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evidence requirements for quality, competence and delivery controls
If you attend, go in with a short set of clarifying questions and “here’s how we usually deliver this” examples. This tends to be more useful than general capability statements.
Getting ready before the ITT lands
Even at PME stage, it’s worth tightening your core bid assets:
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a highways specific method statements library (traffic management, permits, H&S, quality checks, mobilisation)
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recent, comparable case studies with measurable outcomes
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a clear delivery structure (supervision, supply chain, plant and materials)
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a pricing approach that you can defend in clarifications
If you need support shaping your response plan, our procurement consultancy services and bid writing support can help you get ahead of the ITT while timelines are still on your side.
