Professional Design And Construction Related Services Framework
Framework Description
Sunderland City Council is procuring a Professional Design and Construction Related Services Framework with six lots covering planning consultancy, residential and commercial architecture, Building Safety Act principal design and CDM principal designer services. Each lot has an estimated value over four years, from £1.5 million to £5 million, and the framework is expected to run until 9 August 2030.
Context & Use Case
The Council will use it to resource the design side of its capital and development programmes: planning applications, architectural design of housing and commercial schemes, and the statutory principal designer roles under the Building Safety Act and the CDM Regulations. Separate low-risk and high-risk Building Safety Act lots reflect the extra demands of higher-risk buildings.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: Planning Consultants (£4m) Lot 2: Architectural Services - Residential (£5m) Lot 3: Architectural Services - Commercial (£5m) Lot 4: BSA Principal Design Low Risk (£1.5m) Lot 5: BSA Principal Design High Risk (£1.5m) Lot 6: CDM Principal Designer (£1.5m)
Lots
Yes: Lot 1 - Planning Consultants (£4m); Lot 2 - Architectural Services - Residential (£5m); Lot 3 - Architectural Services - Commercial (£5m); Lot 4 - BSA Principal Design Low Risk (£1.5m); Lot 5 - BSA Principal Design High Risk (£1.5m); Lot 6 - CDM Principal Designer (£1.5m)
Who Can Apply
Suits planning consultancies, architectural practices and principal designer specialists with public sector project experience; high-risk BSA work demands proven competence on higher-risk buildings. The framework has not yet been awarded, so practices should prepare to bid in the coming tender.
Buyer Benefits
Six defined lots with set values give the Council a clear route to each design discipline, including scarce Building Safety Act principal designer expertise. Pre-appointed consultants let it start projects quickly and keep design and safety responsibilities clear from planning through to construction.
Next Steps
Check the Find a Tender record (ocds-h6vhtk-064f1f) for the tender timetable and register on the portal it names. Choose the lots that match your team, then prepare CVs, competence evidence for BSA or CDM principal designer roles, and residential or commercial project case studies for public clients.
How Athena Can Help
With six lots and Building Safety Act roles in play, choosing where to bid is the first decision. Athena's tender strategy advice helps you weigh the lots against your team's competence and capacity.
Our consultancy tender writing team then builds win themes and evidence-led answers, especially for principal designer lots where competence is closely tested, and our design framework pipeline service lines up similar consultancy frameworks across the North East and beyond.
