Market Soundings

Roads Service is currently developing the procurement strategy, including the contract packaging plan, for the delivery of the A5 Western Transport Corridor project.

1.0 Introduction

Northern Ireland’s Roads Service is currently undertaking a large scale investment in the roads infrastructure for the province which includes the development of the 88km A5 Western Transport Corridor. As part of this strategic road improvement programme Roads Service wishes to engage with the supplier community to gain feedback on proposed procurement options.

Good procurement will be essential to the delivery of the A5 Western Transport Corridor (A5 WTC) vision, which is: a first-class and affordable A5 corridor upgrade delivered safely and sustainably through effective partnerships and project excellence.

The Roads Service is currently developing the procurement strategy, including the contract packaging plan, for the delivery of the A5 WTC project. In developing the approach the Roads Service wishes to ensure that the strategy will lead to a robust competitive procurement process taking place with a healthy level of competition on the whole of the planned procurement.

The main objectives of this market sounding exercise are to:

• Test the market’s level of interest in the A5 WTC project and its views on industry capacity and capability to provide the required works and services;
• Gauge market views and preferences on key project issues, particularly the packaging of works/services, timing or appointment and risk allocation, to allow the Roads Service to refine its approach accordingly; and
• To help to improve awareness and strengthen market interest in the project.

2.0 A5 WTC Project

2.1 A5 WTC Vision, Aims and Objectives

The A5 WTC vision sets the overall aim of the project that the entire team is working towards delivering. The vision has been developed to align with the vision statements in various Northern Ireland development plans. The A5 WTC vision is:

"A first-class and affordable A5 corridor upgrade delivered safely and sustainably through effective partnerships and project excellence".

The core aims for the A5 WTC are listed below:

1. Roads Service Satisfaction with the Product - the product is a dual carriageway upgrade along the length of the current A5 route that maximises performance against highway investment criteria (environment, economy, safety, accessibility, integration).
2. Roads Service Satisfaction with the Service - the service is the service received from the delivery team during the design and construction of the project (including risk management, supply chain management and communications).
3. Delivery to Budget
- the project is currently valued within the range from £650 million to £850 million.
4. Delivery to programme - the current key programme dates are:
   • Preferred Route Announcement - Mid-2009
   • Order Publication - 2010
   • Earliest Start of Works - 2012
   • Completion by - 2015
5. Excellent Health and Safety - including safety of the workforce and public during construction and workforce welfare.
6. Sustainable Delivery - excellent standards of environmental management during construction.

2.2 Project Background

In recent years several plans have been published detailing a growing level of investment in Northern Ireland’s roads infrastructure. Key plans have included:

• March 2005 the Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan which led to the £1bn Strategic Road Improvement (SRI) programme.
• In December 2005 the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland (ISNI) which resulted in a proposed £400m expansion of the SRI plan.
• In April 2008 the Investment Delivery Plan for Roads, which aligns with ISNI 2, envisaged an investment of £3.1 billion in roads infrastructure over the period 2008 – 2018.

Both of these strategic documents have identified proposed improvements on parts of the A5 between Aughnacloy and Londonderry, as part of the development programme for the Western Key Transport Corridor (WKTC).

The A5 WTC scheme is anticipated to be a dual carriageway construction stretching from the border near Aughnacloy to Londonderry.

The current A5 is primarily a single carriageway over its total length and has a varying cross section. This includes long lengths of horizontal and vertical alignments that do not permit overtaking. Various improvements to the A5 have been completed over the years ranging from the provision of right turn refuges, 2+1 schemes, throughpasses and bypasses. The road passes through a number of built up areas and there are numerous side roads and accesses along all sections.

The road currently serves both strategic and local traffic with traffic flows along the route varying from approximately 8,000 to 19,000 AADT. The conflicts between local and strategic traffic on the road means that desirable average speeds for strategic traffic of 50mph or greater are not readily achievable leading to platooning and driver frustration. The signed speed limits vary between derestricted (60mph) and 30mph in built up areas.

In April/May 2008 public consultation events were held at four locations along the proposed scheme. The events provided initial information on the study area and the process and programme for delivery of the scheme. Details of what was presented at these consultation days can be found Here >.

Market Soundings

Questionnaire