LHC next-gen Public Buildings Construction and Infrastructure Frameworks: what it is, who it’s for, and how to win work

LHC Procurement Group has kicked off procurement for the next iteration of its Public Buildings Construction and Infrastructure framework family across England, Scotland and Wales. Combined, these frameworks are expected to channel up to £1.85 billion of public sector projects. They replace current regional agreements and broaden the scope to cover new build, listed refurbishments, civil infrastructure, demolition and hard FM.

What the new frameworks cover

Across the three regional routes, the framework scope includes:

• New build delivery using traditional methods and modern framed or panelised systems
• Refurbishment and restoration of public buildings, including heritage assets
• Associated infrastructure works such as highways, sewers and drainage
• Hard FM repairs and maintenance services covering mechanical, electrical, fire systems and building fabric

For Wales, the planned notice (PB4) sets out 10 lots by project type and value, from sub-£1m new build to over £25m, plus civil infrastructure and a dedicated Hard FM lot. The indicative framework term shows a 4-year duration.

Who can use it

All UK contracting authorities can call off the framework. That includes central and local government, housing associations, NHS bodies, blue light services and universities. Call-offs can be made with or without further competition, depending on the procurement route and lot.

Where things stand now

Recent notices confirm active procurement for Scotland via SPA, with a contract notice published on 20 October 2025. Wales has a published planned notice with detailed lots and timetable, and LHC’s tender portal flags PB4 as forthcoming. The combined pipeline value across the three regions is up to £1.85bn. Expect strong competition from major contractors and regionals seeking to retain places.

Why it matters if you’re on it

• A pre-vetted route to market for public bodies that reduces procurement friction
• Access to a rolling pipeline spanning new build, refurb, infrastructure and hard FM
• Flexible call-off options that can shorten time to site once designs and budgets are in place

Headline structure at a glance

• Lots split by project type and value bands, from <£1m to >£25m
• Dedicated civil infrastructure lots for standalone highways and drainage schemes
• A Hard FM lot covering statutory compliance, reactive maintenance and lifecycle services
• Four-year framework term once awarded, region by region

Indicative timetable signals

Scotland: contract notice live 20 October 2025. Deadlines in November to December windows per notice. Award decisions targeted for early 2026.

Wales: planned notice sets out a four-year term with estimated contract dates of March 2026 to March 2030 for WPA. Engagement and submissions flow via LHC’s In-Tend portal.

England: expect a mirrored structure and timeline aligned to LHC’s regional delivery partners, based on prior PB3 arrangements and current PB4 materials. Watch LHC’s tender portal for the live ITT.

Where Survey Solutions adds value in bids and call-offs

Winning a place is step one. Converting it into smooth delivery is where you need robust survey data and engineering support. We help framework bidders and approved suppliers reduce risk, compress timelines and pass gateway reviews.

Feasibility and planning

• Topographic surveys, drone LiDAR, utility mapping to PAS 128, flood and drainage data
• Early constraints mapping to de-risk heritage and listed refurb scopes
• Fast mobilisation nationwide to meet bid clarifications and pre-start conditions

Design development

• Measured building surveys, elevations, sections and RAAC identification
• BIM-ready point clouds and Revit models aligned to ISO 19650 deliverables
• Rights of light and façade data for town centre and public realm schemes

Pre-construction and delivery

• Site engineering support, setting-out and as-builts
• Structural and environmental monitoring with live dashboards
• UAV and mobile mapping for highways, drainage and public realm infrastructure

Compliance and FM readiness

• Asset data capture for handover, O&M and lifecycle planning
• Clear CAD and BIM outputs for FM mobilisation

We operate across the UK, with rapid mobilisation and sector-specific experience in education, healthcare, justice, defence, local government estates and transport infrastructure. Outputs are clean, consistent and formatted for designers, planners and site teams.