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Monday 22 Oct 2007

NETWORK RAIL SUPPLIERS GET ON BOARD NEW FRAMEWORK CONTRACTS

Region & Route:

National

New contracts and new suppliers are being introduced by Network Rail into its £130 million professional services business. The company is looking for the move to add further competition and help drive efficiencies and reduce costs. The new Professional Services framework contracts cover a variety of disciplines comprising technical design, specialist engineering, commercial services and project management services. The company spends around £130 million per year on professional services from a range of suppliers from large multi-disciplinary consultancies to specialist organisations. The final number of framework professional services suppliers is anticipated to increase from 75 to around 100. Network Rail took the opportunity to update its framework contracts as the existing ones came up for renewal this summer. The new framework contracts, which are nil value and have a term of four years, are based on a new suite of contracts which were launched in June this year. Network Rail’s Director of Contracts and Procurement, Ian Sexton, said: “For the first time all our suppliers will be on identical terms and conditions and I am pleased the number of suppliers on frameworks, with whom we can let contracts quickly, easily and efficiently, has increased significantly. “We are currently investing billions of pounds to improve the railway and it is vital that we have the right framework agreements in place so that the rail industry remains attractive to our suppliers and we get the right people with the right skills and talent to help us meet the demands of the 21st century rail user.”