
HS2 has announced its intention to procure a contract for the provision of built environment technical services, including urban design, station and building design and landscape design, for phases one, 2a and 2b of the high-speed rail project.
It has released a periodic indicative notice inviting potential suppliers to participate in a market-engagement exercise designed to inform the development and finalisation of the proposed procurement, and expects to publish a formal contract notice in March next year to commence the procurement of the contract.
Among the technical disciplines and requirements are arts and culture; urban design, integration and town planning; landscape design; and civil and structural engineering.
HS2 is keen to find suppliers who can provide specialist knowledge and consultancy services to support the creation and delivery of route-wide and place-based arts and culture and strategies, providing design competition management, communication and graphic design services, and specialist art and design expertise in creative engagement, sustainability and curatorial services.
It’s also looking for urban designers who can cover master planning, site analysis, place branding, public realm design, transport planning, active travel and town planning, as well as landscape designers who can provide expertise in everything from access and water management to fencing, archaeology and horticulture. And it wants a civil and structural engineering team that can provide multi-disciplined design advisory services to the team that’s providing engineering support for all of HS2’s buildings, including stations, service buildings and accommodation structures.
The contract, which is valued at £8.8million will be awarded to multiple organisations for an initial duration of four years with the possibility of an extension of up to a further four years. The eventual awarding of the contract is expected to take place in January 2024 with mobilisation starting four months later.