The coming years will focus on major maintenance or renewal of thousands of bridges, dozens of tunnels, and locks.
Rijkswaterstaat, Bouwend Nederland, Techniek Nederland, NLingenieurs, MKB Infra, and the Association of Water Builders are therefore working closely together in the pre-competitive Platform Replacement & Renovation (PVR).
Taskforce Infra
The Replacement and Renovation Platform (PVR) was established in 2023 by the Taskforce Infra. Here, pre-competitive interests are prioritized, with discussions between the market and Rijkswaterstaat regarding investments in new ways of working, new contract forms, and a joint approach at the center. Based on equality and mutual respect for each others positions and interests.
Platform chairman Martin Hoenderkamp: ‘The current task requires active investment in new ways of working and new contract forms. We need to move towards a joint approach to carry out the work better, more predictably, and more reliably with the current limited capacity of budget and resources. The PVR provides an environment for pre-competitive discussions between the market and clients. By learning and trying together, we make our work outside more predictable, efficient, and safer.’
Member Meeting
The Platform V&R held a well-attended member meeting at the Bouwhuis in Zoetermeer on May 21, 2025, with feedback on the current status. Within the bridge portfolio of Rijkswaterstaat, the renewal and renovation task involves 190 movable bridges, 190 steel bridges, and 5,500 concrete bridges. More than 350 bridges and viaducts will be inspected and recalculated in the coming 6 years.
Portfolio manager Bridges Robert de Roos says: ‘Recalculation provides a clearer picture of when these objects really need to be addressed.’
Furthermore, 88 lock complexes with 127 lock chambers will be addressed in an integrated and efficient manner in the coming years. Project and program manager Eric Smulders: ‘By grouping these objects into portfolios of similar objects, all available knowledge and experience can be used as effectively as possible to accomplish the task.’
Consultation Version Procurement Strategy Renewal Task
During the member meeting, attendees received an explanation of the consultation version of the Procurement Strategy Renewal Task, which includes a new contract, pricing mechanism, and the BPKV assessment framework. It is clear that Rijkswaterstaat is ready to bring the procurement strategy from an 80% version on paper to 100% in practice together with the market.
Read the entire article on the website of the Vital Infrastructure Sector.