Find a TenderAwarded without competitionTransparency notice
Published 17 Oct 2025, 13:39 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Ticket Vending Machines (Retail Systems)

Official notice

Authority: CHILTERN RAIL LIMITED (Public body)

Direct awardUtilitiesSME suitable
Awarded value£2,909,562published award · exc. VAT
Award in standstill Not publishedno call for competition
Award (standstill) to FLOWBIRD TRANSPORT LIMITED

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Chiltern owns and operates 80 Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) across the stations it operates. This direct award agreement is with the existing supplier who built, installed and maintained the TVMs, and is for the continued maintenance only of the existing TVMs.

In addition to the existing service level agreements, which we intend to keep as is, a number of additional requirements have been proposed.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Utilities
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
17 Oct 2025, 13:39 BST
Last source update
17 Oct 2025, 13:39 BST
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-066319
Latest notice
Transparency notice (UK5)
Delivery area
North East (UKC)North West (UKD)Yorkshire & Humber (UKE)East Midlands (UKF)West Midlands (UKG)East of England (UKH)London (UKI)South East (UKJ)
+1 moreSouth West (UKK)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05ced9 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Intellectual Property Exclusive Rights
Published justification

The supplier is the only supplier who can maintain the TVMs as it holds the intellectual property rights which are required to be able to maintain the TVMs. The TVMs are mid-life (and not life expired) and therefore significant capex investment would be required in order to procure new TVMS which could be maintained by an alternative suppliers. As a result, there is no reasonable alternative available.

Notice history

2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 17 Oct 2025
  1. Transparency notice published
    17 Oct 2025, 13:39 BST
    UK5
  2. Contract signature expected
    30 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1some still in standstill
Awarded value £2,909,5621 award exc. VAT
Awarded toValueDateStatus
FLOWBIRD TRANSPORT LIMITED1 Dec 2025 – 1 Dec 2029 · up to 1 Dec 2031Extensions: Option to allow Chiltern to Extend for 2 years£2,909,562—Standstill

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

THE CHILTERN RAILWAY COMPANY LIMITED

Contracting authorityPrivate utility GB-COH: 03007939 · GB-PPON: PNPV-7838-DRMN 1 Admiral Way, Sunderland, North East, SR3 3XPContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • Flowbird Transport LimitedAwarded supplierGB-COH: 01232487 10 Willis Way, Fleets Industrial Estate, Poole, South West, BH15 3SSContact email

Official documents & specifications (1)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender