Birmingham City Council Launches £1bn Highways and Infrastructure Framework

Birmingham City Council has opened bidding for a new framework to deliver highways and infrastructure projects worth around £1 billion over the next eight years, following the cancellation of a previous planned award.

The Highways and Infrastructure Works Framework, known as P1228, will support road improvements, public realm enhancements, and utilities upgrades across Birmingham and the wider Midlands.

The previous framework award, which had been intended to follow a PFI-based model, was scrapped after concerns over cost, flexibility, and long-term value for money. The new framework is designed to give the council greater control over quality, cost, and social outcomes.

The P1228 framework is divided into five lots, ranging from projects under £200,000 to schemes exceeding £10 million, with a separate utilities lot that has no upper value cap. All works will be delivered under NEC4 contract terms, promoting collaborative project management and flexibility.

Of the expected £1 billion total spend, Birmingham itself is projected to account for around £640 million, with the remaining work open to other public bodies across the West and East Midlands, including Solihull, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and major housing associations.

The framework is structured as an “open” scheme, which will be reopened twice during its eight-year duration, allowing new contractors to join and existing participants to re-bid.

Evaluation of bids will be based on 50% quality, 40% price, and 10% social value. Contractors must submit proposals via the Council’s In-tend portal by 12:00 PM on 9 January 2026, with an award decision expected on 27 February.