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Find a TenderAwarded without competition
Published 28 Jun 2025, 16:48 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Upgrade of Payment Validators (Pvals), associated software and integration services.

Official notice

Authority: Northern Trains Ltd (Public body)

GoodsAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Sectors: Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages (30)IT Services & Software (72) Delivery: North East (UKC)North West (UKD)Yorkshire & Humber (UKE)
+1 moreEast Midlands (UKF)
Budget not disclosedValue not published
Awarded 5 Aug 2025no call for competition
Awarded to Vix Technology UK Ltd2 awards

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Upgrade of Payment Validators (Pvals), associated software and integration into the into the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Bee Network (Phase 1).

The contract will upgrade existing Pval equipment and software to allow payment transactions to integrate into the TfGM Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) scheme.

CPV: Including installation · Industry specific software development services · Ticket-validation machines

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Upgrade of Payment Validators (PVals) and associated software to allow EMV (Europay,…Awarded

Upgrade of Payment Validators (PVals) and associated software to allow EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) transactions. This will integrate into the into the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Bee Network (Phase 1).

The contract will upgrade existing ATG equipment and software to allow payment

transactions to integrate into the TfGM Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) scheme. The activities will include as minimum:

  • Software development.
  • Upgrade of PVals to accept contactless EMV physical and virtual cards on devices

alongside existing fare media

  • Deployment of a supplier middle office.
  • Integration from the supplier middle office to the TfGM Secure Middle Office (SMO).
  • PCI certification.
  • Commissioning of devices for use at various stations on the operating network of Northern Trains Limited 'NTL', TransPenine Trains Limited 'TPT', and First Trenitalia West Coast Rail Limited 'Avanti'
Delivery: North East, North West, Yorkshire & Humber, East Midlands
72212100 Industry specific software development services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0025 Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (Directive 2014/25/EU)
Procurement category
Goods
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
28 Jun 2025, 16:48 BST
Last source update
5 Aug 2025, 14:28 BST
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-046170
Classification (CPV)
Including installationIndustry specific software development servicesTicket-validation machines
Delivery area
North East (UKC)North West (UKD)Yorkshire & Humber (UKE)East Midlands (UKF)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05557e Find a Tender
Why no open competition

The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights

Published justification

Award a contract directly as this approach is allowed under the UCR's where restrictions on the use of IPR do not trigger a requirement to conduct a new OJEU-compliant tender process.

We believe in this circumstance the following is applicable:

There are grounds where NTL as public body could award a subsequent contract to a third party using the exemptions in Regulation 50 of the UCR. This exemption is provided for under the UCR Regulation 50(1)(c) which allows Utilities to award a contract where the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier because competition is absent for technical reasons and where no reasonable alternative or

substitute exists. The supplier owns copyright and the IPR in all the software. The absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement.

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 2
Contracts signed 2latest 5 Aug 2025
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Vix Technology UK Ltd——Awarded

1 further award records carry no date or value.

Contracts

  • Contract 046170-2025-1 · Vix Technology UK Ltd

    Signed
    5 Aug 2025
    Value
    —
    Status
    active

  • Contract 035932-2025-1 · supplier not published

    Signed
    27 Jun 2025
    Value
    —
    Status
    active

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED

Contracting authorityPublic bodyRailway services GB-COH: 03076444 George Stephenson House, York, Yorkshire & Humber, YO16JTContact name, email, phone

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • Depart for TransportReview body London
  • Department for TransportReview body London

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.