Find a TenderPast planning noticePreliminary market engagement notice
Published 28 May 2025, 10:25 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Rail Management Software · UK public procurement notice

Official notice

Authority: Direct Rail Services Limited (Public body)

GoodsAbove thresholdSME suitable
Sectors: Software Packages & ERP (48) Delivery: Delivery location not published
Planned pipeline value£210,000pipeline notice, not a live tender
Tender notice expected 1 Sept 2025from the planned procurement notice
Contract term 5 yrsends 1 Feb 2031 · starts 2 Feb 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Rail Management Software DRS are seeking to procure an off-the-shelf IT solution, covering : 1. Locomotives; 2. Wagons; 3. Maintenance; and 4. Traincrew planning along our value chain. to enable a dynamic planning process across all assets (drivers, locomotives, wagons), train paths, and maintenance to deliver optimised plans in long-term, short-term-planning and in real-time management.

CPV: Software package and information systems

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Planned 5 yrsSME
Contract period: 2 Feb 2026 – 1 Feb 2031 (5 yrs)
Eligibility: SME eligible

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Goods
Notice status
Past planning notice
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
28 May 2025, 10:25 BST
Last source update
28 May 2025, 10:25 BST
Authority reference
C26016
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-027969
Latest notice
Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
Classification (CPV)
Software package and information systems
Delivery area
Not published
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05278c Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
—

Timeline

28 May 2025 → 2 Feb 2026 · 4 dates
  1. Planning notice published
    28 May 2025, 10:25 BST
  2. Market engagement
    2 Jun 2025, 23:59 BST

    Supplier Engagement Day Invitation – Rail Management Software Direct Rail Services (DRS) invites interested suppliers to attend a virtual Supplier Engagement Day for an upcoming procurement of an Integrated Rail Management Planning Software solution. Event Details

    • Date: 9th June 2025
    • Time: Start: 2pm BST (British Summer Time) / 13:00 UTC End: 5pm BST / 16:00 UTC Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams – link to be provided upon registration Purpose of the Event The purpose of this engagement is to:
    • Present the project and DRS’s objectives
    • Hold a Q&A session
    • Provide an overview of the anticipated procurement process and use the engagement session to inform the procurement process, conditions of participation and award criteria
    • Engage with suppliers to generate interest and prime their resources for the upcoming Tender opportunity.
    • Understand market capabilities to refine the scope
    • Understand indicative costs It is intended that the sessions will be recorded to assist with disseminating relevant information from the event to suppliers participating in the procurement process and to suppliers unable to attend the Engagement Day. Please note that the responses to this notice will be used for information purposes and will not be deemed as forming part of any proposed bid now, or any future tender. Project Scope Overview We are seeking to procure an off-the-shelf IT solution, covering : 1. Locomotives; 2. Wagons; 3. Maintenance; and 4. Traincrew planning along our value chain. to enable a dynamic planning process across all assets (drivers, locomotives, wagons), train paths, and maintenance to deliver optimised plans in long-term, short-term-planning and in real-time management. How to Register Responding to this Notice is an excellent opportunity to engage, share relevant information and provide feedback. Should you wish to participate, please complete the registration form via the following link by COB Monday 2nd June: forms.office.com/e/dniJRFFmiz ↗ Thank you for your interest and we look forward to meeting with you virtually on the 9th June. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please reach out to Paula Smith (Senior Buyer) by emailing [email protected]. NEXT STEPS One-to-One Demonstration Sessions If, following the engagement day, you believe your solution is able to meet our vision and requirements, there may be the opportunity for you to demonstrate your solution to us. We will share more information about this on the 9th June. These sessions will:
    • Be guided by clearly defined expectations — a scope will be provided in advance.
    • Last up to two hours per supplier
    • Be conducted virtually Important Notes
    • Participation in the Supplier Engagement Day does not guarantee inclusion in the formal procurement process. Likewise, non-participation in the Supplier Engagement Day does not preclude suppliers from participating in the procurement process.
    • DRS is, on a voluntary basis, operating under the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) for this procurement and is therefore advertising this opportunity on the Central Digital Platform. By doing so, it does not become a public authority and DRS reserve the right to deviate from the PA23 at its discretion but will preserve the principles of fairness and transparency.
    • DRS reserves the right to revise its procurement approach prior to issuing the formal Tender Notice.
    • Please note that should demonstrations be conducted at pre-market engagement stage, these will be used for information purposes only and will not be assessed or evaluated.
  3. Tender notice expected
    1 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
  4. Contract starts264 days ago
    2 Feb 2026

Notice history

1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    28 May 2025, 10:25 BST
    UK2

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Pipeline notice
Awards (0)
No award published
Contracts (0)
No contract published
Bid statistics
No aggregate bid statistics published

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Direct Rail Services Limited

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PNBJ-7645-CMHD Regents Court, Baron Way, Carlisle, North West, CA6 4SJContact name, email

Official documents & specifications (1)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure