Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply

Tender description

National Highways is the government company charged with operating, maintaining and improving England's strategic road networks. The Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) is a proposed new road connecting Kent, Thurrock and Essex through tunnels underneath the River Thames. The Programme will relieve the congested Dartford Crossing and approach roads and improve their performance by providing sufficient north-south road capacity. National Highways is in the process of awarding three contracts to Main Contractors who will be responsible for the design and build of LTC. The three main contracts are: Roads North of the Thames contract, the Tunnels and Approaches contract and the Kent Roads contract. It is anticipated that all three contracts will be awarded to the Main Contractors by the end of 2023. National Highways has designated LTC a pathfinder project that will explore carbon neutral construction. Low Carbon Hydrogen is a key element in LTC’s strategy to deliver its carbon reduction targets and a key objective of this procurement is to enable a significant reduction in the use of diesel on the programme by enabling the use of hydrogen powered plant, machinery and generators. The procurement covers the production, delivery and storage on site of Low Carbon Hydrogen for use by the LTC appointed Main Contractors to fuel their construction plant and equipment. Making hydrogen easily available could displace over one third of the diesel forecast to be used during construction. Further details on the Lower Thames Project can be found here – https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/lower-thames-crossing/ Lot 1: The PIN notice is to provide information ahead of the contract notice and SQ tender documents for this procurement. LTC is dedicated to achieving the lowest carbon solution to deliver the works. The scope of this procurement requires supply of an estimated 6200 tonnes of Low Carbon Hydrogen over 5 years with delivery and storage on site as required. The Low Carbon Hydrogen supply contract has an estimated contract commencement date in mid-2024 with supply of hydrogen commencing in 2027. The implementation of a Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply contract will be enabled for use by Lower Thames Crossing Main Works Contractors. The contract will be procured under the Competitive Dialogue Procedure (Public Contracts Regulations 2015) with a contract based on an NEC4 form.