The North East Public Buying Organisation, NEPO, has launched a free highways procurement framework for infrastructure survey solutions.
NEPO’s Highways Infrastructure Surveys dynamic purchasing system (DPS) offers a compliant route to market covering nine variations of technical surveys:
- SCANNER Surveys
- Deflectograph and Dynamic Plate Testing
- SCRIM Surveys and Grip Tester
- Group Penetrating Radar (GPR)
- Inventory Surveys
- Visual Condition Surveys
- Data Processing
- Delivering the DfT Data Standard
- Materials Testing.
This new solution is available to all local authorities and public sector organisations across the UK. There are 12 suppliers available at present on the framework, athough this is expected to grow. These are:
- AECOM
- Pavement Testing Ltd
- Amelio Utilities
- Buchanan Computing
- Causeway Technologies
- Fugro Geoservices
- Gaist Solutions
- Kaarbon Technologies
- Metricell
- National Testing Services
- Roadmetrics
- Xais Asset Management
With the Department for Transport set to bring out a new road condition monitoring standard, PAS1261, this year, NEPO said the framework 'is future-proofed for the delivery of the forthcoming changes and ensures contracting authorities access to developing technologies'.
NEPO will undertake any further competitions on behalf of the contracting authorities using its Open e-tendering system. Template documentation is available for use along with call-off terms and conditions.
The Open system is free to both public sector organisations and suppliers. Public sector organisations must register with NEPO as an associate member.
For this highways DPS framework, private suppliers must complete a standard selection questionnaire including confirmation of company status, insurance, health and safety, equalities, environmental management, and provide confirmation of accreditations, resources and ability to meet the specification, alongside references.
Jane Turner, construction category lead at NEPO, said: 'We're delighted to introduce this new DPS solution for the public sector to deliver the highways infrastructure surveys needed across the North East and UK.
'We have worked closely with NEPO member authorities and the supplier market to expand on our framework offering, ensuring it meets the needs of our contracting authorities, delivering an excellent range of services at value for money.'
NEPO is based in Gateshead, Tyne, and Wear and is funded and governed by the 12 North East local authorities (NEPO Member Authorities). It operates as a shared procurement service to undertake strategic collaborative procurement.
