Supporting Transport for Greater Manchester in Shaping a TfGM Owned Unified Data Model (UDM)

{
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  "date": "2026-04-28T11:18:50+01:00",
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    "id": "GB-PPON-PNJQ-2746-NWYT",
    "name": "Transport for Greater Manchester"
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    "title": "Supporting Transport for Greater Manchester in Shaping a TfGM Owned Unified Data Model (UDM)",
    "value": {
      "currency": "GBP",
      "amountGross": 200000
    },
    "status": "planning",
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      "id": "2023/54",
      "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents",
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    "description": "Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is seeking to engage with the market to inform the development of a TfGM owned Unified Data Model (UDM) that will provide a robust, reusable data foundation for the Bee Network and wider organisational needs.\nTfGM manages a complex, multi modal transport network covering highways, bus, tram, and active travel, supported by a diverse technology estate and multiple third party suppliers. TfGM is increasingly dependent on timely, reliable and coherent data to support operational decision making, performance management, planning, and future digital capabilities.\nThis engagement seeks to draw on market experience and expertise to help TfGM refine its thinking, validate assumptions, and shape a sustainable approach to developing and governing a UDM that can meet both current and future business objectives.\nStrategic Context\nTfGM has defined three strategic objectives for the Bee Network and the wider organisation by 2030:\n1.\tCreate a single view of the transport network across modes and operational domains\n2.\tEstablish a single source of truth for operational, performance and asset information\n3.\tDevelop a digital twin capability to support planning, simulation and assurance\nTfGM recognises that achieving these objectives requires a strong and coherent data foundation, rather than a dependence on individual systems or suppliers.\nA TfGM owned Unified Data Model is being explored as a key enabler that can:\n•\tProvide a canonical representation of the transport network and its components\n•\tSupport consistent interpretation of data across systems and functional areas\n•\tEnable reuse of data across operational, analytical and strategic use cases\n•\tUnderpin digital twin capabilities over time\nUnified Data Model (UDM) - Current Thinking\nTfGM is exploring the establishment of a TfGM owned and governed Unified Data Model, defined at a conceptual and logical level, independent of any single vendor or technology.\nKey principles being considered include:\n•\tThe UDM represents core network entities, events, states and relationships in a consistent and extensible way\n•\tIt acts as a canonical or reference model, against which data from multiple sources and platforms can be aligned\n•\tIt is owned and governed by TfGM, allowing long term stability and control\n•\tIt is designed to support both real time and historical views of the transport network\nWhile initial thinking has been informed by Highways together with Operational Control Centre use cases, TfGM is now considering the need to evolve this thinking into a business wide UDM, capable of supporting a much broader range of consumers and use cases across the organisation.\nRelationship to Vendor Provided Solutions\nTfGM anticipates that different suppliers may provide solutions that utilise their own internal or proprietary data models.\nThe intent of a TfGM owned UDM is not to replace or mandate supplier data models, but to:\n•\tEnable federation, mapping or abstraction across multiple vendor data models\n•\tFacilitate portability of data and capability between solutions over time\n•\tReduce dependency on tightly coupled, proprietary representations of TfGM's network\n•\tSupport coexistence of multiple platforms while maintaining a consistent enterprise view\nTfGM is therefore particularly interested in approaches that allow vendor solutions to:\n•\tIntegrate with, publish to, or consume from a TfGM UDM\n•\tMap or transform data between proprietary models and the TfGM canonical model\n•\tOperate independently while still contributing to a single, coherent picture of the network\nBusiness Drivers and Challenges\nTfGM is seeking to address a number of challenges through this work, including:\n•\tFragmented and inconsistent representations of the transport network across systems\n•\tDuplication of data modelling effort between projects and suppliers\n•\tDifficulty reusing data across operational, analytical and planning contexts\n•\tLimited ability to decouple strategic data assets from individual vendor solutions\n•\tRisk of long term vendor lock in as new platforms are introduced\nThe UDM is seen as a potential mechanism to centralise meaning without centralising systems, enabling TfGM to evolve its digital landscape in a controlled and flexible manner.\nPurpose of this Market Engagement\nTfGM is not undertaking a procurement through this engagement.\nThe purpose is to engage with organisations that have experience supporting large, complex, data intensive organisations to:\n•\tShape, validate or implement unified or canonical data models\n•\tAlign data architecture with long term digital strategy and roadmaps\n•\tDesign governance models that balance consistency with flexibility\n•\tEnable interoperability across supplier ecosystems\nTfGM wishes to use this engagement to test and refine its thinking around:\n•\tWhether a TfGM owned UDM is the right strategic approach\n•\tHow such a model should be scoped, structured and governed\n•\tHow it should evolve from domain specific (e.g. Highways) to enterprise wide\n•\tHow it can practically support digital twin ambitions over time\nWhat TfGM Is Asking the Market to Respond To\nSuppliers are invited to provide high level responses covering:\n•\tRelevant experience of delivering or supporting unified data models or similar constructs at scale\n•\tHow they would support TfGM in shaping, validating or maturing a TfGM owned UDM\n•\tHow a UDM can support: \no\tFederation across multiple vendor platforms\no\tPortability of data and capability over time\no\tLong term digital twin development\n•\tViews on governance, ownership and change control for an enterprise UDM\n•\tWhat a typical engagement and delivery model might look like (e.g. discovery, assurance, roadmap definition)\nResponses should focus on approach, principles and experience, rather than promotion of specific proprietary products or platforms.\nNext Steps\nFeedback from this market engagement will be used to inform TfGM's future strategy, roadmap and potential commissioning of advisory or delivery support for building a strong data foundation.\nParticipation in this engagement does not guarantee involvement in any subsequent procurement.",
    "aboveThreshold": false,
    "mainProcurementCategory": "services"
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  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-PPON-PNJQ-2746-NWYT",
      "name": "Transport for Greater Manchester",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKD33",
        "country": "GB",
        "locality": "Manchester",
        "postalCode": "M1 3BG",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "2 Piccadilly Place"
      },
      "details": {
        "url": "https://tfgm.com",
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          {
            "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
            "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
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      "identifier": {
        "id": "PNJQ-2746-NWYT",
        "scheme": "GB-PPON"
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      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "procurement@tfgm.com"
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    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "planning": {
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        "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038431-2026",
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        "datePublished": "2026-04-28T11:18:50+01:00"
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    "milestones": [
      {
        "id": "engagement",
        "type": "engagement",
        "status": "scheduled",
        "dueDate": "2026-05-29T23:59:59+01:00",
        "description": "Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is seeking to engage with the market to inform the development of a TfGM owned Unified Data Model (UDM) that will provide a robust, reusable data foundation for the Bee Network and wider organisational needs.\nTfGM manages a complex, multi modal transport network covering highways, bus, tram, and active travel, supported by a diverse technology estate and multiple third party suppliers. TfGM is increasingly dependent on timely, reliable and coherent data to support operational decision making, performance management, planning, and future digital capabilities.\nThis engagement seeks to draw on market experience and expertise to help TfGM refine its thinking, validate assumptions, and shape a sustainable approach to developing and governing a UDM that can meet both current and future business objectives.\nTfGM has defined three strategic objectives for the Bee Network and the wider organisation by 2030:\n1.\tCreate a single view of the transport network across modes and operational domains\n2.\tEstablish a single source of truth for operational, performance and asset information\n3.\tDevelop a digital twin capability to support planning, simulation and assurance\nTfGM recognises that achieving these objectives requires a strong and coherent data foundation, rather than a dependence on individual systems or suppliers.\nA TfGM owned Unified Data Model is being explored as a key enabler that can:\n•\tProvide a canonical representation of the transport network and its components\n•\tSupport consistent interpretation of data across systems and functional areas\n•\tEnable reuse of data across operational, analytical and strategic use cases\n•\tUnderpin digital twin capabilities over time\nTfGM is exploring the establishment of a TfGM owned and governed Unified Data Model, defined at a conceptual and logical level, independent of any single vendor or technology.\nKey principles being considered include:\n•\tThe UDM represents core network entities, events, states and relationships in a consistent and extensible way\n•\tIt acts as a canonical or reference model, against which data from multiple sources and platforms can be aligned\n•\tIt is owned and governed by TfGM, allowing long term stability and control\n•\tIt is designed to support both real time and historical views of the transport network\nWhile initial thinking has been informed by Highways together with Operational Control Centre use cases, TfGM is now considering the need to evolve this thinking into a business wide UDM, capable of supporting a much broader range of consumers and use cases across the organisation.\nTfGM anticipates that different suppliers may provide solutions that utilise their own internal or proprietary data models.\nThe intent of a TfGM owned UDM is not to replace or mandate supplier data models, but to:\n•\tEnable federation, mapping or abstraction across multiple vendor data models\n•\tFacilitate portability of data and capability between solutions over time\n•\tReduce dependency on tightly coupled, proprietary representations of TfGM's network\n•\tSupport coexistence of multiple platforms while maintaining a consistent enterprise view\nTfGM is therefore particularly interested in approaches that allow vendor solutions to:\n•\tIntegrate with, publish to, or consume from a TfGM UDM\n•\tMap or transform data between proprietary models and the TfGM canonical model\n•\tOperate independently while still contributing to a single, coherent picture of the network\nTfGM is seeking to address a number of challenges through this work, including:\n•\tFragmented and inconsistent representations of the transport network across systems\n•\tDuplication of data modelling effort between projects and suppliers\n•\tDifficulty reusing data across operational, analytical and planning contexts\n•\tLimited ability to decouple strategic data assets from individual vendor solutions\n•\tRisk of long term vendor lock in as new platforms are introduced\nThe UDM is seen as a potential mechanism to centralise meaning without centralising systems, enabling TfGM to evolve its digital landscape in a controlled and flexible manner.\nTfGM is not undertaking a procurement through this engagement.\nThe purpose is to engage with organisations that have experience supporting large, complex, data intensive organisations to:\n•\tShape, validate or implement unified or canonical data models\n•\tAlign data architecture with long term digital strategy and roadmaps\n•\tDesign governance models that balance consistency with flexibility\n•\tEnable interoperability across supplier ecosystems\nTfGM wishes to use this engagement to test and refine its thinking around:\n•\tWhether a TfGM owned UDM is the right strategic approach\n•\tHow such a model should be scoped, structured and governed\n•\tHow it should evolve from domain specific (e.g. Highways) to enterprise wide\n•\tHow it can practically support digital twin ambitions over time\nSuppliers are invited to provide high level responses covering:\n•\tRelevant experience of delivering or supporting unified data models or similar constructs at scale\n•\tHow they would support TfGM in shaping, validating or maturing a TfGM owned UDM\n•\tHow a UDM can support: \no\tFederation across multiple vendor platforms\no\tPortability of data and capability over time\no\tLong term digital twin development\n•\tViews on governance, ownership and change control for an enterprise UDM\n•\tWhat a typical engagement and delivery model might look like (e.g. discovery, assurance, roadmap definition)\nResponses should focus on approach, principles and experience, rather than promotion of specific proprietary products or platforms."
      }
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}