For main contractors
PSC Pipeline finds public sector construction schemes in England and Wales at RIBA Stage 0 to 2, before they reach procurement. Your BD team has time to build the relationship, shape the scheme and decide whether it is worth winning.
01 · The problem
When a public sector scheme reaches a tender portal, most of what decides the outcome is already fixed. The procurement route has been chosen. The framework has been picked. The budget is set against a scope someone else helped shape. The incumbent has had a year of conversations with the client, and you have a few weeks to write a bid.
That is how contractors end up bidding hard for work they had no hand in shaping, with conversion rates to match.
The tender is where you find out what was decided without you.
02 · What a head start changes
01
Engage the client while they are still choosing how to buy. Whether you prefer a single-stage, two-stage, framework or direct award route, early conversations are where that preference can be heard.
02
Bring construction knowledge in while scope, programme and budget are still moving, including modern methods of construction before the design is locked.
03
See which consultants are being appointed and form partnerships with designers before your competitors know the scheme exists.
04
Knowing the pipeline early lets you pick the clients and sectors that fit your strategy, plan resource ahead of bids, and say no to the wrong schemes before they cost you anything.
03 · Where it comes from
PSC Pipeline monitors the published sources where public sector capital projects first appear: capital programmes, spending plans, board and cabinet papers, funding announcements and consultations. Clients include local authorities, NHS trusts, schools and academy trusts, universities, housing associations, and police and fire services.
Records are updated as schemes move, so changes in scope, budget, programme and consultant appointments reach your team as they happen.
04 · What a record tells you
Each PSC Pipeline record covers the client, the scope, the RIBA stage, the budget and funding position, procurement intentions, programme, planning status and risks, plus the consultant team where one has been appointed.
At RIBA Stage 0 to 2, how much of that is known varies from scheme to scheme. That is the trade-off of being early. An incomplete picture in time to act beats a complete one once the opportunity has gone, and your BD team is well placed to fill the gaps in conversation with the client.
Northvale Primary School expansion
Illustrative record, fictional scheme
RIBA 1
Client
Northvale Borough Council
Scope
Two-form entry expansion with a new teaching block, hall and external works
Budget and funding
£14m to £16m, capital programme and basic need grant
Procurement
Two-stage design and build through a framework, route due at cabinet
Programme
Design 2027, start on site 2028, complete 2029
Planning
Pre-application advice requested
Risks
Live school site, ground investigation outstanding
Consultant team
Architect and cost consultant appointed, M&E to follow
“[QUOTE: one or two sentences from someone on your team on what early sight of public sector schemes has changed for them]”
[NAME], [JOB TITLE], [CONTRACTOR NAME]
05 · Fit
PSC Pipeline is built for contractors organised to use a head start. That usually means a business development team, a frameworks strategy, or a named person responsible for pipeline. Regional and national contractors both fit, provided someone has the time and remit to act on what they see.
If you do not have that capacity yet, the PSC Research Tool may suit you better. It researches a specific scheme on demand, when an opportunity comes to you.
Explore the Research Tool06 · Common questions
How early does PSC Pipeline find schemes?
PSC Pipeline finds public sector schemes at RIBA Stage 0 to 2, often months or years before they appear on a planning portal or as a tender notice.
Does PSC Pipeline replace our existing construction data service?
No. Broad construction data services cover projects once they reach planning or tender. PSC Pipeline is the earlier layer, covering public sector schemes before they are public, and most clients use it alongside what they already have.
Which sectors and regions does PSC cover?
Public sector construction only, across England and Wales, sold by region. That covers housing, education, health, leisure, civic, and police and fire schemes.
Where does the information come from?
Published public sector sources: capital programmes, spending plans, board and cabinet papers, funding announcements and consultations.
How is PSC Pipeline priced?
An annual subscription per organisation, priced by the regions you cover. See Pricing.
Five minutes on what a typical PSC Pipeline record shows, and what your BD team can do with it.
