Lift and Escalator Type Approval Request for Information

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (“NR” or “the Authority”) is the infrastructure manager responsible for the operation, maintenance and development of the national rail network in Great Britain. NR manages approximately 1500 passenger lifts across its managed station estate.

NR has developed a new standardised technical framework for the design, assurance, manufacture and installation of passenger lifts at NR-managed stations. This framework, comprising four technical modules, represents a significant change to how NR specifies, procures and accepts new lift assets into its estate.

It is anticipated that NR will be looking to procure approximately 50 Machine Room Less (MRL) hybrid lifts for the Access for All scheme in the next 5 years, provisionally more if further Department for Transport (DfT) funding is granted. In terms of the existing lift portfolio there are approximately 125 assets that are reaching the end of their 25 year life within the next 5 years which will be prioritised for renewal subject to funding agreement from the DfT.

This Request for Information (“RFI”) is issued as a pre-market engagement exercise under the Procurement Act 2023 (“PA23”). Its purpose is to invite Original Equipment Manufacturers (“OEMs”) to provide structured responses that will help NR understand:

• How OEMs would demonstrate compliance with NR’s new technical standards across all four modules;
• How OEMs would operate within NR’s intended commercial model, including both supply-only and turnkey delivery arrangements;
• What a viable commercial framework structure might look like, including pricing approaches that deliver consistent and auditable value to NR.

This RFI is a market engagement exercise only. It does not constitute a tender, an invitation to tender, or any commitment by Network Rail to procure goods or services from any respondent. Nothing in this document or any response to it shall create any contractual obligation on NR or any respondent.

NR reserves the right to:

• Amend, withdraw or cancel this RFI at any time without prior notice;
• Decline to proceed to formal tender;
• Use the information provided to inform, but not limit, the scope of any future procurement;
• Share anonymised and aggregated RFI findings with the market as part of ongoing engagement.

Respondents will not be evaluated or scored on their responses to this RFI. Participation or non-participation does not confer any advantage or disadvantage in any subsequent procurement exercise. All responses will be treated as commercially sensitive and will not be disclosed to third parties, save as required by law or NR’s transparency obligations.