The Environment Agency has gone out to tender for a contract worth up to £485 million to manage flood prevention works in the Thames Estuary covering the Tidal Thames from Teddington in West London, through to Sheerness and Shoeburyness in Kent and Essex. 

The contract relates to the first phase of the Thames Estuary Plan (TE2100) published in November 2012 which sets out the strategic direction for managing flood across the Thames estuary.The Plan contains recommendations on what actions the Environment Agency and others will need to take to manage tidal flood risk through to the end of the century.

Suppliers from all over Europe are being invited to bid for the Thames Estuary Phase 1 programme, the UK’s largest flood risk management contract.

The flagship programme is to be launched with an industry event on 18 September at the Thames Barrier. Interested parties have been invited to attend to find out more about bidding for this multi-million pound contract.

Peter Quarmby, Thames Estuary Flood Risk Programme Director said:

“This is a major investment which will create jobs and protect future generations of Londoners from tidal flooding and the impacts of a changing climate.

“The Thames Barrier and associated tidal flood risk management infrastructure protects 1.25 million people, £200 billion worth of property, UK Government, major infrastructure and businesses. In London, every £1 we invest on protecting communities saves £38 in damage repair.”

The Environment Agency is now seeking a long-term Delivery Partner for the Thames Estuary Phase 1 programme (TEP1) for the following :

• the provision (either itself or through its supply chain) of partnering services and
• the provision and delivery (or the management of the provision or delivery through its supply chain) of a programme of capital investment and improvement works for flood defence assets (both fixed and active) across the Thames estuary over a period of up to 10 years

The fixed assets include flood protection walls and embankments and active assets includes flood barriers and other structures with moveable gates, outfalls and pumping stations.

Working with the Environment Agency as part of an Integrated Delivery Team, the Delivery Partner's role will cover a wide range of activities for the management, design and delivery of capital works for fixed and active assets, including:

• asset replacement, refurbishment, and capital maintenance works;
• Asset structural condition inspections and structural intrusive surveys;
• Identification and prioritisation of capital works identified from the delivery partner's inspection and survey of fixed and active assets to be incorporated within the TEP1baseline works programme;
• Construction engineering works;
• Design and consultancy services;
• Project appraisal services;
• Engineering surveys and other investigations;
• Environmental and engineering design of works

The Agency will also be looking to work with the Delivery Partner on the development of the forward programme beyond the 10 year programme.

The Partner may also be required to provide and deliver (or manage the provision and delivery through its supply chain) operation and maintenance services for the fixed and active capital assets falling within TEP1 for services are currently delivered by the Environment Agency in-house - although the requirements for such services are not known at this stage.

The contract, which is worth between £314 million to £485 million, will run for an initial 7 year term with a further three year extension option.

Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 18^th October, with all applicants required to register their expression of interest on the Environment Agency’s procurement portal at www.sell2ea.co.uk

If you want to win work in the £multi-million flood defence market, find out about contracts up to 2018 and key named contacts, order your copy of our report Selling into the Flood Risk Management Sector in England 2013/14 here