en.Wedoany.com Reported - Transport Scotland has issued a contract notice worth £1.94 billion, inviting businesses to bid for a delivery framework to complete the remaining five sections of the £4 billion A9 dualling project.

These five sections total 92.4 kilometers in length. The framework is divided into two lots: Lot 1 includes three contracts, each valued at less than £400 million; Lot 2 includes two contracts, each valued at more than £400 million. Transport Scotland stated that this arrangement provides contractors with clearer pipeline visibility, aiming to improve risk management and efficiency by involving contractors earlier in design and planning.

The five project packages, estimated at Transport Scotland's March 2026 prices, are as follows: Glen Garry to Crubenmore, 20.5 kilometers, estimated at £336 million, falls under Lot 1; Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing, 8.4 kilometers, estimated at £266 million, falls under Lot 1; Crubenmore to Kincraig, 16.5 kilometers, estimated at £344 million, falls under Lot 1; Dalraddy to Slochd, 25 kilometers, estimated at £553 million, falls under Lot 2; Killiecrankie to Glen Garry, 22 kilometers, estimated at £438 million, falls under Lot 2.

The A9 dualling project is one of Scotland's largest transport infrastructure projects, aiming to upgrade the 133.5-kilometer A9 trunk road between Perth and Inverness to dual carriageway, progressing through 11 separate sections, with work dating back a decade. The project has faced criticism for prolonged delays, with Grahame Barn, Chief Executive of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (Scotland), calling Transport Scotland the "worst" client agency in the UK in 2023. Transport Scotland subsequently undertook reforms, committing to deliver the project by 2035.

Multiple sections are already under construction, with over 16 kilometers completed. Currently, about 17 kilometers are under construction, and the fifth section, Pitlochry to Killiecrankie, 6.4 kilometers long and valued at £205 million, is expected to be awarded later this year. Three contractors—Balfour Beatty, Kier Transportation, and Wills Bros Civil Engineering—have been shortlisted. Work has commenced on both the southern and northern ends of the route. Balfour Beatty is undertaking main construction on the Tomatin to Moy section (9.6 kilometers), which began in May 2025. Wills Bros started work on the Tay Crossing to Ballinluig section in November.

Transport Scotland's published timeline estimates that by the end of 2030, 50% of the A9 between Perth and Inverness will be dual carriageway, reaching 67% by the end of 2032, 91% by the end of 2034, and full completion by the end of 2035. Scotland's Transport Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, confirmed in January that the remaining work will be funded through capital and delivered via design-and-build or similar contracts.

The new framework for the remaining sections will last four years upon completion. Its structure was developed following consultation with the construction industry market, designed to encourage early contractor involvement and provide contractual flexibility under NEC4 Option A (fixed price) and Option C (target cost). Transport Scotland stated that the framework uses NEC4 options and ECI (Early Contractor Involvement) to balance cost certainty with collaboration in complex section construction.

The Scottish Government positions this procurement as a major investment, creating jobs, training, and business opportunities in local and regional supply chains. Transport Scotland indicated that the program's social value metrics will prioritize local and small-to-medium enterprises, apprenticeships, and graduate placements, encouraging low-carbon construction methods. The Tomatin to Moy contract is cited as an example, with over £2.3 million spent with local SMEs to date and more than one-third of the workforce being local residents.

Potential contractors can register interest and download procurement documents on the Public Contracts Scotland website. Transport Scotland will use this framework to appoint suppliers for the remaining five contracts that have not yet entered the procurement process.

This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com