National Roads Telecommunication Service (NRTS)2 - Extension

This is a variation to the original contract (detailed in Contract Notice (2016/S 060-101548) to extend the contract by an additional year. The contract is for the provision, operation, and maintenance of telecommunications services between the roadside and various central locations for National Highways, the body responsible for England's motorway and trunk road network.

Whilst the authority for National Roads Telecommunications Service (NRTS2) project is National Highways Limited (and any future successor to this organisation), the Secretary of State for Transport will be a named beneficiary of the NRTS2 contract as some of the assets/contracts to which the NRTS2 services relate are in the name of the Secretary of State (e.g. those relating to the M6 toll motorway and the Severn River Crossing). The scope of the NRTS2 contract includes the maintenance, deployment and further development of the NRTS services which currently provide services to approximately 38,000 locations on 3,500km of motorways and trunk roads, which provide connectivity between control centres and roadside devices.

As per the Contract Notice (2016/S 060-101548), this contract is for the provision, operation, and maintenance of telecommunications services between the roadside and various central locations for National Highways, the body responsible for England's motorway and trunk road network. Whilst the authority for National Roads Telecommunications Service (NRTS2) project is National Highways Limited (and any future successor to this organisation), the Secretary of State for Transport will be a named beneficiary of the NRTS2 contract as some of the assets/contracts to which the NRTS2 services relate are in the name of the Secretary of State (e.g. those relating to the M6 toll motorway and the Severn River Crossing).

The scope of the NRTS2 contract includes the maintenance, deployment and further development of the NRTS services which currently provide services to approximately 30,000 locations on 3,500km of motorways and trunk roads, which provide connectivity between control centers and roadside devices. On the 26th of February 2025, National Highways entered into a deed of variation to the NRTS2 contract dated 18 December 2017 with Telent Technology Services Limited (NRTS 2 Contract) to extend the duration of the NRTS2 Contract by an additional 12 month period.

The NRTS 2 contract was originally awarded for a maximum term of 9 years (allowing for a 2 year extension) pursuant to the OJEU notice with reference 2016/S 060-101548 and is now due to expire on 15 March 2028. The value of the extension is £160,000,000 which allows for the delivery of the existing services and any optional services that may be required during the extension.

The extension of time is a permitted modification pursuant to both Regulation 72(1)(b) and (e). It allows for additional services that are necessary where a change in contractor cannot be made for economic or technical reasons without causing significant inconvenience or a substantial duplication of costs.

Further the services will be delivered under the existing contract and the extension is not a substantial modification to the terms of the NRTS2 Contract. For the avoidance of doubt, National Highways is not required to publish this notice but does so in the interests of transparency.

National Highways is currently engaged in the procurement the procurement of the National Roadside Telecommunications Services 3 contract (the NRTS3 Contract) (PIN reference 2024/S 000-041155, with the Tender Notice expected to be published in April 2025). The extension of time under the NRTS2 Contract allows for additional time for National Highways to complete both the procurement of the NRTS3 Contract under the new Procurement Act 2023 and its required governance processes, given the significance and value of the NRTS3 Contract, whilst ensuring continuity of existing services during this period.

The NRTS3 Contract is expected to be awarded in 2028 under a competitive flexible procurement and a sufficient time needs to be allowed for a suitable transition and mobilisation period with the existing supplier.” Additional information: As per notice reference number 2025/S 000-001867, this Contract Award Notice serves to inform the market of the award of a 12-month extension to Telent Technology Services Limited to deliver the National Roads Telecommunications Service (NRTS)2. The extension is based on the existing terms and conditions of the contract, increasing the total cost and term.