Liverpool City Region Launches £12m Electrical Engineering Framework

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA), through its transport arm Merseytravel, has unveiled plans for a new £12 million electrical engineering framework designed to support maintenance, infrastructure upgrades and asset renewal projects across the region’s transport network and operational estate.

The framework, which is scheduled to run for four years from September 2026 to September 2030, will provide a dedicated procurement route for a broad range of electrical engineering services spanning stations, depots, tunnels, terminals, park-and-ride facilities and other transport-related assets.

Valued at £12 million excluding VAT, the framework has been divided into two separate lots covering maintenance activities and larger capital investment projects.

Maintenance Contract Worth £5.6m

The first lot, valued at £5.6 million, will see a single contractor appointed to deliver electrical maintenance and testing services across the Merseytravel estate.

The successful supplier will be responsible for planned preventative maintenance, statutory inspections, reactive repairs, fault diagnosis, emergency response call-outs and minor improvement works.

By appointing a single provider, Merseytravel aims to establish clear accountability for routine electrical services while supporting effective asset management and operational reliability across its network.

Multi-Supplier Framework for Capital Projects

The second lot, worth an estimated £6.4 million, will establish a framework of up to four contractors capable of delivering major electrical projects, infrastructure enhancements and lifecycle asset renewals.

Potential schemes could include the replacement or refurbishment of switchgear, transformers, substations, power distribution systems, lighting installations, standby power systems, control technologies and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Projects awarded under this lot will generally be procured through mini-competitions between framework suppliers, with bids assessed against a range of criteria including cost, technical capability, quality, delivery performance and social value commitments.

Supporting Resilience and Sustainability

According to the tender notice published on 16 June, the framework forms part of the Combined Authority’s wider strategy to strengthen network resilience, improve asset reliability and support long-term sustainability objectives.

The scope of works covers both low-voltage and high-voltage electrical systems and includes inspection, testing, commissioning, decommissioning and associated civil engineering enabling works where required.

The investment is expected to play a key role in maintaining and modernising critical transport infrastructure across the Liverpool City Region, while also supporting future technologies such as electric vehicle charging networks and upgraded power systems.

Interested contractors have until 13 July 2026 to submit their tenders, with successful suppliers expected to be appointed on 26 August ahead of the framework becoming operational in September.