West Sussex County Council has launched a tender worth an estimated £60,000 excluding VAT to collect condition data for footways and remote cycleways during 2027.
The survey will provide crucial information needed to decide which footways require repair or maintenance. Footways refer to pedestrian pavements alongside roads, while remote cycleways are cycle routes physically separated from carriageways.
What the survey involves
The contract, titled Footways Maintenance Survey (Lot 3) (2027), covers the collection of road condition data across the county’s footways and remote cycleways. The contract term runs from 30 December 2026 to 30 January 2028.
It is classified as a services contract, involving survey conduction and road inspection. The estimated value is £60,000 excluding VAT, or £72,000 including VAT, which sits below the relevant procurement threshold under the Procurement Act 2023.
Who can bid
The tender is open to suppliers located in West Sussex. It specifically targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs). The council notes this opportunity is particularly suitable for SMEs.
Bids will be evaluated on the Most Advantageous Tender basis, with 70% weighting on price and 30% on technical quality.
Deadlines and submission
Questions must be submitted by 12:00pm on 30 October 2026. Tenders close at 12:00pm on Tuesday 10 November 2026. All submissions are made electronically through West Sussex County Council’s procurement portal. The council reference is C25292.
Additional details and context
The notice does not specify the survey methodology or who currently holds the contract. It also does not explain why the tender is described as Lot 3 when only one lot appears in the notice.
West Sussex County Council has previously deployed AI cameras on its highway inspection vehicles to support network assessments.
Footway condition surveys like this help councils meet their responsibilities under the Traffic Management Act and support asset management planning for maintenance programmes.
