How the CMA's civil engineering market study took place
How the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) market study took place.
In June 2025, the CMA launched a study into the design, planning and delivery of railway and public road infrastructure by the civil engineering sector.
We looked at:
- how the market works
- how well it performs for businesses and the public
- how it could work better
We focused on how the public sector and industry could work together to best deliver large and complex infrastructure projects in the future.
We looked at this market because the infrastructure it delivers is important to the UK economy. If working well, it could boost economic growth.
Read our blog post to find out how we are taking a pro-growth and pro-investment approach to this market study.
Market study timeline
Image description: The main stages of our civil engineering market study, as described in the paragraphs below.
Below we outline all the steps we have taken in this market study.
Launch: June 2025
On 19 June 2025 we launched the market study.
We published a statement of scope, which:
- set out the purpose and proposed scope of the market study
- provided an overview of the sector and the themes we proposed to explore
- outlined our intended approach to evidence-gathering
We invited views on the purpose and proposed scope of the market study, through questions in the statement of scope document. The deadline for responses was 17 July 2025.
We also published a market study notice, which sets out the legal scope of the study.
Webinar: Introduction to our civil engineering market study
We held a webinar to give stakeholders an overview of the study’s purpose and proposed scope, and an opportunity to ask any questions.
Introduction to our civil engineering market study
Evidence gathering and analysis: June to November 2025
The CMA gathered evidence and carried out analysis to identify any issues in the market and areas for potential improvement.
In line with the approach set out in the statement of scope, we focused on understanding how public procurement approaches, barriers in the market and supply-side features affect the market’s functioning.
We:
- hosted roundtables and meetings with civil engineering businesses, local authorities, trade associations, procuring bodies, regulators and other stakeholders
- collected information from the main civil engineering businesses and public authorities including by using formal requests
- selected case studies from across the nations and regions of the UK reflecting different outcomes
- analysed available market data through desk-based research
- sent informal questionnaires, such as brief online surveys to key market participants
- worked with the UK government and devolved governments, to understand applicable legal and policy frameworks
- received and published responses to our invitation to comment
- commissioned qualitative research from Jigsaw Research, who engaged directly with civil engineering businesses
Sector panel
As part of our evidence gathering, we appointed a civil engineering sector panel. This panel brought together both sides of the market (supply and demand) to encourage debate and gather opinions. The panel explored the CMA’s emerging thinking on:
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challenges the sector might face
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any possible recommendations the CMA could make to the UK government or industry, in light of the potential findings of its market study
This sector panel was made up of individuals who worked for the following organisations:
- ADEPT
- AE Yates
- Arup
- AtkinsRealis
- Balfour Beatty
- Cabinet Office
- Costain
- Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland)
- D Morgan
- Ice
- Jacobs
- Kier
- Murphy
- Network Rail
- National Highways
- National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority
- Office of Road and Rail
- Scottish Government
- Skanska
Internal state of play meeting
In late September 2025, the CMA held an internal state of play (ISOP) meeting to assess the themes being explored in the market study against the evidence gathered to date; and to determine, applying our prioritisation principles, whether to continue, amend or remove any areas of analysis.
The conclusion of the ISOP meeting was to continue to focus on the themes outlined in the statement of scope:
- public procurement
- barriers in the market
- supply-side features
We decided to deprioritise further work on the intrinsic financial and economic costs of entering the civil engineering market and late payment, noting that the UK government was, at the time, consulting on proposals to tackle poor payment practices. Our work on barriers in the market focused on procurement, planning and regulatory processes.
Consultation on emerging thinking and remedies: December 2025 to February 2026
Interim report
On 17 December 2025, the CMA published its interim report which:
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set out our work to date on the market study
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outlined our concerns about the market, and areas for potential improvement
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proposed some possible options for improving outcomes
We published the responses to our interim report.
Webinar: interim report
We held a webinar on 8 January 2026, which gave an overview of the interim report and how to respond to it.
Webinar: Civil engineering market study interim report
Finishing our evidence gathering
After publishing our interim report, we gathered additional evidence to fully develop our findings and any recommendations.
We sent further requests for information, and met with more civil engineering businesses, local authorities, procuring bodies and regulators.
Final report: May 2026
On 21 May 2026, we published our final report setting out our conclusions about the market, and recommendations to the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Updates to this page
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Final report published.
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Responses to interim report published, and final report date updated.
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Interim report webinar recording published.
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Interim report published and details of upcoming webinar added.
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Information added about internal state of play meeting.
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Sector panel announced
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Evidence gathering and analysis updated.
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Webinar recording and presentation slides published.
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First published.