UK: Infrastructure manager Network Rail announced a series of framework contracts on January 11 covering the majority of its signalling renewal and enhancement works.

The agreements with Invensys Rail, Atkins and the Signalling Solutions joint venture of Alstom and Balfour Beatty Rail are scheduled to commence on April 2. They will run for two years to March 31 2014, with options to extend on an annual basis to the end of Control Period 5 in March 2019. 

NR has awarded the contracts as part of a strategy putting greater focus on partnership with its suppliers and restructuring the way it delivers capital projects. 

'These new frameworks represent a seven-year commitment by suppliers, allowing us to work closely with them to develop long-term plans for work to be carried out more quickly and efficiently', said Simon Kirby, Managing Director, Infrastructure Projects. 'The length of the agreements, coupled with a visible workload, will provide much-needed stability throughout the supply chain and drive further cost savings and innovation across our signalling renewals and enhancements activities.' 

Each area will have a primary and secondary supplier, providing flexibility if the primary supplier does not have the required capacity. The agreements also provide options for NR to competitively tender up to 20% of the predicted workload each year.