Road Surface Monitoring Tools Support Contract

National Highways is seeking suppliers to provide support for various tools used to monitor the condition of the strategic road network and facilitate research and innovation. This opportunity focuses on tools that assess the friction characteristics of pavement surfacing materials. The tools involved include: - Skid Resistance Development Platform (SkReDeP): A machine that investigates sideways-force coefficients, equipped with a texture laser and a custom data collection system. - Pavement Friction Tester (PFT): A system consisting of a tow vehicle and a test trailer. - Wehner Schulze Friction After Polishing (FAP) device: This includes a slurry tank and grit blasting cabinet. - GripTester (GT): A device with a water delivery system. - Circular Texture Meter (CTM). Further details about each device can be found in an accompanying document. These tools have historically enhanced the understanding of friction phenomena, evaluated the performance of new surfacing materials, and monitored the consistency of surfaces used to certify other devices. The contract includes the following services: 1. Secure storage, maintenance, calibration, and quality assurance of the tools to ensure they are available for use. 2. Operation of the tools for data collection to support the implementation of standards (primarily CS 228 and CD 236) and innovation in data collection or surfacing materials. 3. Development, acquisition, or disposal of the equipment as needed. 4. Providing advice to National Highways regarding the application of the tools and their use for obtaining high-quality data. The estimated total replacement cost for these tools is £1.5 million. The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2026.