To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) terms of reference, (b) tendering process and (c) budget is for each of the four technical expert panels being established by HS2.
Answered on
12 November 2020
a) HS2 Ltd already use Independent Technical Expert Panels (ITEP) to review specific assets. This is consistent with the recommendation made by the HS2 Ltd Chairman in his Stocktake report and the Oakervee Review. The panels work to stress-test and challenge selected assets or areas.
b) HS2 Ltd is currently undertaking a market engagement exercise for covering the requirement to establish, manage and provide ITEPs to peer review its Main Works Civils Contracts (MWCC) scheme, Stations and Phase 2 detailed designs and construction methodology (PIN reference 2020/S 217-533979). The tendering process cannot be confirmed until this market engagement exercise is completed.
c) The total budget for the ITEPs is £5.2 million for the full duration of the contract, including all applicable extension options (an initial duration of 2 years, with options to extend for a further 5 years). The individual panel budgets are commercially sensitive as this information may impact the procurement following the market engagement.