Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2019-05-06
Buyer: Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd
Country: UK
Contract type: Supplies
CPV classification: 34621000 | 34621200 | 34630000 | 34632000 | 34632200

Technical requirements: Pre-Market Engagement for the Procurement of Design, Supply, Fitment, Commission and Support of ETCS to Wheeled Plant
The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to engage with the supply market to assess the level of interest and considerations in the procurement of design, supply, fitment, commission and support of ETCS to wheeled plant.
In this instance, Network Rail is inviting interested parties to participate in a soft market engagement exercise to help shape Network Rail’s procurement strategy as well as the specification.
The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to engage with the supply market to assess the level of interest and considerations in the procurement of the design, supply, fitment, commission and support of ETCS to wheeled plant.
Network Rail has one of the largest and most diverse rail vehicle fleets in the UK, consisting of on-track machines (OTM), multi-purpose vehicles (MPV), wagons, coaches and locomotives. A requirement has been identified to implement a retro-fitment and commissioning of European Train Control System (ETCS) to Network Rail owned and other rail vehicles.
The supplier (or suppliers) would be expected to fully fit and commission approximately 18 First in Class (FiC), phased out between Year 2021 — 2029; in addition to a number of subsequent rail vehicles. The total number of rail vehicles is yet to be determined and the number of FiC Rail Vehicles is subject to change.
The requirement is for the supplier(s) to undertake the necessary activities to retro fit and commission Onboard (OB) ETCS equipment to Traction and Rolling Stock (T&RS) used for maintenance and OTM assets. These assets are to be fitted with ETCS Baseline 3, Release 2 with twin data radios capable of supporting GPRS and to be integrated with the current train control protection and management systems including braking and traction system.
Additionally, there is a requirement for the supplier to provide System Level (Technician and/or Expert) for the maintenance support post commissioning for the principal categories of OB ETCS equipment and its associated interfaces, commencing from the commissioning date of the system.
The fleet fitment and entry to service plan shall be in accordance with the East Coast Main Line (ECML) infrastructure ERTMS commissioning timeline. This is to allow the Rail Vehicles to perform their routine maintenance activities once ERTMS is the only means of signalling following infrastructure commissioning. The re-signalling project with ERTMS technology between Moorgate and Finsbury Park is due to be completed by December 2021. The plan to upgrade the ERTMS signalling on ECML will continue evolving from 2021 onwards.
In this instance, Network Rail is inviting interested parties to participate in a market engagement exercise to help shape Network Rail’s procurement strategy as well as the specification. Interested parties should contact Helen Siveter (Helen.Siveter@networkrail.co.uk) to request a Soft Market Questionnaire.
This is not an invitation to tender, it is solely a market engagement exercise and no direct business will be awarded as a result of participating in this exercise. Further responding to this PIN will not in any way advantage or disadvantage any supplier in a future procurement exercise.
Following the market engagement exercise, Network Rail will not be bound to conduct a procurement exercise or to award any contract, and where it commences a tender exercise reserves the right to cancel the tendering process at any time.
Interested parties should contact the aforementioned email address no later than 17:00 (GMT) 24.5.2019.