The Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) is a new road crossing of the Thames Estuary, east of London, between Essex and Kent with new infrastructure and operational arrangements to increase capacity and improve resilience on the Strategic Road Network. The existing Dartford-Thurrock crossing provides a vital link for many business travellers, haulage companies and holidaymakers travelling to and from Europe via the English Channel, as well as linking communities both north and south of the Thames. However, over recent years traffic volumes have increased and the crossing now regularly exceeds its original design capacity of 135 000 vehicles a day. Congestion and delay are major problems, and conditions are expected to get worse in future. Therefore the Lower Thames Crossing scheme is exploring 2 options to relieve the stress on this link. The LTC is a technically challenging project and although the crossing type and location will not be decided until early 2016, we are looking for a Technical Partner to provide leading expertise in the key disciplines outlined below in order to ensure successful delivery of this high profile project. This project gives a potential supplier the chance to be involved in a team who are working to deliver a GBP 2 500 000 000 - GBP 5 000 000 000 scheme which will be 1 of Highway England's biggest projects. The Technical Partner will need to demonstrate extensive experience in the development and delivery of large complex transport infrastructure schemes in the current UK planning environment. This includes being able to provide strong leadership, excellent technical capability and proven expertise in the design of and construction of large bridges, immersed tube and bored tunnels. This is a long term appointment, likely to be in excess of 10 years, and required to support an accelerated delivery schedule. The successful Technical Partner will be required to work in collaboration with multiple partners to:
— Provide and demonstrate expertise in all relevant river crossing types in order to accelerate the delivery schedule and able to provide all required capabilities without compromise.
— Provide design leadership and technical expertise in the preparation of preliminary designs (including surveys and sampling), Environmental Impact assessments (EIA) and other technical documentation to support an application for the relevant permissions / consents.
— Manage the pre-application engagement with the Planning Inspectorate (PIN) and develop / manage the application (likely to be a Development Consent Order (DCO)) including technical stakeholder engagement and pre application consultation process.
— Progress the procurement of its works contractor or multiple contractors in parallel with the completion and submission of a DCO application. Provide a seamless transition in to delivery immediately following award of the DCO and the associated consents.
— Provide assurance, supervision and coordination of the activities of contractors.
— Ensure liaison with Network Operations and assure the technical elements of the Delivery Phase (Design and Construction).
— Develop illustrative / reference design proposals to enable procurement of 1 or more main contractors and essential advanced or enabling works regardless of the procurement or funding route.
The Technical Partner Tender is to be let under the Terms of the NEC3 Professional Services Contract (Option G) as adopted/modified by the Highways England.
The Contract will be advertised via OJEU (Restricted Procedure) and suppliers will be shortlisted following prequalification.
Services under a Task Orders may be paid for as:
— lump sum – on satisfactory completion of an activity
— target cost or
— time charge.
Highways England will select the appropriate payment approach for the specific Task Order.