Tamar Bridge Toll Collection Service

Tamar Crossings and Cornwall Council, on behalf of the parent authorities of Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council, invites tender submissions from suitable suppliers to provide a replacement contract for toll collection services at Tamar Bridge, as the current contract is reaching the end of its full term.

Tolls collected at the Tamar Bridge represent the major source of income for the Tamar Bridge and a physical presence is still required in each of the five mixed mode toll lanes and to support our two automated lanes. Tolls are collected in one direction only following crossing, from a plaza located on the eastern (Plymouth) side of the river.

A secondary element of office and rest facility cleaning has allowed contractors to productively engage reserve support staff in this activity. The routine presence of contractor’s supervisors and the pool of capable staff ensures cleaning is completed to appropriate levels of quality and there is robust continuity for both toll collection and cleaning provided by the appointed contractor.

This high-profile 24/7/365 service has been contracted out since 1986, with the current contract expiring on 31 March 2027 a new arrangement is required with an initial contract term of three years, with optional extensions of up to five years in total, in any combination, giving a maximum possible duration of eight years.

The structure and flexibility of the extension options are necessary due to ongoing investigations into the potential implementation of an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system. Introduction of ORT would directly affect future service requirements, and the potential for change requires that the Authority retain discretion over if, and for how long, the extension options are exercised.

For the avoidance of doubt, suppliers should be aware that Tamar Bridge have a maximum available budget of £944,671 for the initial year of this opportunity and that no contingency beyond this sum exists.

An inflation mechanism exists within the contact, allowing adjustment to apply annually from the first anniversary of the starting date to take account of cost inflation with the percentage change to the National Living Wage applied to 50% of the contract price and the percentage change over 12 months to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) applied to 50% of the contract price. Any such adjustment will be facilitated by discussion and agreement with the contract manager. Please refer to the Invitation to Tender and Contract document for further information.

It should be noted that the estimated total value of the requirement over the maximum available term of eight (8) years as advertised in this notice is a value of £8,350,221. This figure is without VAT and includes an allowance of 4% per annum compound indexation of the contract price and should be taken as best estimate only.

The Authority anticipates that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) may apply to this contract.

It should also be noted the Authorities reserve the right on giving written notice to the Supplier from time to time to require changes to the Services (including by way of the removal of Services, the addition of new Services, or increasing or decreasing the Services or specifying the order in which the Services are to be performed or the locations where the Services are to be provided) for any reason whatsoever.

In the event of a Variation the Contract Price may also be varied. Such variation in the Contract Price shall be calculated by the Supplier and agreed in writing with the Authorities and shall be such amount as properly and fairly reflects the nature and extent of the Variation in all the circumstances.