Contract notice – utilities
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd
Waterloo General Offices
London
SE1 8SW
UK
Contact person: Chris Grainger
Telephone: +44 1908781000
E-mail: Chris.Grainger@networkrail.co.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
I.6) Main activity
Railway services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Midlands Rail Hub Alliance – Alliance Partners (Non-Signalling Disciplines)
II.1.2) Main CPV code
45234100
II.1.3) Type of contract
Works
II.1.4) Short description
Network Rail is responsible for maintaining, developing and operating Great Britain's railway infrastructure. The Midlands Rail Hub (MRH) is a programme of works covering a series of multidisciplinary infrastructure interventions to be undertaken across the West, Central and East Midlands of the UK. MRH will deliver a number of additional services between central Birmingham and key regional cities and transport hubs.
The MRH programme will be delivered through an Alliance delivery model with Alliance members consisting of:
- Network Rail (having two roles – one as a member of the Alliance and the other as Client);
- Multi-Disciplinary Partner(s) (covering all disciplines except signalling, power and communication roles set out in the Alliance scope document) to be appointed pursuant to the opportunity in this Contract Notice; and
- A Signalling Partner (covering the signalling, power and communication roles set out in the Alliance scope document) to be appointed via a separate sourcing event.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
1 380 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
45000000
45100000
45111213
45200000
45210000
45213320
45213321
45221112
45221122
45221242
45232210
45234100
45234114
45234116
71321000
71322000
71332000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The key objectives of MRH are to improve connectivity across the Midlands region; boost economic growth; maximise use of HS2 to London through interchange in Central Birmingham; improve access to jobs, leisure, healthcare, and education; optimise the utilisation of station capacity in central Birmingham; and make rail journeys more attractive and encourage modal shift to rail.
The scope of the Alliance includes, but is not limited to, the design and build of: new platforms and sidings; up to two new chords into Birmingham Moor Street; widening of existing viaduct; power supply upgrades; new freight loops; new overhead line equipment (OLE) and various signalling works including the re-modelling of existing layouts.
The MRH programme consists of multidisciplinary infrastructure interventions are split over three sections described as West, Central and East according to the additional train services that they enable. The scope is currently divided into eight interventions across the three sections: West & Central Midlands interventions at Snow Hill, King’s Norton to Barnt Green (and interventions at King’s Norton and Barnt Green) and Birmingham Bordesley to Moor Street are in the process of securing final funding approval and are intended to be the initial deliverables. Additional interventions are also in scope of MRH and may be delivered subject to funding decisions and design development including West & Central interventions at Worcester to Hereford and Stoke Works Junction and East Midlands interventions at Water Orton and Nuneaton to Wigston.
East interventions are at an earlier stage of design development and are intended to form part of a separate business case; these interventions are subject to future funding decisions. It is also envisaged that the West intervention of Worcester-Hereford will be delivered by the Alliance but does not form part of the initial deliverables and is dependent upon as yet uncommitted renewals in the Worcester area.
The total Alliance Anticipated Final Cost (AFC) excluding VAT is circa £1.1m--£1.5bn GBP.
The AFC is split between the initial deliverables and additional interventions as follows:
- Initial deliverables (predominantly interventions in West and Central) are circa:
- Multi-Disciplinary (non-signalling, power and communications): £700m-£800m GBP (excluding VAT)
- Signalling, power and communications; £150m-£250m GBP (excluding VAT)
- Additional interventions (predominantly East) are circa:
- Multi-Disciplinary (non-signalling power and communications: £250m-£350m GBP (excluding VAT);
- Signalling, power and communications; £50m-£100m GBP (excluding VAT)
These figures are indicative only.
Further details of the scope and interventions (including AFC estimates and discipline splits) are set out in the scope document (CR-T Module 1 – Contract Specific Requirements) provided as part of the procurement documents.
Network Rail is using a modified NR35 Alliance Contract (based on the NEC4 Alliance Contract) to appoint all Partners to the Alliance, provided as part of the procurement documents. The Multi-Disciplinary Partner(s) will be required to work with Network Rail and the Signalling Partner as a single Alliance team. Network Rail and each of the Partners will sign one Alliance contract.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 96
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
As stated in the procurement documents.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated with call for competition
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2023/S 000-034592
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
24/04/2024
Local time: 17:00
IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
Date:
26/06/2024
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 9 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
Following publication of a prior indicative notice (reference 2023/S 000-034592) Network Rail held a virtual market briefing session on 19 January 2024. The session covered an overview of MRH scope, the Alliance contract and key mechanics under the contract. A copy of this briefing session is provided as part of the procurement documents.
Pre-qualification: Organisations wishing to express an interest in this opportunity must complete and submit a PQQ response by the date specified in Section IV.2.2. Submitting a response to this Contract Notice does not guarantee that a candidate will be invited to tender. Network Rail reserves the right to disqualify any candidate who provides information or confirmations which later prove to be untrue or incorrect; does not supply the information required by the PQQ or as otherwise directed during the procurement event; or does not meet the criteria stated in the PQQ.
A pack of procurement documents (including the PQQ instructions and questionnaire) is being made available at the Network Rail’s sourcing platform: https://www.networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk. In order to access the procurement documents, interested organisations must register on the Bravo system (via the link above). If there are any difficulties in registering or accessing the procurement documents, please contact Network Rail via the email address stated in Section I.1.
Interested organisations should note that the tender stage will include collaborative and behavioural assessments. These assessment will include interviews and group workshop assessments. Further details of the assessments, required attendees and administrative arrangements will be provided at ITT launch.
Network Rail reserves the right to change any aspect of, suspend or terminate this procurement event and/or consider alternative procurement options. Under no circumstances shall Network Rail incur any liability (costs or otherwise) arising from an organisation expressing an interest in, preparing responses to and/or participating in this procurement.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
High Court of England and Wales Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London
WC1A 2LL
UK
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
High Court of England and Wales Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London
WC1A 2LL
UK
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
In accordance with the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, Network Rail will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period prior to the award of any contract pursuant to this Contract Notice.
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Cabinet Office
70 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2AS
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
26/02/2024