Tender

NHS SBS delays the 750 million pound construction works framework tender

By Staff Writer  |  04-09-2026

NHS Shared Business Services Limited has told the market that the invitation to tender for its Public Sector Construction Works 2 framework is delayed from the planned timetable, with a revised estimated release in mid to late November 2026 for an eight week period. The framework is valued at 750,000,000 pounds excluding value added tax across three lots, from minor works below 5,000,000 pounds to major works above 15,000,000 pounds. The planned procurement notice was updated at 3:14pm on 3 September 2026.

The post publication note on the updated notice reads:

NHS Shared Business Services would like to advise that the release of the Invitation to Tender for the Public Sector Construction Works 2 Framework is delayed from the planned timetable and most recent communications. The revised estimated release date is mid - late November for an 8-week period. As the tender will be issued before the holiday period, additional time has been allocated to account for this. We would like to encourage all potential bidders to register for alerts for this opportunity via the Find a Tender service. The next scheduled communication will be the release of the Tender Notice

NHS Shared Business Services Limited, planned procurement notice

The notice records a future tender notice date of 13 November 2026, a tender period closing at midday on 8 January 2027, an enquiry period closing at midday on 4 December 2026, and an award period running to 20 October 2027. Each lot's contract period runs from 8 December 2027 to 7 December 2031. The notice also states that the procurement is subject to Cabinet Office controls and that any element of the proposed strategy may change following that assurance.

A tender due in an eight week window that opens in mid November and closes on 8 January will have Christmas in the middle of it, and the buyer has said so.

Three lots and a levy

Lot 1 is minor works, with each call off contract capped at 5,000,000 pounds, organised into twelve geographical areas. The notice describes the typical project as simple construction, extensions, refurbishments or maintenance, often let on simplified JCT or NEC4 model forms. Lot 2 is intermediate works, with call offs from 5,000,000 to 15,000,000 pounds, also in twelve areas, for projects of moderate complexity that do not involve highly complex building services or specialised work. Lot 3 is major works, with a minimum call off of 15,000,000 pounds and no maximum, let nationally across the whole United Kingdom.

The framework is open, and buyers may award with or without reopening competition. The notice says a competitive selection process between the suppliers in the relevant lot is the default ordering procedure, that it may be preceded by a capability assessment, and that Schedule 4 of the framework sets out the rules for both routes. Buyers are restricted to the United Kingdom, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey. Approved organisations comprise NHS and social care bodies together with any other public or private sector body the buyer authorises to use the framework.

A participation fee applies on winning. The notice describes it as an NHS contracted income stream levy applied as a percentage within the framework between the authority and the supplier. It is tiered: 1 percent capped at 50,000 pounds per project on Lot 1, 0.75 percent capped at 112,500 pounds per project on Lot 2, and 0.5 percent capped at 250,000 pounds per project awarded on Lot 3.

Evaluation and what is published

Award criteria are the same on every lot: quality 60 percent, social value 10 percent and commercial 30 percent. The notice states that there will be a considerable weighting on sustainability and social value within the invitation to tender. Selection criteria are economic and technical, with the detail referred to the procurement documentation. Each lot is marked suitable for small and medium sized enterprises and for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations. The procedure is open, the Government Procurement Agreement applies, and electronic submission is allowed.

A pre procurement bidder webinar was held at 10am on 17 June 2026, and the notice records that a recording, the slides and the question and answer responses are available for those who could not attend. Bidders must register on the central digital platform and submit their core supplier information as part of the bid.

The notice does not give a reason for the delay, does not say how long the original timetable had allowed, and publishes no split of the 750,000,000 pound estimate across the three lots: the same figure is stated against each lot and against the whole.