National Groundworkers Framework
Framework Description
Places for People's National Groundworkers Framework appoints groundwork contractors for the development programmes of Places for People and PfP Developments, which are the only bodies that can use it. It is split into 13 regionally based lots across England and Scotland, including Scotland Central Belt, Scotland North 1 and Scotland North 2. It was let through Find a Tender notice 063134-2025 and runs until 20 September 2030.
Context & Use Case
Work comes from the group's development and investment sites, where groundworks are needed before and after the main build: site preparation, foundations, drainage and utilities, then landscaping at completion. Because the lots are regional, a contractor can win work near its base without covering the whole country, and Places for People can use firms that know local conditions on each site.
Scope of Services
13 regional lots across England and Scotland Site preparation and groundworks Foundations and ground engineering Drainage and utilities Landscaping and site completion
Lots
13 regionally based lots across England and Scotland (including Scotland Central Belt, Scotland North 1, Scotland North 2)
Who Can Apply
Suits groundworks and civils contractors working on residential development sites in their region. Applications for this framework are closed: contractors not already appointed cannot join until Places for People re-tenders, likely around September 2030.
Buyer Benefits
Places for People gets groundworkers already vetted on safety, quality and price in each region, so sites can start without a separate tender. Regional lots keep travel and mobilisation costs down and build working relationships with contractors who know local ground conditions and utility providers.
Next Steps
Appointed contractors should get to know the development teams running sites in their lot and be ready to price packages quickly. Others should use the time before the 2030 re-tender to build housing development case studies and accreditations in the regions they want, and look for subcontract work with appointed groundworkers to gain Places for People site experience.
How Athena Can Help
For appointed groundworkers, Athena helps turn a framework place into site packages, with clear method statements, programmes and safety evidence through our bid writing for groundworks, and competitive public sector pricing that keeps margin on each package.
For contractors outside the framework, our framework opportunity mapping can find other housing and development groundworks frameworks open now, and help plan your bid for Places for People's next round, starting with the case studies and regional evidence the re-tender is likely to test.
