Herefordshire Council seeks a consultancy team to support highways and infrastructure programme

Herefordshire Council is seeking a consultancy team to support its ongoing highways and infrastructure programme

The five-year contract, with the potential for five one-year extensions, aims to deliver responsive, high-quality multi-disciplinary professional services that span the full lifecycle of infrastructure, public realm and highways projects.

These services will include design, project management, site supervision, transport planning, environmental and ecological advice, and support for major schemes such as the Hereford Western Bypass, the Hereford Station Transport Hub, and active travel initiatives.

According to the brief: ‘The Client has an ambitious capital delivery programme and requires a range of professional services to support its Environment and Economy Directorate.

‘The Client currently procures professional services through its integrated public realm contract and other frameworks. The Client is currently (2025) procuring a replacement of the public realm contract which will commence in June 2026.

‘The replacement public realm contract will not include professional services, and it is anticipated that a number of people that carry out professional services will transfer from the existing public realm contractor to the Client.

‘This will provide the Client with the capability and capacity to self-deliver a proportion of the required professional services. However, the Client will require top-up professional services from an external provider to provide additional capacity and to provide professional services that the Client does not have in-house.’

Herefordshire is a largely rural West Midlands county of around 190,000 residents. The latest procurement comes a year after the local authority launched a search for a design team for a range of accessibility upgrades to primary and secondary schools across the county.

The highways and infrastructure brief calls for a partnership approach, focusing on developing a long-term working relationship that enhances the council’s internal capabilities and strengthens delivery capacity.

The winning team will be expected to align with Herefordshire’s broader strategic ambitions, including supporting sustainable growth, improving local infrastructure, and advancing the council’s social value commitments.

Bids will be evaluated 50 per cent on quality, 12 per cent on social value, 28 per cent on price and 10 per cent on performance at interview. Applicants must hold employer’s liability insurance of £10 million, public liability insurance of £10 million and professional indemnity insurance of £10 million

Financial robustness, compliance with health and safety standards, and proven experience in managing complex infrastructure projects will also be key assessment criteria.

Following evaluation stages including presentations, contract award is anticipated by 19 January 2026, with mobilisation planned to commence in early 2026.