Find a TenderClosedTender notice
Published 18 Jul 2025, 13:29 BST

Official UK procurement notice

GWR - Train Planning System

Official notice

Authority: FIRST GREATER WESTERN LIMITED (Public body)

GoodsCompetitive flexible procedureAbove thresholdUtilities
Published estimate£3,000,000≈ £500k / year · £3,600,000 inc. VAT · 1 value update
Submissions closed 28 Aug 2026
Contract term 6 yrsends 1 Jun 2033 · up to 1 Jun 2035 with extensions · starts 2 Jun 2027

What is being bought

Published requirement description

This procurement process is being advertised and run by First Greater Western limited on its own behalf and on behalf of the successor operator of the rail passenger transport services in respect of Great Western Railway (GWR). That successor operator will be a public sector company, is expected to be a wholly owned subsidiary of DfT OLR Holdings Limited and will be ultimately owned by the Secretary of State for Transport. The date for transfer of the current operations to the successor operator is not yet confirmed. Where the transfer is completed before contract award under this procurement process, the successor operator may elect (but will not be obliged) to carry on with this procurement process in place of GWR, by taking on the role of contracting entity from the date of completion of the transfer (with this notice and all other procurement documents to be interpreted accordingly). Where the transfer is not yet completed by the time of contract award, contractual rights may be included in the contractual arrangements to enable transfer to the successor operator. Bidders should note that this procurement process (if ongoing), or any awarded contract, may be included in a transfer scheme made by the Secretary of State under section 12 of the Railways Act 2005, or the transfer may be effected outside of, or separate from, such a scheme.

If transfer takes place before the contract award the successor operator shall assume all the rights of the Client set out in this document. All references to the Client shall be deemed to refer to the successor operator for the purposes of this procurement and the successor operator shall be entitled to continue or terminate this procurement as if it was involved

GWR seeks to procure and implement a modern, future-proofed train planning solution that ensures continuity of service delivery and operational safety. The new system will integrate seamlessly with rostering and control platforms.

In terms of the overall project Objectives, they can be summarised as follows:

  1. Provide a new system that can replicate and improve on current functionality as well as having the opportunity for further development and efficiencies
  2. To provide our colleagues a System that helps support decision making and improves outputs
  3. Undertake the transition programme to a new system in a way that does not have an impact on the day-to-day Business outputs whilst it is taking place.
  4. Bring our colleagues with us throughout the programme and ensure they are trained in the best possible way to learn the new system.
  5. To ensure value for tax-payer funds from this procurement, demonstrating GWR's commitment to being a "good and efficient operator".
  • How the procedure runs: Expressions of Interest, Pre-Qualification Questionnaire Invitation to Tender Supplier Demonstration of Proposed Solution

CPV: Industry specific software package

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1Renewal 6 yrsPublished value£3,000,000
Contract period: 2 Jun 2027 – 1 Jun 2033 (6 yrs) · up to 1 Jun 2035 with extensionsValue: £3,000,000 exc. VAT · £3,600,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: UK, South East, South West
Extensions: Related goods and services · 2 x 1 year extensions

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: 60%Price: 40%
Published sub-criteria (2)
  • Quality: 60%
  • Commercial: 40%
Published award criteria (2)
  • Commercial
  • Quality
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 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
Competitive flexible procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Goods
Notice status
Closed
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Utilities
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
18 Jul 2025, 13:29 BST
Last source update
31 Jul 2026, 16:08 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 12 Mar 2027
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-072871
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
Industry specific software package
Delivery area
UKSouth East (UKJ1)South West (UKK)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05621d Find a Tender
How it runs

Expressions of Interest,

Pre-Qualification Questionnaire

Invitation to Tender

Supplier Demonstration of Proposed Solution

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: portal not identified
Electronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Requests to participate (first stage)
28 Aug 2026, 16:00 BST
Submission deadline
28 Aug 2026, 16:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

18 Jul 2025 → 2 Jun 2027 · 6 dates
  1. Planning notice published
    18 Jul 2025, 13:29 BST
  2. Market engagement
    12 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST

    GWR want to hear from suppliers who feel they can realistically provide the Service. The project team are happy to discuss over Teams, face to face or on site. The GWR team will agree the next steps as interest is received.

    Please register your interest in participating in this stage here ; redirect.transaxions.com/events/2p4L0 ↗

  3. Tender notice published88 days ago
    31 Jul 2026, 16:08 BST
  4. Submission deadline60 days ago
    28 Aug 2026, 16:00 BST
  5. Today
    27 Oct 2026
  6. Award decision expected byin 136 days
    12 Mar 2027, 23:59 GMT
  7. Contract startsin 217 days
    2 Jun 2027, 00:00 BST

Notice history

6 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 18 Jul 2025
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    18 Jul 2025, 13:29 BST
    UK2
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    18 Jul 2025, 13:31 BST
    UK2
  3. Tender notice published
    31 Jul 2026, 16:08 BST
    UK4
  4. Published value published: £3,000,000
    31 Jul 2026, 16:08 BST
  5. Status changed to active
    31 Jul 2026, 16:08 BST
  6. Procurement method changed
    31 Jul 2026, 16:08 BST

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

FIRST GREATER WESTERN LIMITED

Contracting authorityPrivate utility GB-COH: 05113733 · GB-PPON: PXVG-2764-GZCQ Milford House 1 Milford Street, Wiltshire, South West, SN1 1HLContact email

Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure