BAM Nuttall, Jackson Civil Engineering and VolkerStevin retain places as preferred contractors, joined by Kier Integrated Services for the first time.

VolkerStevin came out top, securing two of the six English regions.

Consultant partners include: Atkins, Arup, Jacobs and Jeremy Benn Associates.

The Environment Agency expects to spend around £1.5bn through the framework over four years. The option to extend for a further four years takes the total projected spend to £2.3bn.

The programme aims to better protect 300,000 homes from coastal erosion and flooding up to 2021 and beyond.

Effective this month, the Environment Agency’s Next Generation Supplier Arrangements will form the basis of deeper collaborative working from the initial planning stages of a project right through to its completion.

Toby Willison, executive director of operations at the Environment Agency, said: “This ambitious new framework will help us to continue to deliver our £2.6bn flood and coastal defence programme in a way which ensures that sustainability, efficiency and value for money remain at the very heart of the work we do to protect people, homes and the environment.”