Official UK procurement notice
ScotRail suburban fleet (EMU and BEMU) financier procurement
Authority: ScotRail Trains Limited
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis Contract Notice formally commences the procurement process for the financing of a new fleet of trains (the "Suburban Fleet"), comprising Electric Multiple Units ("EMU") and Battery Electric Multiple Units ("BEMU"). ScotRail Trains Limited ("ScotRail") intends to procure a financier / owner who will fund and retain ownership of the Suburban Fleet and subsequently lease it to ScotRail for operational use for a duration of up to 30 years via a rolling stock lease ("Lease").
The Suburban Fleet will be supplied under a Manufacture and Supply Agreement ("MSA"), which is the subject of a separate procurement process (the “Suburban Manufacturer procurement"), with Find a Tender reference 2025/S 000-071234. The financier / owner will be a party to the MSA.
The Suburban Fleet will comprise a minimum of 69 trains, with an option for additional orders of up to 37 trains.
ScotRail will select economic operators to be invited to negotiate in this procurement process in accordance with the selection criteria detailed in the Pre-Qualification Pack which includes the pre-qualification questionnaire and procurement overview and instructions document (together the "PQQ"). The Lease will be awarded according to the criteria specified in the forthcoming Invitation to Negotiate (the "ITN").
CPV: Financial leasing services · Rolling stock
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1The scope of services to be provided by the successful economic operator is…Renewal
The scope of services to be provided by the successful economic operator is anticipated to include the financing of the Suburban Fleet (manufactured via the MSA), with the successful Bidder taking ownership of the Suburban Fleet, and subsequently leasing it to ScotRail for a term of up to 30 years, via the Lease (such term being extendable - see II2.7).
It is anticipated that Transport Scotland will provide a Section 54 undertaking in respect of the Lease arrangements, covering the 30-year period.
ScotRail is conducting the Suburban Manufacturer Procurement in parallel with this procurement process to secure a manufacturer to design, manufacture, test, certify, commission, sell, and deliver the new Suburban Fleet, as well as provide relevant inputs relating to infrastructure and depot/stabling works to accommodate the Suburban Fleet.
The owner / financier will be a party to the MSA alongside ScotRail and the successful manufacturer appointed under the Suburban Manufacturer Procurement. Please refer to the PQQ for a summary of the interface between this procurement process and the Manufacturer Procurement.
Economic operators will have their capability and financial standing evaluated at the PQQ stage, and those Economic operators that are successful will be invited to the ITN stage, as outlined in the procurement documents.
This procurement is being run by ScotRail under the terms of its Grant Agreement with the Scottish Ministers and Scottish Rail Holdings Limited ("SRH"). It is anticipated that the contract subject to this procurement process will be awarded and entered into by ScotRail.
The aim of this procurement is to deliver Transport Scotland’s requirements as set out in Schedule 6 of the Grant Agreement. Following receipt and evaluation of tenders, ScotRail will prepare a Final Business Case ("FBC") in line with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance for SRH and Transport Scotland consideration. Progress to contract award is dependent on the approval by Transport Scotland of a compliant and affordable FBC.
Interested parties must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and will be granted access to the Pre-Qualification Event in Waxdigital once the signed NDA has been returned.
Waxdigital Link: scotrail.wax-live.com/S2C/DisplayModules/T… ↗
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).
- Suitability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
- Legal form for consortia
- ScotRail will accept responses from single entities or joint ventures / consortia. ScotRail does not require any such joint ventures / consortia to form a single legal entity in order to request to participate or to tender / negotiate in relation to this procurement process. ScotRail will consider contracting with a joint venture / consortium, provided always that prior to contract award: the participants in any joint venture / consortium form a single legal entity; and all other applicable requirements outlined in the procurement documents are complied with.
- Shortlisting
- As stated in the procurement documents.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0025 Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (Directive 2014/25/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 27 Feb 2026, 11:15 GMT
- Last source update
- 27 Feb 2026, 11:15 GMT
- Authority reference
SR-PACT-PROJ-466- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-017792- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-065e0eFind a Tender- Contract terms summary
MSA: It is anticipated that the design, manufacture, testing, certification, commissioning and delivery of the Suburban Fleet under the MSA will be financed by a financier / owner of the Suburban Fleet. This procurement process intends to identify the financier / owner, whilst the separate Suburban Manufacturer Procurement intends to identify a manufacturer to design, manufacture, test, certify, commission, sell and deliver the new Suburban Fleet. The arrangements for payments to the manufacturer from the financier / owner will be set out in the MSA.
Lease: It is anticipated that the financer / owner will lease the Suburban Fleet to ScotRail. The arrangements for payments to the financier / owner from ScotRail will be set out in the Lease.
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
- Performance terms
As stated in the procurement documents.
- Review procedure
In accordance with the Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016
Publisher note: ScotRail, along with SRH and Scottish Ministers, is continuing to explore complementary sources of funds for the Suburban Fleet, which may reduce or amend the financing required from the financier / owner, and the procurement process, procurement document and / or contractual arrangements may be adapted accordingly. ScotRail may implement revisions to this procurement process, and / or the procurement documents, to accommodate the provision of funds to ScotRail or to a financier / owner. Similarly, the resulting contractual arrangements (including the MSA and / or Lease) may be amended to accommodate this, through a contractual option or otherwise (and in addition to any general refinancing option that ScotRail may in any event require in the document set), where such investment becomes available later. Access to the procurement documents is restricted, subject to the completion (to SRT's satisfaction) of an NDA. Further information can be obtained at: https://scotrail.wax-live.com/S2C/DisplayModules/TradeModules/Negotiations/Opportunities/ListEvents.aspx Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to: https://scotrail.wax-live.com/S2C/DisplayModules/TradeModules/Negotiations/Opportunities/ListEvents.aspx NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=818847. (SC Ref:818847)
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 10 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Participation fee
- document
- Deposits and guarantees
- Detailed requirements will be set out in the ITN (and procurement documents accompanying this).
Timeline
27 Feb 2026 → 28 Apr 2028 · 5 dates- Notice published243 days ago27 Feb 2026, 11:15 GMT
- Submission deadline201 days ago10 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
- Invitations to tender expected104 days ago17 Jul 2026, 00:00 BST
- Today29 Oct 2026
- Contract starts28 Apr 2028, 00:00 BST
- Bids must remain valid until28 Apr 2028, 23:59 BST
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Glasgow Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace CourtReview bodyReview contact point
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Economic and financial selection criteria
- Technical selection criteria