Parliament has started consulting with contractors on the £650 million refurbishment works to the UK parliamentary estate.

The UK parliament has started an exercise of market engagement to talk about plans for procuring a main works contracting partner to support its northern estate programme.

The scheme will consist of the essential refurbishment and repair of several historic office buildings on the parliamentary estate in the area of the Palace of Westminster.

Included in the work is a full refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster parliament building itself, which is reported to cost at least £1 billion, although it could include some early elements of the Palace of Westminster Restoration & Renewal Programme.

The northern estate programme works will be made up of the renewal of electrical and mechanical services, along with the restoration of the fabric of the listed buildings. It is expected that the work will cost in the region of £150 million to £160 million and will be complete in around three or four years.

The buildings that will be refurbished are: Norman Shaw North, Norman Shaw South, 1 Derby Gate, Canon Row residences, 1 Parliament Street and other decant buildings as required and potentially certain early elements of the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme.

Parliament is seeking the views of contractors in order to assess the market interest and capability to deliver and manage the programme, while it is also a chance to talk about the programme more generally and inform Parliament’s approach to procurement.

Parliament’s Strategic Estates department is seeking advice on: contract shape and size, procurement strategy and any significant risks that could impact on the delivery of the works and the success of the procurement.

Any contractors who are interested in the works have been invited to fill out a questionnaire and return it by August 3, 2016.