Road Lighting Materials Framework
Framework Description
Cumberland Council's Road Lighting Materials Framework 2026–2030 buys road lighting materials for delivery to depots across Cumberland, in three lots: columns, luminaires and electrical materials. Tendered under the Procurement Act 2023 by open procedure, it has an estimated total value of £4.8 million and is expected to run for four years, from 21 September 2026 to 20 September 2030. Only Cumberland Council can use it.
Context & Use Case
Cumberland Council uses the framework to source columns, luminaires and electrical components for maintaining and renewing its road lighting. Suppliers on each lot are ranked by their tender scores. Each order goes to the highest-ranked supplier offering the most economically advantageous price that can meet the council's requirements, including delivery times; if it cannot, the order passes to the next supplier in the ranking.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: Columns Lot 2: Luminaires Lot 3: Electrical materials
Lots
Lot 1 Columns; Lot 2 Luminaires; Lot 3 Electrical Materials
Who Can Apply
The framework suits manufacturers and distributors of lighting columns, luminaires and electrical materials, and the notice flagged all three lots as suitable for SMEs. The tender closed on 22 June 2026, so suppliers not appointed cannot join before the framework ends; the council estimates its next tender notice for May 2030.
Buyer Benefits
The council gets agreed prices from ranked suppliers in each lot, so routine orders go straight to the best-value supplier able to deliver on time, without a fresh tender. The ranking also gives a fallback when the top supplier cannot meet an order. Award weightings of 60% price, 30% quality and 10% social value show what the council prioritised.
Next Steps
Appointed suppliers should keep stock, lead times and pricing sharp, as each order goes to the highest-ranked supplier that can deliver on time. Others should read the Find a Tender notice (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/050114-2026) to understand the lots and award criteria, register on The Chest, the portal the council used, and prepare product certifications and highways references for the next tender, estimated for May 2030.
How Athena Can Help
Athena helps lighting product suppliers prepare for Cumberland's next road lighting tender, expected around 2030. Our council tender bidding help starts with a bid/no-bid view of the lots and the likely competition.
With price weighted at 60%, our materials supply bid writers build priced schedules that win, alongside quality and social value answers that score well. Our highways framework search finds other council and regional lighting frameworks you can target in the meantime. Product certificates and references are organised early.
