Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2017-03-10
Buyer: Network Rail Infrastructure Limited
Country: UK
Region: UNITED KINGDOM
Contract type: Supplies
Procedure: Negotiated without a prior call for competition
CPV classification: 48140000
Estimated value: 27000000 GBP

Technical requirements: Network Rail intends to award a contract for an enhancement of the IECC Scalable to deliver increased functionality in the management of train traffic on the Paddington to Bristol section of the Greater Western Route. This is supplementary software which is an extension to an existing signalling control platform (IECC Scalable) installed at the Didcot and Thames Valley Signalling Control Centre. The contract will comprise an initial 2 year trial period (for Network Rail to be satisfied with the level of performance and commercial benefits) with a potential for up to 8 years deployment.
The contract is for an enhancement of the IECC Scalable to deliver increased functionality in the management of train traffic, to be installed on Network Rail's current IECC Scalable signalling control platform at the Didcot and Thames Valley Signalling Control Centre. The contract will comprise two stages: an initial 2 years period (anticipated to be a 12 month development and 12 month deployment trial) for Network Rail to assess the level of performance and commercial benefits with the potential for an additional 3 year period (plus a series of extensions for up to a further 5 years). This offers a short to mid-term solution in advance of the deployment of digital technology/full traffic management system onto the Western Route as part of Network Rail's wider Digital Railways programme.
Network Rail intends to award the contract to Resonate Group Limited who are the original supplier of the IECC Scalable platform.
In advance of the roll out of Network Rail's Digital Railways programme, Network Rail requires improvements in performance and capacity that an enhancement of the IECC Scalable is expected to achieve. The enhancement represents additional supplies which is an extension to the functionality of the existing IECC originally supplied and installed by Resonate Group Limited. The enhancement to the IECC Scalable must be compatible with the signalling system as interface management is critical for safety and performance. To obtain the software and associated application programme for regulating algorithms from a supplier other than the owner of the IECC Scalable platform that originally supplied, installed and configured the platform would result in Network Rail purchasing supplies with different technical characteristics. Purchasing alternative software would mean that the IECC platform would then need to operate within that different traffic management system requiring modifications to the IECC Scalable platform, generating system integration and/or compatibility risks in terms of safety and performance as well as cost and timescale risks. In addition, if a different traffic management system was deployed, the maintenance and support for each of these systems would be carried out by different parties which would create difficulties in effectively supporting and maintaining the IECC Scalable platform as a whole, including interface responsibility and a single point of accountability and liability. Network Rail therefore considers that a change in supplier in relation to this software would oblige Network Rail to purchase supplies with different technical characteristics which would result in incompatibility and/or disproportionate technical difficulties in the operation and maintenance of the IECC Scalable platform.
The date specified in Section V.2.1) reflects the date of dispatch of this notice. Network Rail intends (subject to conclusion of contract terms to Network Rail's satisfaction) to enter into a contract with Resonate Group Limited on or about week commencing 3.4.2017.
The value specified in Section II.1.7 and in Section V.2.4) is the estimated current value of the contract including potential extension period(s).


Winner: Resonate Group Limited
Award value: 27000000