Hunt starts for HA maintenance frameworks

The Highways Agency will start the search for contractors next month to join two new asset support frameworks being rolled out.

The agency is overhauling its existing regional asset support contracts and rationalising them down to two umbrella framework deals covering the north and south of the country.

New ASFs, as they are to be called, will be used by the agency to cover jobs not handled by MACs up to the value of £15m.

An agency spokesman said: “These two new frameworks replace the existing regional contracts. The framework will give us flexibility to bridge the gap between jobs undertaken by MACs and major projects.”

Details of the precise timetable for procurement have still to be published but the frameworks are both scheduled to come into operation next Summer and run for three years.

Jobs will include surfacing works, bridge repairs, technology upgrades, highway improvement and general roadworks not delivered by MACs.

ASF North is planned to cover Highways Agency Maintenance Areas 7,9,10,12,13,14 (Midlands and North England) while ASF South will overlay areas 1,2,3,4,6 and 8 (East, South East and South West England).

There is also an option to instruct work on local authority routes and DBFO routes including HA area 5.