Eight firms will be fighting to retain their places on the four-year framework, which the councils said could deliver a project pipeline worth up to 2.1bn.

Existing framework partners include Balfour Beatty, Bouygues and Willmott Dixon on higher value lots and Kendrick Construction, Integrated Water Services, Middleton Maintenance and Mitie on lower value works. Carillion also had a place on the panel.

The next generation Constructing West Midlands Framework is to be split into two value lots this time around and will come into being from 1 October.

Projects valued up to £5m will have a pipeline worth £600m and large projects of above £5m are expected to account for £1.5bn of work.

The councils aim to shortlist around eight firms for each of the two lots before naming the four winning firms on each capital works lot.

Acivico, Birmingham City Council’s design and contract delivery partner, as well as Solihull and Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Councils are committed to using the preferred panel of firms.

Prequals need to be in by 15 April, with short listed firms invited to tender in early June.

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