£800m South West Wales Civil Engineering Framework 2027: A Guide for Contractors

David Procter

18 hours ago

5 min read

Worth up to £800 million (excl. VAT), the South West Wales Regional Civil Engineering Contractors Framework 2027 offers opportunities ranging from projects below £100,000 to major works exceeding £3 million. Contractors interested in securing public-sector work across the region have until 2pm on 26 November 2026 to submit their tenders.

The South West Wales Civil Engineering Contractors Framework 2027 will provide access to public-sector infrastructure opportunities across the areas covered by five Welsh local authorities.

With 16 lots covering everything from small-scale civil engineering works to specialist infrastructure projects, the framework offers opportunities for SMEs, specialist contractors and larger construction businesses.

In this guide, we explore the key dates, available lots, evaluation criteria and practical considerations to help contractors approach the tender with confidence.

Which local authorities are involved?

Five local authorities are working together to establish this framework:

Participating local authorities:	Additional bodies:
Carmarthenshire County Council	Powys County Council
Ceredigion County Council	Natural Resources Wales
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council	CWM Environmental
Pembrokeshire County Council	Mining Remediation Authority
Swansea Council

What opportunities are available?

The framework covers a wide range of civil engineering and specialist works across the South West Wales region. It is structured into 16 lots spanning two broad categories:

Value-banded and geographically split civil engineering works:

Lots	Scope	Value/geography
1	Very Small Civil Engineering Resource services	Up to £100,000
2A-2D	Small civil engineering works	Up to £1 million, split geographically
3	Medium civil engineering works	£1 million to £3 million
4	Large civil engineering works	Over £3 million

Specialist works (all areas):

• Lot 5: Demolition

• Lot 6: Public lighting and associated electrical works

• Lot 7: Lining and road marking

• Lot 8: Surfacing

• Lot 9: Ground investigation

• Lot 10: Marine works (excluding coastal)

• Lot 11: Traffic management

• Lot 12: Bridge maintenance and associated infrastructure

• Lot 13: Hard and soft landscaping and landscape maintenance

The lot structure allows contractors to target work that aligns with their technical experience, geographical coverage and delivery capacity.

As Procter Street’s guide to the £943 million PfH Modular Buildings Framework explains, framework bids differ from single-contract tenders and require contractors to demonstrate the capability and systems needed to deliver effectively for multiple buyers over an extended period.

Key tender dates and deadlines

Milestone	Date
Tender notice published	15 October 2026
Enquiry deadline	19 November 2026, 2pm
Tender submission deadline	26 November 2026, 2pm
Estimated award decision	18 January 2027
Framework start date	8 February 2027
Framework end date	7 February 2030 (option to extend to 7 February 2031)

Free bidder support: Business Wales is hosting a webinar on 3 November 2026 for organisations interested in the framework. Contractors can register through the Business Wales website or contact 03000 6 03000.

How will framework bids be evaluated?

The evaluation weightings vary according to the value and complexity of the works. Lower value lots place greater emphasis on price, while larger and more complex projects allocate greater weight to quality.

Lot(s)	Price	Quality
Lot 1 (very small works)	90%	10%
Lots 2A to 2D (small works)	80%	20%
Lots 3 and 4 (medium and large works)	60%	40%
Specialist lots 5 to 13	70%	30%

Bid strategy insight: With price accounting for 80% to 90% of the evaluation score on the smaller works lots, bidders must balance competitive pricing with concise, evidence-led quality responses. For Lots 3 and 4, the 40% quality weighting provides greater scope for contractors to differentiate through delivery methodology, risk management and relevant project evidence.

Five ways to strengthen your submission

Understanding the evaluation criteria is an important first step towards developing a competitive bid. With price and quality weightings varying across the framework’s 16 lots, contractors should tailor their approach to their chosen lot’s requirements.

1. Select the right lots

Review each lot’s scope, value and geographical coverage. Prioritise opportunities that align with your organisation’s experience, resources and delivery capabilities.

2. Understand the evaluation criteria

Use the evaluation weightings to develop a proportionate bid strategy while addressing all quality requirements.

3. Plan your submission early

With separate lot-specific ITTs required alongside the overarching Qualification ITT, contractors should establish responsibilities, allocate resources and set internal deadlines. Early planning provides time to gather evidence, coordinate technical contributions and review responses before the submission deadline.

4. Demonstrate relevant experience

Strong submissions go beyond describing capabilities. Relevant case studies, measurable outcomes and supporting evidence demonstrate a contractor’s ability to deliver the required works.

Drawing on extensive experience across construction and infrastructure tenders, Procter Street helps contractors turn their technical knowledge and project evidence into compelling tender responses that address the client’s requirements. Our approach combines bid writing with practical construction, commercial and delivery knowledge. Read more about what makes Procter Street different from a conventional bid writing consultancy.

5. Allow sufficient time for quality assurance

Before submission, contractors should check that all required documents, supporting evidence and lot-specific responses are complete and accurate, and that the overall submission meets all the tender requirements. Independent bid reviews help identify compliance gaps, improve response quality and strengthen alignment with evaluation criteria.

How to submit your tender

Contractors must submit their applications through the eTenderWales portal at etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk.

• Project reference: 61783

• Main Qualification ITT reference: itt_124418

To access the tender documents, contractors must register on the UK Find a Tender Service and generate a Supplier Qualification Information Share Code. Each bidder must submit one overarching Qualification ITT plus a separate lot-specific ITT for each lot they wish to pursue.

What does this framework mean for contractors?

Securing a place on the South West Wales Regional Civil Engineering Framework could provide contractors with access to future public-sector infrastructure opportunities across the region. However, framework appointment does not guarantee work. Contractors must demonstrate their ability to meet buyer requirements and compete effectively throughout the framework’s duration.

Preparing a bid for the South West Wales Framework?

Navigating multiple lots, varying evaluation criteria and detailed submission requirements can be challenging, particularly for contractors pursuing several opportunities.

At Procter Street, we provide specialist construction and civil engineering bid writing support, including tender analysis, bid/no-bid strategy, response development, bid management and independent quality reviews.

As we explore in our article on why framework bids require specialist support, vague answers, missing evidence and poorly structured responses can cost contractors a place on the framework, regardless of how competitive their pricing is.

Whether you’re targeting a single specialist lot or preparing submissions across multiple work packages, our team can help you develop a clear, compliant and compelling bid. Get in touch to discuss how we can support your South West Wales Framework submission.

Considering a bid? Speak to Procter Street today about lot selection, bid/no-bid analysis, response planning or an independent review before the 26 November deadline.