Procurement specialist Pagabo has appointed 111 suppliers to its new £4.29 billion National Framework for Civil Engineering, Infrastructure and Enabling Works 2026, creating significant opportunities for contractors delivering rail, highways and wider infrastructure projects across the UK.
Major industry names including Balfour Beatty, Costain, GRAHAM, Kier, M Group, Rhodar and VolkerFitzpatrick are among the successful suppliers appointed across 13 lots.
The four-year framework is Pagabo’s largest infrastructure procurement offering to date and has been designed to help public sector organisations access contractors for projects ranging from new railway infrastructure and highways to energy developments, enabling works and brownfield regeneration.
For the rail supply chain, the framework provides another potential route to market for infrastructure and associated civil engineering works, while creating opportunities for contractors of different sizes to compete for public sector projects.
Major contractors secure places on national framework
The framework brings together the scopes of two previous Pagabo procurement arrangements: the National Framework for Civils and Infrastructure and the National Framework for Demolition and Land Preparation.
By combining these areas, Pagabo aims to provide a more comprehensive procurement solution covering different stages of infrastructure development, from initial site preparation through to major civil engineering delivery.
The framework will be available to organisations across central and local government, the NHS, emergency services, housing and education, as well as other eligible public sector bodies and private organisations.
Its scope includes projects that could support the development of new rail routes, alongside the infrastructure and enabling works required for wider transport schemes.
The appointment of major contractors such as Balfour Beatty, Costain, Kier and VolkerFitzpatrick reflects the framework’s relevance to businesses already active in the delivery of complex transport and infrastructure programmes.
However, the £4.29bn figure represents the overall framework value rather than a confirmed pipeline of awarded contracts, with individual projects dependent on future procurement activity.
Opportunities for rail infrastructure and enabling works
The framework’s breadth could make it particularly relevant to rail infrastructure projects requiring multiple disciplines or early-stage construction activities.
Rail schemes frequently involve significant enabling works before permanent infrastructure can be delivered, including site clearance, demolition, earthworks, access improvements, drainage and associated civil engineering.
Bringing these activities within a single procurement framework could provide contracting authorities with a more streamlined route to engaging suitable suppliers.
The arrangement may also offer opportunities for contractors involved in infrastructure projects that connect with or support the railway, including highways improvements, regeneration schemes and transport interchange developments.
For suppliers, securing a position on the framework provides access to future tendering and call-off opportunities, although appointment does not guarantee a particular volume of work.
SME participation remains central to procurement strategy
Pagabo says supporting small and medium-sized businesses remains an important feature of its procurement approach.
The framework has been designed to encourage competition and enable contracting authorities to select suppliers appropriate to the scale and complexity of individual projects.
David Llewellyn, Construction and Infrastructure Director at Pagabo, said: “This new framework offers significant procurement opportunity for both the appointed suppliers and the public sector organisations it will support. From civil engineering, infrastructure, enabling works and beyond, the scope is extensive and is evidenced by the interest we’ve had since the invitation to tender earlier this year.
“As with all of the frameworks we manage, compliance, transparency and impact play vital roles within its makeup, and it is a vital procurement offering for UK infrastructure. Our longstanding commitment to SME inclusion serves to provide avenues for clients to access suppliers of all sizes across the country, increasing access to the best fit for their projects, enabling competition, and prompting good economic growth.
“Bolstered by our digital-first approach, the 111 suppliers appointed have the opportunity to grow work pipelines while also ensuring effective social value for communities across a range of project possibilities. This could include new roads and rail routes through to energy supply transformation and brownfield regeneration.”
The emphasis on SME participation is particularly relevant to the rail sector, where specialist smaller businesses provide essential capabilities across civil engineering, surveying, groundworks, demolition and infrastructure support services.
Framework structures that provide accessible routes to procurement can help smaller suppliers establish relationships with public sector clients, although the effectiveness of those arrangements will depend on how future opportunities are packaged and awarded.
Framework developed under new procurement legislation
The new framework has been structured to comply with the Procurement Act 2023 and Procurement Regulations 2024, reflecting changes to the legislative environment governing public procurement.
Pagabo says transparency, compliance and value for money have been central considerations in its development.
The framework is intended to connect contracting authorities with pre-appointed suppliers capable of delivering projects across a wide range of infrastructure disciplines.
For public sector clients, the arrangement offers an established procurement route that can be used to access contractors without undertaking an entirely new supplier selection process for every project, subject to the framework’s call-off rules.
This approach can be particularly useful for organisations managing multiple infrastructure schemes or programmes where procurement efficiency and delivery timescales are important considerations.
Part of wider Pagabo and YPO partnership
The launch is also a significant development in the strategic partnership between Pagabo and public sector procurement organisation YPO.
The two organisations established a ten-year delivery partnership intended to combine their expertise, resources and market presence in construction and infrastructure procurement.
Under the arrangement, YPO acts as the centralised procurement authority for the framework, while Pagabo is responsible for its design, delivery and ongoing management.
The £4.29bn infrastructure framework is one of several procurement offerings being brought to market through the partnership during 2026.
The collaboration is intended to expand procurement opportunities for suppliers while providing public sector organisations with access to a broader range of construction and infrastructure services.
Digital platforms to support contract delivery
Pagabo will support the framework through its Pagabo+ digital platform, which provides a central environment for managing procurement activity.
The system will enable suppliers to access information about new opportunities, manage call-off activity and support performance monitoring, reporting and compliance assurance.
Appointed contractors will also be able to use other digital products within the Pagabo Group, including the Sypro contract management platform.
The digital approach is intended to improve visibility across procurement and project delivery, helping clients and suppliers manage contractual processes and monitor performance.
For infrastructure contractors working across multiple public sector frameworks, access to consistent procurement information and contract management systems can support more effective business development and resource planning.
New route to market for UK infrastructure investment
The framework’s launch comes as the construction and infrastructure sectors continue to focus on improving procurement efficiency, strengthening delivery capability and providing greater certainty for contractors and their supply chains.
For rail businesses, the new arrangement could create opportunities both through direct framework appointments and through subcontracting relationships with larger contractors securing future work.
Its scope also extends beyond traditional rail infrastructure, potentially offering opportunities for suppliers to diversify into adjacent markets such as highways, utilities, energy and regeneration.
That flexibility may be particularly valuable for specialist contractors seeking to balance workloads across different infrastructure sectors.
With 111 suppliers now appointed across 13 lots, attention will turn to the projects brought forward through the framework and the extent to which it generates opportunities across the UK’s infrastructure market.
For the rail and civil engineering supply chain, the framework represents a potentially significant procurement channel, with its ultimate impact determined by the volume of projects commissioned, the accessibility of opportunities for SMEs and the ability of appointed suppliers to deliver value for public sector clients.
To find out which suppliers are available in each lot and region, head over to the framework page to download the user guide.
