SCAPE has launched the procurement process for its new Construction Works and Services Framework, covering construction, housing and associated works and services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The framework is substantial, with a combined stated capacity of £8 billion across five Lots, and is designed to provide public sector clients with access to delivery partners for projects ranging from smaller Northern Ireland schemes through to major construction programmes worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
The PSQ submission deadline is 2:00pm on 9 October 2026, with clarification questions required by 12:00pm on 2 October 2026.
For contractors considering the opportunity, there is a significant amount to prepare. The procurement includes a detailed PSQ stage followed by an ITT, with extensive requirements covering experience, resources, supply chains, social value, sector knowledge, commercial delivery and ongoing framework performance.
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What are the five SCAPE framework Lots?
The framework has been divided into five Lots.
Lot 1 – General Construction Works & Services, England
This Lot has a stated capacity of £4 billion. Call-off projects can range from £1 up to the remaining framework capacity, and bidders are expected to have annual turnover exceeding £150 million.
Lot 2 – Residential Works & Services including Decarbonisation, Retrofit & Maintenance, England
Lot 2 has a stated capacity of £2 billion, with call-offs ranging from £1 up to the remaining framework capacity. The stated annual turnover requirement is more than £75 million.
The Lot is specifically focused on residential assets and includes areas such as capital works to existing housing, high-rise and higher-risk buildings, decarbonisation, retrofit, legislative compliance and planned and reactive maintenance.
Lot 3 – Wales General Construction & Housing Works & Services
The Wales Lot has a stated capacity of £1 billion, with projects ranging from £1 up to the remaining framework capacity. Bidders are expected to have annual turnover exceeding £75 million.
Delivery under this Lot is closely aligned with Welsh procurement and policy requirements, including the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Wales Procurement Policy Statement.
Lot 4 – Northern Ireland Lower Value Construction & Housing
Lot 4 has a stated capacity of £250 million, covering call-offs between £1 and £15 million. The stated annual turnover requirement is £20 million.
Lot 5 – Northern Ireland Upper Value Construction & Housing
Lot 5 has a stated capacity of £750 million, covering projects from £10 million upwards, subject to the remaining capacity of the Lot. The stated annual turnover requirement is £75 million.
How does the procurement process work?
The competition is being run in two stages.
The first stage is the PSQ, which bidders must complete for each Lot they wish to pursue. A separate PSQ Answer Booklet is required for each Lot.
Bidders progressing from the PSQ will then be invited to the ITT stage.
At ITT, the evaluation weighting is:
- 65% Quality
- 35% Price
The three highest total scoring bidders for each Lot are expected to be offered a place on the framework.
The indicative programme included within the procurement documents shows ITT documents being issued on 1 February 2027, with ITT submissions due by 2:00pm on 16 April 2027. Preferred bidders are currently scheduled to be identified in July 2027, followed by standstill, contract signing and mobilisation in August 2027.
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What does SCAPE want to see at PSQ stage?
The PSQ requirements differ by Lot, but several themes run throughout the procurement.
SCAPE is looking for bidders that can demonstrate appropriate capability and experience, organisational resources, supply-chain management, social value delivery and knowledge of the sectors and geographic areas covered by the framework.
Case studies carry considerable weight.
For example, Lot 1 requires seven case studies, covering projects across at least four sectors and different contract value bands. These range from projects worth up to £12.5 million through to schemes worth more than £50 million.
The sectors identified within Lot 1 include:
- Education, including higher and further education
- NHS
- Leisure
- Blue Light
- Transport
- Heritage
- New Build Social Housing
Lot 2 takes a different approach and requires 10 case studies, with two examples in each of five residential work areas:
- Capital works to existing residential properties
- Decarbonisation
- Refurbishment and retrofit
- Legislative alignment
- Planned preventative maintenance
For the Wales and Northern Ireland Lots, bidders also need to demonstrate their understanding of the specific procurement, policy and delivery environment within those nations.
Social value is a major part of the framework
Social value features throughout both the procurement and the contractual arrangements that successful bidders will ultimately work under.
SCAPE identifies five broad social value outcomes:
- Employability and Reduced Inequality
- Fair Work and Wellbeing
- Stronger Local Economies and Resilient Supply Chains
- Local Environment
- Measurable Social Impact and Value for Money
Importantly, SCAPE states that its approach is intended to be proportionate and outcomes-focused rather than a checklist exercise.
Bidders therefore need to consider how their proposals will create meaningful and measurable outcomes that are relevant to individual projects, locations and communities.
Successful partners will also be required to report performance throughout the framework.
Winning a framework place is only the beginning
One of the most important features of this procurement is the relationship between the original tender submission and future project opportunities.
SCAPE intends to allow clients to select framework partners through an Objective Mechanism or a Competitive Selection Process.
Under the Objective Mechanism, the scores achieved during the original ITT can be used when selecting a delivery partner for future projects.
Clients may consider areas such as overall ITT performance, price, quality, social value, technical criteria and, after the initial period of framework operation, actual framework performance.
This means the ITT is not simply about achieving one of the available framework places. The scores achieved in individual sections could continue to influence a bidder’s ability to secure work throughout the life of the framework.
Performance once appointed is also important. SCAPE intends to monitor areas including time and cost predictability, fair payment, health and safety, waste, carbon reporting, client satisfaction, local labour, local spend, SME engagement and social value.
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Be careful with Added Value and Innovation commitments
The tender documents also contain an important provision concerning Added Value and Innovation.
Where a bidder offers Added Value or Innovation within its ITT and SCAPE’s evaluators recognise it, that proposal can become a Framework Commitment.
Framework Commitments are monitored during delivery, and significant failure to achieve them can be considered under the framework’s underperformance provisions.
Bidders should therefore avoid treating Added Value sections as an opportunity to make ambitious promises simply to gain additional evaluation credit.
Any commitment offered needs to be realistic, measurable and deliverable over the life of the framework.
Commercial strategy will also matter
The commercial evaluation represents 35% of the ITT score, split between:
- 15% – Fee/OH&P Defined Range
- 20% – Example Agreement Pricing
SCAPE intends to establish a concealed range that it considers realistic and sustainable for fees and overheads and profit.
Pricing within that range receives the maximum available score for that element, with reduced or zero scores applying as submissions move outside it.
The approach therefore means that simply submitting the lowest possible fee does not automatically produce the strongest commercial score.
The Example Agreement Pricing element then considers a combination of submitted commercial information, including fees, pre-construction charges and people rates.
What should potential bidders be doing now?
The immediate priority is the PSQ deadline of 9 October 2026.
Before investing significant time in drafting, bidders should establish whether they meet the fundamental requirements for the Lot they are considering, particularly turnover, Common Assessment Standard requirements, relevant project experience and the ability to provide the required case studies.
Lot 2 bidders also need to pay particular attention to the residential accreditation requirements, including the procurement’s references to PAS 2030:2023 and PAS 2035:2023.
Once eligibility has been established, the strongest approach will be to select the right evidence before beginning the written responses. With heavily weighted case-study sections and strict page limits, the quality and relevance of the chosen projects will be critical.
The procurement documents also state that responses should be stand-alone and that material beyond the stated page limits will not be evaluated.
SCAPE Construction Works and Services Framework key dates
PSQ clarification deadline: 12:00pm, 2 October 2026
PSQ submission deadline: 2:00pm, 9 October 2026
ITT issued: 1 February 2027
ITT clarification deadline: 12:00pm, 9 April 2027
ITT submission deadline: 2:00pm, 16 April 2027
Preferred bidders identified: 19 July 2027
Mobilisation: from 23 August 2027
For contractors considering bidding, the amount of evidence required means the PSQ is not one to leave until the final few weeks. Establishing eligibility, selecting suitable case studies and identifying any gaps in supporting information should be the first priority.
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Work with Together: The Hudson Collective on the SCAPE Framework
Over a decade of government framework experience
Together: The Hudson Collective brings together specialist expertise developed through years of working within competitive public-sector procurement.
Our bid team has been supporting organisations pursuing government frameworks for more than ten years. We understand the demands these opportunities place on suppliers.
We’ve worked alongside organisations at different stages of their growth, from businesses trying to establish themselves within public-sector supply chains to experienced organisations looking to protect and expand their positions on major frameworks.
Most importantly, our experience isn’t simply measured by the number of bids we’ve written. It’s measured by what our clients have achieved.
Our clients have secured work worth millions of pounds with our support.
We have built an incredible win rate by combining bid writing with the planning, compliance and strategic thinking required to compete effectively.
For a framework opportunity of this scale, that means looking beyond simply writing answers and helping ensure the submission is planned, compliant and positioned effectively.
Jill Hudson will lead our support personally
Our work on this framework will be led personally by Jill Hudson, bringing more than 20 years of bidding experience within this market.
If you would like to work with us on this opportunity, request a quote.
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Frequently Asked Questions about the SCAPE Construction Works and Services Framework
What is the SCAPE Construction Works and Services Framework?
The SCAPE Construction Works and Services Framework is a public-sector construction framework covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is divided into five Lots covering general construction, residential works, decarbonisation, retrofit, repair and maintenance, and construction and housing works in Wales and Northern Ireland.
How much is the SCAPE Construction Works and Services Framework worth?
The five Lots have a combined stated capacity of £8 billion. Lot 1 has a capacity of £4 billion, Lot 2 £2 billion, Lot 3 £1 billion, Lot 4 £250 million and Lot 5 £750 million.
What are the five Lots on the SCAPE framework?
- General Construction Works & Services – England
- Residential Works & Services including Decarbonisation, Retrofit & Maintenance – England
- General Construction & Housing Works & Services – Wales
- Lower Value Construction & Housing Works & Services – Northern Ireland
- Upper Value Construction & Housing Works & Services – Northern Ireland
The eligibility, project-value ranges and evidence requirements differ between Lots.
When is the SCAPE framework PSQ deadline?
The PSQ submission deadline is 2:00pm on 9 October 2026. The deadline for submitting clarification questions is 12:00pm on 2 October 2026.
How does the SCAPE framework procurement process work?
The procurement has two stages. Suppliers must first complete the PSQ stage. The highest-scoring compliant bidders will progress to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage.
At ITT, the evaluation is weighted 65% Quality and 35% Price. The three highest total scoring bidders for each Lot are expected to be offered a place on the framework.
What experience is required for the SCAPE framework PSQ?
The requirements depend on the Lot.
For example, Lot 1 requires seven case studies across specified project-value bands and at least four sectors. Lot 2 requires 10 case studies, with two examples covering each of five residential work areas.
The Wales and Northern Ireland Lots also require bidders to demonstrate experience and understanding relevant to their respective geographic and policy environments.
What sectors does the SCAPE framework cover?
The procurement identifies sectors including Education, NHS, Leisure, Blue Light, Transport, Heritage and New Build Social Housing.
Lot 2 has a specific residential focus, including existing housing, high-rise and higher-risk buildings, decarbonisation, retrofit, legislative compliance and planned and reactive maintenance.
How important is social value in the SCAPE framework?
Social value is a significant part of the procurement and subsequent framework delivery.
SCAPE identifies outcomes covering employability and reduced inequality, fair work and wellbeing, stronger local economies and resilient supply chains, the local environment, and measurable social impact and value for money.
The approach is intended to focus on meaningful, proportionate and measurable outcomes rather than simply maximising the number of activities promised.
Will the original ITT scores affect future work won through the framework?
Yes. SCAPE’s proposed call-off arrangements allow clients to use an Objective Mechanism that can take account of scores achieved during the original ITT.
Depending on the selection criteria chosen by the client, this can include overall ITT performance, quality, price, technical areas, social value and other individual tender criteria. Framework performance can also become a selection factor after the initial period of operation.
This means achieving strong scores at ITT may influence not only whether a supplier secures a framework place, but also its competitiveness for future call-off opportunities.
What happens to Added Value and Innovation commitments made in the tender?
Added Value and Innovation proposals recognised by SCAPE’s evaluators can become Framework Commitments.
These commitments are monitored during the framework, and significant underperformance or failure to deliver them can be considered under the framework’s underperformance provisions.
Bidders should therefore ensure that commitments made within their tender are realistic and deliverable.
Is the lowest price likely to win the SCAPE framework?
Not necessarily.
Price represents 35% of the ITT evaluation, while Quality represents 65%.
The commercial evaluation includes a 15% Fee/OH&P Defined Range element and 20% Example Agreement Pricing.
The Defined Range methodology rewards pricing that falls within a range SCAPE considers realistic and sustainable, rather than simply awarding the highest score to the lowest fee.
Can Together: The Hudson Collective support a SCAPE framework bid?
Yes. Together: The Hudson Collective’s bid team has supported organisations pursuing government frameworks for more than ten years, combining bid writing with planning, compliance and strategic support.
Work on this framework will be led personally by Jill Hudson, who has more than 20 years of bidding experience within this market.
Organisations interested in support can request a quote.