As part of the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Act 2017 (HS2 Act), HS2 Ltd has a legal requirement to mitigate its environmental effects. In addition, HS2 Ltd has a requirement through agreements with the Department for Transport to provide environmental benefits. These requirements and provision of benefits include the provision of green assets.
HS2 Ltd has acquired much of its land temporarily to construct the railway. Some of this land has been or will be developed into environmental mitigation sites (Green Assets), which range from sites compensating for the loss of grassland, scrub and woodland habitats to new receptor sites for ancient woodland soils, amphibians and reptiles as well as other ecological and landscape mitigation sites. Collectively, this is referred to as our Green Corridor, which, once delivered, will span 3,500ha.
HS2 Ltd has adopted a hierarchical strategy transfer Green Assets not required to safely operate the railway, firstly to original landowners, then with other third parties such as NGOs and charities, and then commercial use before any residual assets become part of the operational asset portfolio. The final volumes of Maintenance and Management of residual Green Assets will therefore be dependent upon the levels of these asset transfers.
These green assets, include, but are not limited to the following:
• Woodlands;
• Grasslands;
• Hedgerows;
• Ponds, ditches and other non-engineering related drainage features; and
• Habitat, including bat houses, reptile banks and hibernacula.
Each of these green assets have environmental aims and objectives which can only be achieved through effective maintenance and management (M&M).
HS2 Ltd require Contractor(s) to undertake the M&M of these assets. It is important that M&M of green assets continues to happen to ensure that:
• Our mitigation sites meet their design objectives;
• We achieve our "No Net Loss" requirements and deliver the Green Corridor ambitions;
• We ensure compliance with the Environmental Minimum Requirements (EMRs) and other licence conditions imparted on HS2 Ltd by statutory bodies such as Natural England; and
• We avoid unnecessary reputational damage from failure of habitats and associated programme issues (cost and schedule) of rectifying.
The procurement is for a Contractor to provide the services described in the procurement documents under an amended NEC3 Term Service Contract. The contract Award will be for an initial period of 5 years with the option to extend, at HS2 Ltd's sole discretion, for up to a further 5 years via single or multiple fixed term increments.
HS2 Ltd anticipates making two (2) contract awards for Lot 1 that are broadly equitable in value. However, HS2 Ltd reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to take account of other considerations (for example, but not exclusively, capacity and programme constraints, technical fit, performance standards, and price to ensure best value for money) when allocating the volume of Services and HS2 Ltd may allocate the volume of Services based on any such relevant considerations. HS2 Ltd does not guarantee a minimum volume or value of Services under any Contract.
For Lot 1, it is envisaged that the two contract awards will have an aggregated value of between 55 314 000 GBP and 78 264 000 GBP. The final value being dependent upon levels of asset transfers and therefore the volume of Maintenance and Management of residual Green Assets. (This range is for the maximum contract term of 10 years - if all extension options are exercised).
The procurement is for a Contractor to provide the services described in the procurement documents under an amended NEC3 Term Service Contract. The contract Award will be for an initial period of 5 years with the option to extend, at HS2 Ltd's sole discretion, for up to a further 5 years via single or multiple fixed term increments.
HS2 Ltd anticipates making three (3) contract awards for Lot 2 that are broadly equitable in value. However, HS2 Ltd reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to take account of other considerations (for example, but not exclusively, capacity and programme constraints, technical fit, performance standards, and price to ensure best value for money) when allocating the volume of Services and HS2 Ltd may allocate the volume of Services based on any such relevant considerations. HS2 Ltd does not guarantee a minimum volume or value of Services under any Contract.
For Lot 2, it is envisaged that the three contract awards will have an aggregated value of between 82 970 000 GBP and 117 396 000 GBP.
The final value being dependent upon levels of asset transfers and therefore the volume of Maintenance and Management of residual Green Assets. (This range is for the maximum contract term of 10 years - if all extension options are exercised).
The procurement is for a Contractor to provide the services described in the procurement documents under an amended NEC3 Term Service Contract. The contract award will be for an initial period of 5 years with the option to extend, at HS2 Ltd's sole discretion, for up to a further 5 years via single or multiple fixed term increments.
HS2 Ltd anticipates making one (1) contract award for Lot 3.
For Lot 3, it is envisaged that the one contract award will have an aggregated value of between 9 716 000 GBP and 13 748 000 GBP.
The final value being dependent upon levels of asset transfers and therefore the volume of Maintenance and Management of residual Green Assets. (This range is for the maximum contract term of 10 years - if all extension options are exercised).