Crown Commercial Service Launches £120BN Construction and Infrastructure Framework

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has launched procurement for a major new £120 billion construction and infrastructure framework designed to support public sector building and engineering projects across the UK over the next eight years.

The framework, which is expected to run from January 2027 until January 2035, will act as a government-wide procurement vehicle covering a broad range of construction, civil engineering, infrastructure, defence, healthcare, and specialist projects.

Managed by CCS, the Cabinet Office’s procurement and commercial arm, the framework will be available to central government departments alongside local authorities, NHS bodies, emergency services, education providers, housing organisations, devolved administrations, charities, and defence and nuclear organisations.

The scale of the programme makes it one of the largest public sector procurement frameworks currently planned within the UK construction market.

The new arrangement is intended to replace and expand several existing frameworks by consolidating traditional building works, infrastructure delivery, offsite construction, and specialist sectors into a single procurement structure.

The framework is divided into seven core lots, with multiple sub-lots organised by project size, sector, geography, and specialist capability.

Lot 1 will focus on general construction projects covering building works and associated infrastructure activity. The lot includes multiple regional and national delivery bands ranging from projects valued below £5 million through to major schemes exceeding £250 million.

Lot 2 will cover civil engineering and infrastructure works, including highways, utilities, demolition, and wider infrastructure delivery projects across various value ranges and regions.

Lot 3 is dedicated to offsite construction and modular delivery solutions for sectors including healthcare, education, justice, and defence, reflecting the growing role of modern methods of construction across the public sector.

Additional lots will focus on healthcare construction projects, defence infrastructure, nuclear capability, and international construction and engineering works.

The launch reflects the increasing importance government is placing on long-term procurement structures capable of supporting large-scale public infrastructure investment while improving consistency, supply chain engagement, and delivery efficiency.

Frameworks of this scale are becoming increasingly central to how public sector organisations procure construction and infrastructure works, particularly as authorities seek greater certainty around capability, pricing, and programme delivery across long-term investment plans.

The inclusion of specialist sectors such as defence, nuclear infrastructure, healthcare, and offsite construction also highlights how public sector procurement is evolving beyond traditional building frameworks toward more integrated infrastructure delivery models.

The framework’s extended duration is expected to provide significant opportunities for contractors, consultants, manufacturers, and specialist suppliers operating across the UK construction and infrastructure sectors.

At the same time, the size and scope of the framework are likely to intensify competition within the market as major contractors position themselves to secure long-term access to public sector work pipelines.

The emphasis on offsite construction and modular delivery methods also reflects wider government ambitions around improving productivity, reducing carbon emissions, and accelerating delivery across public infrastructure programmes.

For the supply chain, the framework could play an important role in shaping future market access and workload opportunities across sectors including transport, healthcare, defence, education, housing, and energy infrastructure throughout the next decade.

The procurement process is now underway, with CCS expected to begin assessing supplier applications as part of the framework appointment programme ahead of the planned 2027 launch date.