The City of Edinburgh Council has awarded over 50 suppliers a place on a major new consultancy framework.

The move is expected to unlock up to £95 million in architectural, engineering and project management contracts over the next four years.

The inclusion for the first time of Passivhaus Architects in the framework will ensure that new buildings are energy efficient and that the city's net zero carbon by 2030 target sits at the heart of all capital projects, while the Council's commitment to prioritising small business spending has resulted in more than 70% of successful bidders being SMEs. Every supplier is also committed to paying the Living Wage and carrying out community benefits as part of any work they secure.

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Following approval from members of the Finance and Resources Committee, plans for the Professional Services Framework will be finalised in the coming weeks.

Councillor Rob Munn, Finance and Resources Convener, said: "With over 180 bidders vying for a place, this is one of the biggest procurement exercises we've ever undertaken as a Council.

"We have an ambitious capital investment programme to make sure we build the schools, homes and community facilities Edinburgh needs for the future, and I'm confident that the successful suppliers we have listed offer the right mix of expertise to help us deliver on our aims.

"At a time when the Council faces great financial pressures, the flexibility offered by the new approach is also expected to generate efficiencies of more than £10 million over four years."