ScotRail Platform Validators - Software & Support

CPV: Maintenance and repair of ticket-validation machinery

Procedure method

Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition

Legal basis

CELEX · 32014L0025 Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (Directive 2014/25/EU)

Procurement category

Services

Notice status

Awarded without competition

Procurement threshold

Unspecified in notice

Regulatory regime

Standard

Commercial structure

Stand-alone contract (no framework)

Competition type

Direct award (no call for competition)

GPA / WTO covered

Yes (GPA)

Recurring procurement

Unspecified in notice

First published

3 Feb 2026, 16:36 GMT

Last source update

8 Apr 2026, 12:29 BST

FTS notice number

2026/S 000-031896

Classification (CPV)

Maintenance and repair of ticket-validation machinery

Delivery area

Scotland (UKM)

Official registry OCID

ocds-h6vhtk-0615c9 Find a Tender

Why no open competition

The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive

Published justification

On the basis of the Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulation 86 1(b)(i)(ii) which states that the contract may be modified without a new procurement to provide for additional works, supplies or services by the original contractor, irrespective of their value, that have become necessary and were not included in the initial procurement, where a change of contractor (i)cannot be made for economic or technical reasons such as requirements of interchangeability or interoperability with existing equipment, services or installations procured under the initial procurement.

Vix are the original supplier of the platform validators and therefore there is an absence of competition for intellectual property, exclusive rights and technical reasons and there are no reasonable alternatives with the capabilities to support and maintain the existing platform validators. Vix own the IP and exclusive rights within the back-office software which is fundamental to the functionality of the validators. Vix are in the best position to carry out maintenance and repair activities on their own product including possessing the qualified skills and processes, as well as having access to replacement parts as required. Attempting to appoint another supplier to carry out these activities is likely to result in additional costs for ScotRail in funding upskilling and development of processes for a new supplier and their personnel and an additional layer of cost in sourcing replacement parts from Vix through another supplier.

Publisher note: (SC Ref:828888)

• Vix TechnologyAwarded supplier 141-145 Charles Street, Glasgow, UK, G21 2QA

No document links were published on the notice.