Crossrail Awards Last Major Contract

London’s massive Crossrail project has awarded the last of its major contracts, signaling the end of one of the U.K.’s biggest ever procurement programs.  The huge procurement process has awarded more than 100 contracts for a wide range of work including tunneling, station construction and railway systems.

The final major contract, for a maintenance facility at Plumstead, has been awarded to a joint venture comprising Alstom Transport (U.K.) Ltd., TSO S.A.S. and Costain Ltd. The facility at Plumstead will house the staff and the equipment required for the maintenance and upkeep of the tracks and other infrastructure in the tunnels below London. The value of the contract is in the region of £26 million ($34 million US).

Crossrail has used the procurement process, not just to deliver a world class railway, but also to drive economic, environmental and social sustainability through its supply chain. Tier 1 contractors have, for example, been required to provide apprenticeships and jobs for previously unemployed people, to re-use excavated material sustainably and to ensure that heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) delivering to site are fitted with industry-leading safety measures.

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Crossrail has also worked hard to encourage firms of all sizes and from all regions of the U.K. to bid for work in the supply chain. Dozens of events have been held around the country and all contracts have been advertised on the free procurement service CompeteFor to maximize the opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As a result, 62% of companies in the project’s supply chain are based outside London and 63% are SMEs.

As part of Crossrail’s Learning Legacy initiative, information and key learnings have also been shared with the teams developing the supply chain for High Speed 2. This is part of a broader approach to share the techniques and knowledge with other major UK infrastructure projects.

Simon Wright, Program Director at Crossrail said: “The procurement of billions of pounds worth of work for the Crossrail program has been a monumental exercise.

“We have used the procurement process as a way of ensuring world class standards in the construction of the new railway as well as value for money for the taxpayer. The contracts we’ve signed with our principle contractors have also set the future standard for major UK infrastructure projects, helping us to deliver more than 550 apprenticeships, reducing our impact on the environment and spreading the economic benefits of the project.”

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