Official UK procurement notice
DfT National Freight Model
Authority: Department for Transport (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Department for Transport (DfT) intends to procure a supplier to develop a new National Freight Model (NFM), an in-house, cross-modal freight modelling capability designed to support transport policy development, appraisal, forecasting and decision-making across the UK. The NFM will replace existing freight modelling approaches and provide a modern analytical framework capable of representing freight movements across road, rail and domestic maritime modes.
The contract will include the design, development, calibration, validation and implementation of a multimodal freight model capable of estimating current and future freight demand and flows by commodity, vehicle type and transport mode. The model must support the analysis of domestic freight movements and international freight movements to and from the United Kingdom, including maritime and rail freight services.
The NFM will be required to assess the impacts of changes to infrastructure, land use, economic conditions, logistics behaviours and government policy interventions. It will also enable the testing of alternative scenarios and sensitivities to support transport planning, network resilience analysis, decarbonisation initiatives, freight mode shift assessments and wider strategic policy development.
The successful supplier will be expected to develop and document the model, provide supporting methodologies, undertake any necessary data collection or acquisition activities, deliver stakeholder engagement and training, and ensure that the Department can operate, maintain and further develop the model independently following completion of the contract.
The procurement may include associated research, data acquisition, innovative analytical approaches and the development of new methodologies necessary to deliver the required modelling capabilities and outcomes.
HOW TO ACCESS THE ITT:
- Interest bidders will need to register to DfTs e-procurement platform (Jaggaer), using the below link:
dft.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html ↗
- Once registered - bidders can access the ITT via the below link:
CPV: Research consultancy services · Research services · Transport systems consultancy services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1RenewalPublished value£1,950,000
- Economic & financial standing
Please refer to Appendix 4 – Procurement Specific Questionnaire for details of the Authority's insurance and liability requirements. Interested suppliers can access the procurement documents, including the evaluation criteria and Appendix 4, via the Authority's eSourcing portal using the link provided.
- Technical & professional ability
The quality evaluation criteria are set out in Appendix 6 – Quality Response Document. Interested suppliers can access the procurement documents, including the quality evaluation criteria and associated requirements, via the Authority's eSourcing platform using the link provided.
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Technical/Quality: 80%
- Cost / Commercial: 20%
Published award criteria (2)
- Technical/Quality: There are five scored Quality questions within the Quality Envelope, which carries a total weighting of 70% of the overall tender evaluation. In addition, the Social Value Envelope carries a weighting of 10% of the overall tender evaluation. The summaries below are provided for information purposes only and are intended to give an overview of the areas that will be assessed. They do not reproduce the full questions or response requirements. Suppliers should refer to Appendix 6 – Quality Response Document for the complete questions, instructions and evaluation criteria. Quality Questions (70%) • Technical methodology for developing, validating and handing over a trusted, transparent and maintainable National Freight Model (NFM). • Approach to governance, programme management and delivery of the NFM within agreed time, cost and quality parameters. • Demonstration of recent and relevant transport and freight modelling capability, including the role of any consortium members or key subcontractors. • Demonstration of recent and relevant digital delivery capability to develop, deploy, document and transfer the NFM within DfT's Google Cloud Platform environment, including the role of any consortium members or key subcontractors. • Demonstration that the proposed delivery team possesses the collective skills, knowledge and experience required to deliver the NFM in accordance with the requirements set out in Appendix Social Value (10%) • Suppliers will be required to explain how they will deliver the Equal Opportunity theme within the Social Value Model. Interested suppliers may access the procurement documents, including Appendix 6 – Quality Response Document and the full evaluation criteria, via the Authority's eSourcing platform using the link provided in this notice.
- Cost / Commercial: The Commercial Envelope carries a weighting of 20% of the overall tender evaluation. The summary below is provided for information purposes only and does not reproduce the full pricing requirements. Suppliers should refer to the procurement documents for the complete instructions and pricing schedules. Commercial Evaluation (20%) Suppliers will be required to complete and submit the prescribed pricing schedule. The Total Core Delivery Price will be used for tender evaluation purposes and, subject to contract award, will form the basis of the contractual charges. Interest suppliers must complete all sections of the pricing schedule, including any supporting cost breakdowns and rate cards, in accordance with the instructions provided. Interested suppliers may access the procurement documents, including the pricing schedule, pricing instructions and full commercial evaluation criteria, via the Authority's eSourcing platform using the link provided in this notice.
- Economic & financial standing
Please refer to Appendix 4 – Procurement Specific Questionnaire for details of the Authority's insurance and liability requirements. Interested suppliers can access the procurement documents, including the evaluation criteria and Appendix 4, via the Authority's eSourcing portal using the link provided.
- Technical & professional ability
The quality evaluation criteria are set out in Appendix 6 – Quality Response Document. Interested suppliers can access the procurement documents, including the quality evaluation criteria and associated requirements, via the Authority's eSourcing platform using the link provided.
- 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
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- 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
- 1 Apr 2026, 13:45 BST
- Last source update
- 8 Sept 2026, 13:26 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 20 Oct 2026
- Authority reference
TANL3097- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-084877- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-067ac4Find a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 9 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 21 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Interest bidders will need to register to DfTs e-procurement platform (Jaggaer), using the below link:
dft.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html ↗
Once registered - bidders can access the ITT via the below link:
Timeline
1 Apr 2026 → 9 Nov 2026 · 8 dates- Planning notice published208 days ago1 Apr 2026, 13:45 BST
- Market engagement189 days ago20 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
Initial response - via DfTs e-sourcing platform:
Register via: dft.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html ↗
Access the PQQ via: dft.app.jaggaer.com/go/16288810019D490830DF ↗
We have provisionally selected 6th May, 12:30 - 14:30 for the workshop to take place, and expect it to be an online event via MS Teams. Please note, if you cannot attend the workshop but still want to provide written feedback, please still confirm your expression of interest to receive the draft schedule of requirements.
- Next notice expected118 days ago30 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published48 days ago8 Sept 2026, 13:26 BST
- Clarification questions by35 days ago21 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST
- Submission deadline17 days ago9 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
- Award decision expected by6 days ago20 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST
- Today26 Oct 2026
- Contract startsin 13 days9 Nov 2026
Notice history
7 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 1 Apr 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published1 Apr 2026, 13:45 BSTUK2
- Preliminary market engagement notice published1 Apr 2026, 13:53 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published8 Sept 2026, 13:26 BSTUK4
- Published value updated to £1,950,0008 Sept 2026, 13:26 BSTwas £0
- Status changed to active8 Sept 2026, 13:26 BST
- Procurement method changed8 Sept 2026, 13:26 BST
- Deadline published: 9 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST8 Sept 2026, 13:26 BST
Published amendments (1)
Additional CPV codes added.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender