The Highways Agency in the UK has launched pre-tendering for its Area 9 asset support contract (ASC). The key contract, worth a minimum US$222.56 million (£137mn), covers eight English counties for the next five years. It can be extended by up to a further three years and will come into operation from January 2014. Firms must access pre-qualification documents by 23 January 2013. Maintenance and improvement works include highways in Shropshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Worces