Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom

1. Title: P23 TUNNEL FIRE MAIN SYSTEM DESIGN – HRS02 TUNNEL AND LINESIDE M&E
2. Awarding Authority: Costain Group PLC, HS2 ltd, GB. Web:
3. Contract type: Service contract
Open
4. Description: The Awarding Authority have been appointed to deliver contract HRS02, the Tunnel and Lineside Mechanical and Electrical services for HS2 ltd. A high-speed railway project that connects London to Birmingham with plans to extend in the future.
The HS2 project has 14no dual bore tunnels each of which has a fire main through the length of each bore – totalling approximately 111km of fire main. The tunnel fire mains are connected to falling mains from the various shaft buildings (13no) at intermediate points within the tunnels, and to portal areas at the start/end of each tunnel.
Package P23 Tunnel System Fire Main Design scope is for the full design of the tunnel fire main system, including validation and co-ordination of the design already completed by other (Main works civils contractors) who are fitting out the fire main in the shaft and portal areas.
Costain require a specialist designer to take the client’s performance brief for this system and produce the design to enable construction, testing, commissioning, assurance and handover. Costain and HS2 are looking for innovative and smart solutions that provide benefits in the following key areas.
Health and Safety
Programme – Installation and Commissioning activities
Cost
Quality and Assurance Efficiency
Whole Life Cost
Carbon Efficiency
The design development and any innovations must be accompanied with a rigorous approach to ensure that the technical requirements are met. The scope of design will include (but not be limited to) the following:
Calculations for pipework sizing and specification including computation fluid dynamics Analysis of stress, expansion, thrust considerations and incorporation into the design Design of bracketry supports, anchors and associate fixings within the tunnel Production of BIM model and drawings outlining the spatial layout and co-ordination of the fire main
Co-ordination with other services design, including but not limited to tunnel civils, handrail and bracketry design
Support to Costain’s overall M&E design partner through concept and detailed design
Full details of the scope and project brief/specifications will be provided to the successfully shortlisted suppliers at the next procurement stage.
Suppliers should be aware of the scale of the HS2 project and are to assess their internal capabilities to be able to carry out the intended scope of works prior to completing the expression of interest.
5. CPV Code(s): 44482000, 75251110, 35113300, 71000000, 71632000, 71320000
6. NUTS code(s): UKG, UKG3, UKG31, UKI
7. Main site or location of works, main place of delivery or main place of performance: Delivery point: The Podium, Euston. Snow Hill, Birmingham. The HS2 Route.
London to Birmingham
8. Reference attributed by awarding authority: Supply chain ID: 414395-Costain – M&E
9. Estimated value of requirement: Estimated contract value (GBP) N: GBP 250k to 500k
10. CompeteFor response deadline 5.11.2025 (12:00).
11. Address to which they must be sent: Note: This is a CompeteFor opportunity. Opportunities may be with both public and private sector businesses. To apply, please click the following link to register on the CompeteFor portal Web:
12. Other information: Opportunity Method: Contract Opportunity
Opportunity Status: Open
Opportunity Type: Private Sector
Notice Type: Notice
Nature of Opportunity: Works
About the buyer’s selection process:
This will be a competitive process which will be completed in line with both the Costain and HS2 procurement rules to ensure a fair process throughout. The selection process will include assessment against a number of key criteria listed below:
Including Cost 
Whole Life Cost and Maintenance 
Programme 
Health and Safety 
Quality 
Equality, diversity and inclusion 
Skills, Employment and Education 
Environment and Sustainability 
Respondents to this opportunity should be advised that prior to shortlisting, the Buyer will undertake a rigorous due diligence process including a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire. 
Unsuccessful applicants will be advised via e-mail or the Buyer’s Procurement Portal, successful shortlisted applicants will be invited to tender through the Buyer’s Procurement Portal. 
Proposals from Tenderers will be evaluated against a pre-agreed commercial and non-commercial award criteria. 
Costain Reserves the right to split this package into separate contracts and award scope to multiple suppliers.
This Notice is has been published to get expressions of interest from the supply chain. If you are interested, please respond to this Notice through this website. Detailed technical information will follow once at the PQQ stage and timescales will be advised in the following weeks after this Compete For Notice deadline.  
About the buyer:
Costain Ltd have secured the Rail Systems HRS02 Tunnel & Lineside M&E Main Contract.  As construction, consulting and digital partners we bring together a mix of experts and engineered solutions to the most complex infrastructure problems. We anticipate and solve our customers’ challenges, helping them deliver their strategies and progress their business plans.  We are committed to creating connected, sustainable infrastructure, this is core to all our activities across our six sectors: Road, Rail, Integrated Transport, Energy, Water and Defence & Nuclear Energy.
Estimated tender close date: 30/10/2026
Estimated contract award date: 31/03/2027
Estimated contract start date: 30/06/2027
Estimated contract end date: 30/10/2030
Is SME: Yes
Is VCO: No
Is framework agreement: No
TKR-20251021-EX-1858351