The Second Midlands Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Consortium (SMeviC), in partnership with Midlands Connect and participating East Midlands local authorities, has launched a major tender for the supply, installation, operation, and maintenance of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the East Midlands region of England.

The procurement has been divided into two separate lots. Lot 1 focuses on standard and fast EV chargepoints ranging from 7kW to 22kW, intended mainly for residential and public on-street charging needs. Lot 2 covers rapid DC charging infrastructure of 50kW and above, aimed at enabling faster charging for users across key transport corridors and urban locations. Together, the programme is expected to deliver thousands of new charging sockets across the East Midlands region.

The concession contracts are expected to run for approximately 15 to 16 years, beginning in November 2026. The estimated total value of the procurement is around £720 million (US$ 968 million) excluding VAT, reflecting the scale of investment required to build and operate a long-term EV charging network. Participating authorities include Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottingham City Council, Derby City Council, and Derbyshire County Council.

This invitation is to appoint a single Concessionaire (or Partnership of Concessionaires) per Lot to support the delivery of this project for the works of: Chargepoint site assessments and design, Supply, delivery, installation, and commissioning, Grid connection and supply, Maintenance and repair (underground and overground assets), Ongoing operation, including customer service/support and the supply of a Chargepoint management system.

The deadline for submitting tenders is 13 July 2026, and bids may be submitted electronically. The evaluation process will place greater emphasis on quality, which accounts for 80% of the assessment criteria, while pricing will contribute the remaining 20% toward the final selection.