Number: 2797397
Country: United Kingdom
Source: TED
Specialist Technical Advice on Corrosion Protection of Steelwork 2 (STACP2).
Highways England is looking to secure the provision of a single supplier to provide independent specialist technical advice on all issues relating to paints and the corrosion protection of steelwork used in our highway structures. As well as providing specialist technical advice the services will include undertaking inspections of paint to structures on sites within England, obtaining and testing paint samples and the testing of paints to ensure durability of products used.
Suppliers premises (testing) but with the possibility of visiting various sites within the UK.
Highways England is looking to secure the provision of a single supplier who can provide our organisation with independent specialist technical advice on all issues relating to paints and the corrosion protection of steelwork in structures across the strategic road network.
Highways England is currently responsible for maintaining approximately 1 750 steel bridges, 3 000 steel gantry type structures and many other minor steel structures such as masts and lighting columns on the strategic road network. This inventory is likely to increase as we are proposing to construct large numbers of steel highway structures associated with major network enhancement and other schemes within our current Roads Investment Strategy (RIS1) programme.
Highways England is responsible for providing and keeping up to date the standards, specifications, guidance and advice relating to the provision and maintenance of the corrosion protection to the steelwork in these structures, to reflect for example advances in paint technology and practices within the industry. It is necessary for Highways England to undertake paint inspection and testing relating to the quality of work being undertaken, the quality and performance of corrosion protection materials and to investigate paint defects and failures. Highways England is also required on occasions to provide related advice and guidance to others including the Department for Transport, standards organisations, certification bodies, manufacturers, trade organisations, specialist contractors, the Highways England"s supply chain and other highway authorities, to promote the use of cost effective and durable protection to steel in highway structures.
The Highways England"s Structures Policy Team is responsible for all issues relating to corrosion protection of structural steelwork in Highways England"s structures, as outlined above. However Highways England does not have all of the required specialist capability in-house to discharge these responsibilities.
Therefore we are looking for a capable and suitable supplier that can provide Highways England with access to the independent specialist technical advice that we need to fulfil our responsibilities relating to paints and corrosion protection of steelwork in highway structures.
The range of services that are we are likely to require includes but is not limited to the following:
— Support Highways England with the administration of its quality assurance scheme for paints and similar protective coatings (See Standard BD35 which can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/ha/standards/dmrb/vol2/section4.htm).
— Undertake the testing, analysis, interpretation of results, and reporting of paint samples provided from construction and maintenance works contracts for quality assurance purposes and of other paint samples and materials provided for reasons associated with defects, performance and durability of paint materials and corrosion protection systems.
— Undertake the inspection, investigation, testing, analysis and reporting of all aspects of the corrosion protection to steel in highway structures within construction sites and on the live highway network, to include providing advice relating to quality of work and materials, condition, repairs, maintenance options and specifications as appropriate.
— Provide specialist technical advice to support Highways England on all technical issues relating to paints, corrosion and corrosion protection of steelwork in highway structures including promoting and supporting the development and implementation of new materials, techniques, policy, standards and specifications.
— Undertake special investigations and trials relating to paint materials and the corrosion protection of steel in highway structures including all associated liaison and reporting.
— Manage natural weathering exposure investigations, including all associated liaison and reporting.
— Act as a focal point and conduit for liaison between Highways England.
There is an option to extend for an extra four years dependant on performance and available funding.
Highways England will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. Appeals must be logged in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2006 no5) as amended.
