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Published 28 Jan 2026, 12:06 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

1008157290 T1414 Testing the feasibility of the use of solar reflective solutions on rolling stock

Official notice

Authority: Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB) (Public body)

ServicesBelow threshold - open competitionBelow thresholdSME suitableVCSE suitable
Sectors: Research & Development (R&D) (73) Delivery: Delivery location not published
Published estimate£120,000≈ £131k / year · £144,000 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 27 Feb 2026
Contract term 11 moends 11 Feb 2027 · starts 12 Mar 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

T1414 aims to demonstrate the effective use of Solar Reflective Solutions to reduce internal vehicle temperatures, supporting improved passenger comfort, reduced HVAC energy consumption demand and improved component reliability for GB passenger rolling stock.

Work Package 1- Benchmarking and trial planning

  • Assess the current performance of existing rolling stock paint systems to establish a baseline against which the potential benefit and disbenefits of adopting solar reflective alternatives can be determined.
  • Identify and select SRSs which meet GB passenger rolling stock requirements to ensure the SRSs trialled meet technical, safety, and operational material requirements.
  • Develop a test plan for a box trial, representative of a rail vehicle, to assess the effect that SRSs would have on internal rail vehicle temperature.

Work Package 2 - Box trials

  • Undertake box trials2, representative of a rail vehicle, as per the test plan produced in WP1, to gather data on the solar, thermal and operational environment performance of SRSs.

•Analyse the data gathered from the box trials to enable cost-benefit analysis of the material systems and mitigate potential risk/unsuitable candidates.

Work Package 3 - Business case for SRS adoption

  • Produce an initial business case for the use of SRSs on GB passenger rolling stock based on WP2.

Work Package 4 - Planning next steps – This will only be undertaken if business case in WP3 is positive

  • Identify the questions (including technical) that remain to be answered to make informed decisions on the adoption of SRS.
  • Develop a test plan for trial(s) that would answer the outstanding questions identified in WP 2 and 3 so RSSB may seek support from relevant parties and plan for such trial(s).

Note – The decision to proceed with the last work package will be made by RSSB based on the findings from WP2 and 3. The work for WP4 should be included in the total price, but with the cost separately identified to be able to be removed if WP4 is not progressed.

benefit analysis of the material systems and mitigate potential risk/unsuitable candidates.

For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:

www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London… ↗

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:

www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/H6PV3F8HC3 ↗

CPV: Research services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1 11 moSMEVCSEPublished value£120,000
Contract period: 12 Mar 2026 – 11 Feb 2027 (11 mo)Value: £120,000 exc. VAT · £144,000 inc. VAT
Eligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Quality: 80%Price: 20%
Published sub-criteria (5)
  • W2 Tenderer’s understanding and methodology [Max 6 pages]: 30%
  • W3 Tenderer’s experience and individual expertise [Max 3 pages, excluding CVs]: 20%
  • W4 Project management: Planning and engagement: 20%
  • W5 Project management: Risks and opportunities: 10%
  • W6 Price: 20%
Published award criteria (5)
  • W2 Tenderer’s understanding and methodology [Max 6 pages]
  • W3 Tenderer’s experience and individual expertise [Max 3 pages, excluding CVs]
  • W4 Project management: Planning and engagement
  • W5 Project management: Risks and opportunities
  • W6 Price
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 20 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Below threshold - open competition
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Closed
Procurement threshold
Below threshold
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
28 Jan 2026, 12:06 GMT
Last source update
28 Jan 2026, 12:06 GMT
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-007543
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
Research services
Delivery area
Not published
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0610c7 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: Delta eSourcing · Who buys & how to bid on Delta
Public notice page · account needed to bidElectronic submission allowed
Access & registration note: Free Select account; no DUNS asked at signup
Submission deadline
27 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
9 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

28 Jan 2026 → 12 Mar 2026 · 4 dates
  1. Tender notice published274 days ago
    28 Jan 2026, 12:06 GMT
  2. Clarification questions by262 days ago
    9 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
  3. Submission deadline244 days ago
    27 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
  4. Contract starts231 days ago
    12 Mar 2026

Notice history

1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender
  1. Tender notice published
    28 Jan 2026, 12:06 GMT
    UK4

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB)

Contracting authorityPublic undertaking GB-PPON: PVGN-9767-BLPT 25 Fenchurch Avenue,, London, London, EC3M 5ADContact name, email, phone

Official documents & specifications (1)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender