Official UK procurement notice
Train Planning Software and Implementation Services
Authority: Northern Trains Ltd (Public body)
What is being bought3 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionNorthern Trains Limited is procuring the supply, implementation and support of a Train Planning (Timetabling and Diagramming) software solution. The solution will be used by NTL's Service Planning function to support the development and delivery of operational plans, including:
Planning and development of timetables for submission to Network Rail, in line with industry planning cycles and coordination with other operators.
Creation of crew diagrams to maximise coverage of timetabled services using available resources.
Creation of crew diagrams to maximise coverage of timetabled services using available resources.
Creation of unit diagrams to allocate rolling stock types to services within the NTL fleet(excluding allocation of specific units).
The scope includes the implementation of the solution, associated configuration, data migration, integration, testing, training and support services.
The successful supplier will be required to:
Deliver a fully operational production system by March 2027.
Support a period of parallel running prior to go-live.
Deliver system and operational cutover with no material impact on business-as-usual activities within the NTL Service Planning function.
Lot 1. Train Planning Software - Single Platform
Description
NTL is seeking to procure a single solution that will be used by the Service Planning department to deliver the following capabilities:
- Planning and development of timetables for submission to Network Rail. Timetables are submitted to Network Rail on a six-month rotation and must consider the requirements of customers along with the timetables being developed in parallel by other operators.
- Creation of Crew Diagrams to provide maximum coverage of timetabled services using available resource.
- Creation of Unit Diagrams describing the allocation of unit types to services from within the NTL unit asset catalogue. This does not include the allocation of specific units. The successful supplier will be required to implement the solution in line with the following:
- Full production implementation of a system by March 2027, with a period of parallel running completed prior.
- A system and operational cutover before or during March 2027, with no material impact on the BAU activities and capabilities of the NTL Service Planning department.
Contract 1. Train Planning Software and Implementation Services
Lot 1. Train Planning Software - Single Platform
Contract value
£4,729,595 excluding VAT
£5,675,514 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
- How the procedure runs: The Tender stages will be run as follows: Stage 1: All interested suppliers can apply to be considered for participation in this procurement exercise, through application via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/ Tenderbox Reference: TA9SBV97CP. Through a set of criteria defined in the PSQ documentation, a maximum of five (5) suppliers for each lot will be invited to respond to the ITN stage. All other suppliers (and non-compliant parties) will be notified as unsuccessful from the process at this stage. The PSQ will be evaluated in three (3) parts: Part 1: Mandatory information to be provided by the suppliers, failure to do so and in an accurate manner may lead to exclusion from the procurement process. Part 2: Questions relating to conditions of participation, including standard & technical questions Part 3: Software Capability Assessment Tool All suppliers that have have passed the submission of mandatory information will then be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria provided within the ITP documentation. PSQ Parts 2 & 3 will both have a total score of 100% available, the top five (5) scoring suppliers for each lot who achieve the minimum threshold for Parts 2 & 3 outlined in the ITP documentation will be shortlisted to participate in the ITN stage. All other submissions will be declined. NTL reserves the right to not score any question response that had not been provided in line with the instructions provided in the ITP. Each lot will have an overall total score of 100%. The total score (100%) will be divided by the criteria outlined within the Tender Documentation. Responses will be issued to evaluators to evaluate against the scoring criteria on an individual basis, recording their own justification for that score. NTL's procurement team will then hold a group moderation session with evaluators in respect of each scored question, considering the individual evaluator scores and justifications. In those moderation sessions the evaluators will discuss the reasoning for their scoring of each scored question and agree a consensus score and associated rationale for that question. NTL's procurement team shall facilitate these moderation sessions until a consensus score and rationale is reached by the relevant evaluators for each scored question. The anticipated weightings for the ITN stage of the Tender process will be 60% - Quality, 30% - Commercial and 10% - Social Value, this will be confirmed within the tender documentation. Following evaluation of the ITN, a minimum of the top 2 (two) highest scoring bidders for each lot will be invited to submit Best and Final Offers(BAFOs). NTL strongly encourages all bidders to submit competitive Tender submissions. Whilst NTL may request Best and Final Offers (BAFOs), bidders should not rely on any potential subsequent opportunities for providing improved commercial offers.
CPV: Document creation, drawing, imaging, scheduling and productivity software package · Software programming and consultancy services
Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure
3 lots · all with a published value (£22,000,000 together) · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1Train Planning Software - Single PlatformAwardedRenewalPublished value£11,000,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #2Train Planning Software - (Timetabling)AwardedRenewalPublished value£5,500,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #3Train Planning Software - (Crew Unit & Diagramming)AwardedRenewalPublished value£5,500,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
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).
Published sub-criteria (3)
- Quality: 60%
- Commercial: 30%
- Social Value: 10%
Published award criteria (3)
- Quality
- Commercial
- Social Value
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Utilities
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 8 Jul 2025, 12:24 BST
- Last source update
- 30 Sept 2026, 15:49 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 4 Mar 2026
- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-061910- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-055b13Find a Tender
- How it runs
The Tender stages will be run as follows:
Stage 1:
All interested suppliers can apply to be considered for participation in this procurement exercise, through application via www.delta-esourcing.com ↗ Tenderbox Reference: TA9SBV97CP.
Through a set of criteria defined in the PSQ documentation, a maximum of five (5) suppliers for each lot will be invited to respond to the ITN stage. All other suppliers (and non-compliant parties) will be notified as unsuccessful from the process at this stage.
The PSQ will be evaluated in three (3) parts:
Part 1: Mandatory information to be provided by the suppliers, failure to do so and in an accurate manner may lead to exclusion from the procurement process.
Part 2: Questions relating to conditions of participation, including standard & technical questions
Part 3: Software Capability Assessment Tool
All suppliers that have have passed the submission of mandatory information will then be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria provided within the ITP documentation. PSQ Parts 2 & 3 will both have a total score of 100% available, the top five (5) scoring suppliers for each lot who achieve the minimum threshold for Parts 2 & 3 outlined in the ITP documentation will be shortlisted to participate in the ITN stage.
All other submissions will be declined. NTL reserves the right to not score any question response that had not been provided in line with the instructions provided in the ITP.
Each lot will have an overall total score of 100%. The total score (100%) will be divided by the criteria outlined within the Tender Documentation. Responses will be issued to evaluators to evaluate against the scoring criteria on an individual basis, recording their own justification for that score. NTL's procurement team will then hold a group moderation session with evaluators in respect of each scored question, considering the individual evaluator scores and justifications. In those moderation sessions the evaluators will discuss the reasoning for their scoring of each scored question and agree a consensus score and associated rationale for that question. NTL's procurement team shall facilitate these moderation sessions until a consensus score and rationale is reached by the relevant evaluators for each scored question.
The anticipated weightings for the ITN stage of the Tender process will be 60% - Quality, 30% - Commercial and 10% - Social Value, this will be confirmed within the tender documentation.
Following evaluation of the ITN, a minimum of the top 2 (two) highest scoring bidders for each lot will be invited to submit Best and Final Offers(BAFOs). NTL strongly encourages all bidders to submit competitive Tender submissions. Whilst NTL may request Best and Final Offers (BAFOs), bidders should not rely on any potential subsequent opportunities for providing improved commercial offers.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 5 Nov 2025, 17:00 GMT
- Submission deadline
- 5 Nov 2025, 17:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Tenderbox Reference: TA9SBV97CP
Timeline
8 Jul 2025 → 30 Sept 2026 · 10 dates- Planning notice published8 Jul 2025, 12:24 BST
- Market engagement29 Jul 2025, 23:59 BST
Northern invites any Suppliers who substantially meet the system functionality detailed to register their interest in attending a briefing call hosted by the Project Team & Procurement Manager to discuss the requirements and understand the suppliers solution capability.
Briefing calls for the weeks commencing 14/07/2025 & 28/07/2025 have been pre-scheduled and will be offered to Suppliers on a first come first serve basis.
Following these sessions, if the Suppliers are interested in tendering for this opportunity they will be invited to send an expression of interest to Northern Trains Limited (details to follow).
In the first instance, should Suppliers wish to partake in the briefing calls please send an expression of interest to Alex Ashman ([email protected]) along with a summary of the system capabilities (i.e Product fact sheet) and should the Project team assess that the functionality is comparable to the requirements we will share a list of times for the briefing calls to be selected followed by an invitation. Expressions of interest to be submitted by 2.00pm BST Friday 11/07/2025.
- Next notice expected13 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published385 days ago2 Oct 2025, 16:52 BST
- Submission deadline351 days ago5 Nov 2025, 17:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by231 days ago4 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts216 days ago20 Mar 2026
- Assessment summaries sent203 days ago2 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
- Standstill ends186 days ago18 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Latest notice published22 days ago30 Sept 2026, 15:49 BST
Notice history
9 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 8 Jul 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published8 Jul 2025, 12:24 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published2 Oct 2025, 16:52 BSTUK4
- Published value updated to £22,000,0002 Oct 2025, 16:52 BSTwas £11,000,000
- Status changed to active2 Oct 2025, 16:52 BST
- Procurement method changed2 Oct 2025, 16:52 BST
- Contract award notice published8 Apr 2026, 09:37 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete8 Apr 2026, 09:37 BST
- Contract signature expected8 May 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published30 Sept 2026, 15:49 BSTUK7
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2025-07: 1 release · 8 Jul 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · Train Planning Software - Single Platform1 award | |||
| Worldline IT Services UK Limited11 May 2026 – 10 May 2032 · up to 10 May 2037Extensions: The option to extend for a further five (5) years, split into a three (3) year option followed by a two (2) year option, up to a total maximum duration of eleven (11) years. | £4,729,595 | 1 Apr 2026 | Awarded |
| Across several lots1 award | |||
| supplier not published | — | 10 Dec 2025 | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 1 · Worldline IT Services UK Limited
- Signed
- 30 Jun 2026
- Value
- £4,729,595
- Period
- 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2032 · up to 30 Jun 2037 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- The minimum term is six (6) years, with the option to extend for a further five (5) years, split into a three (3) year option followed by a two (2) year option, up to a total maximum duration of eleven (11) years.
3 agreed KPIs: On-time deployment · Uptime and availability · Critical incident response and resolution
- On-time deployment, Percentage of agreed implementation milestones delivered on time.
- Uptime and availability, Percentage agreed service time during which the software is operational and accessible to users aginst the agreed SLA.
- Critical incident response and resolution, Percentage of critical and immediate incidents responded to and resolved within the agreed SLA timescales.
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Train Planning Software - Single Platform | 2final-stage tenders · 10 at stage one | 0 | 1 | — |
| 2 · Train Planning Software - (Timetabling) | 0final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
| 3 · Train Planning Software - (Crew Unit & Diagramming) | 0final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- wonWORLDLINE IT SERVICES UK LIMITED · East Midlands · 1
- did not winIVU Traffic Technologies AG · 1
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
2 commercial parties on the notice · 1 awarded- IVU Traffic Technologies AGBidder / tenderer
- Worldline IT Services UK LimitedAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (6)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender