Public Buildings Construction and Infrastructure (PB4)
Framework Description
Public Buildings Construction and Infrastructure (PB4) is the fourth generation of SWPA's public buildings framework, delivered on behalf of LHC Procurement Group. Ten lots across five workstreams cover new build, refurbishment, civil infrastructure and hard facilities management, from £0 to over £25m. It started in May 2026 and succeeds PB3, running to 30 April 2030 with an option to extend to 30 April 2031.
Context & Use Case
Local authorities, housing associations, schools, emergency services, charities and other public bodies in the South West use PB4 to build and modernise schools, health and emergency service buildings, offices and community facilities. Smaller new build and refurbishment packages sit in separate lots from larger programmes, and both traditional construction and modern methods are allowed.
Scope of Services
Workstream 1: New build, Lots 1–2 (£0–£2.5m) Workstream 2: Refurbishment, Lots 3–4 (£0–£2.5m) Workstream 3: Civil infrastructure, Lots 5–6 (£0 to over £2.5m) Workstream 4: New build, refurbishment and services, Lots 7–9 (£2.5m to over £25m) Workstream 5: Hard facilities management, Lot 10 (all values)
Lots
Workstream 1 New build (Lots 1-2, £0-£2.5m); Workstream 2 Refurbishment (Lots 3-4, £0-£2.5m); Workstream 3 Civil infrastructure (Lots 5-6, £0 to over £2.5m); Workstream 4 New build, refurbishment and services (Lots 7-9, £2.5m to over £25m); Workstream 5 Hard facilities management (Lot 10, all values)
Who Can Apply
Suits regional builders and SMEs on the lower-value lots, civil engineering contractors, larger main contractors on the £2.5m-plus lots, and hard FM providers. Appointments were made by competitive tender and vary by lot and geography. PB4 is closed to new applications for its term, which could run to 2031.
Buyer Benefits
Buyers get one compliant route covering everything from a small school refurbishment to a multi-million pound new build, with contractors matched to project size. The framework is designed to support net zero, social value and regulatory compliance, which helps public clients meet their own policy commitments on each project.
Next Steps
Appointed contractors should focus on winning call-offs in their lots and tracking social value and carbon outcomes for each scheme. Firms outside PB4 should register with LHC Procurement Group's In-tend portal for future iterations, follow SWPA's PB4 page, and expect the next opportunity around 2030, or 2031 if extended.
How Athena Can Help
PB4 runs for years, so the value for appointed contractors lies in winning call-offs consistently. Athena's tender writing and competitor analysis helps you build win themes on programme certainty, carbon and social value, and checks every submission before it goes in.
For contractors not appointed, our framework opportunity mapping finds construction frameworks and dynamic markets open sooner, and our public sector construction bidding support helps you price and win direct council and school projects in the meantime.
