Periodic indicative notice – utilities
This notice is a periodic indicative notice only
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd
1 Eversholt Street
London
NW1 2DN
UK
Telephone: +44 1908781000
E-mail: Alex.Jerome@networkrail.co.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk
I.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
I.6) Main activity
Railway services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Request for Information — Access Planning Programme
II.1.2) Main CPV code
72222300
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The current Possession Planning System (PPS) has been in place for in excess of 15 years and has had limited enhancement. During this time, requests for new functionalities as well as improved intelligent capabilities to enhance and future proof the system have been logged but due to the very limited in-house development capability these have not been addressed. We plan to address these as part of APP.
The high-level requirements are categorised as follows:
• possession planning system improvements or replacement;
• engineering access statement digitisation;
• workflow;
• visual representation;
• reporting.
For detail relating to these high-level categorised requirements please follow these steps:
1) follow the link — https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
2) from the welcome screen, access the ‘View Current Opportunities’ link and select ‘Pre-Market Engagement: ‘Access Planning Programme’.
3) click on the attachment – ‘Access Planning Programme – RFI requirements’.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
48100000
48140000
72000000
72200000
72210000
72212000
72212213
72220000
72222000
72222300
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Access Planning Programme (APP) has been established to seek to enable better decision making to optimise the trade-offs between possession access, train plan stability, passenger information and safety. By giving timetable planners an unambiguous single method of determining whether the railway is open to run trains, or closed for engineering work, the stability of the access plan can be improved which gives timetable planning staff the opportunity to plan with increased certainty.
The programme has identified requirements from various stakeholders for a large enhancement of the capabilities of current possession and access planning systems. If APP is to contribute to Network Rail’s Strategic Business Plan (SBP) aim to improve the access planning process, then ‘do nothing’ with regards to the Possession Planning System (PPS) is not an option. The delivery of these enhancements should be considered based on its outcome, benefit, benefit owner and alignment with the overall outcomes of APP. However, as the PPS business system owner, system operator must be cognisant of the needs of the industry wide user base of PPS, including other programmes dependent on the system and its data feeds when making this decision.
Network Rail will seek to issue a call for competition in the first quarter of 2021 in order to address the requirements detailed above. The purpose of this RFI is to engage with the market, and request information to identify what solutions are currently available in the marketplace, any potential supplier solutions or system integrators that can meet the list of requirements partially, or as a whole. Network rail is keen to explore the availability of new solutions or the replacement or phased enhancement of existing systems. Specifically, this RFI will look to establish the following areas:
• identify suppliers that can address either the requirements of all the categories, or individual categories as part of a multi-supplier agreement/system integrator function;
• identify existing solutions available in the market;
• identify ability to develop existing software;
• identify the functionality and capabilities of software services available in the market;
• identify indicative costs of the software solutions available in the market;
• identify indicative costs for providing software development of the existing system (PPS);
• identify indicative yearly service management costs;
• identify any additional capabilities that Network Rail may have not considered;
• estimate of the length of time to complete solution design to meet the requirements;
• ensure suppliers who are interested in any potential future tender activity relating to these requirements are aware of the procurement platform that will be used, and provide them with the steps to complete qualification to this platform (should they not have already done so).
Please note that any content received via response to this RFI will be used purely for information purposes only and will not be deemed as forming part of any proposed bid now, or any potential future tender.
Should you wish to respond to this RFI please complete the attached document titled ‘Access Planning Programme– RFI Submission Template’, this can be accessed via the link and instructions below.
1) follow the link: https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
2) from the welcome screen, access the ‘View Current Opportunities’ link and select ‘Pre-Market Engagement: ‘Access Planning Programme’.
3) click on the attachment – ‘Access Planning Programme – RFI Submission Template’.
Once completed please send your submission document via email as attachment to alex.jerome@networkrail.co.uk with the email subject ‘Request for Information — Possession Planning System Improvements’. The response deadline for this RFI is the 22 December 2020.
II.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice:
01/04/2021
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
Network Rail may be looking to tender this requirement in the near future, any potential tender event in relation to this requirement will be issued via the Network Rail procurement platform – BravoNR, issued through the Technology — Supplier Qualification System (SQS), under one of the following categories
• software as a service;
• software as a service DPS – scheduling and timetable planning;
• integration services;
• software development services.
The SQS has been established to provide a single platform for suppliers to register against multiple technology specific categories. Qualification will negate the need for a supplier to complete Network Rail’s mandatory and discretionary questions every time they are invited to participate in a competitive process. Registered and qualified suppliers on the SQS can be considered by Network Rail for contract opportunities without further notification of requirements published via the Official Journal of the European Union.
If you wish to be invited to any potential tender opportunity in relation to this requirement then please refer to the link and instructions below which contains documents that provides detail on:
• how to register an account for BravoNR;
• an overview of the technology – supplier qualification system and the Dynamic Purchasing System;
• the instructions on how to register and qualify for the SQS and select technology categories.
1) follow the link — https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
2) from the welcome screen, access the ‘View Current Opportunities‘ link and select ‘Pre-Market Engagement: Access Planning Programme’.
Network Rail advise you to complete your SQS and DPS registration by the 22 December 2020. Should you have any questions regarding this registration process then please contact alex.jerome@networkrail.co.uk.
Please not any discussions which do occur will cease immediately should a formal competition ultimately be announced. Network Rail is committed to ensuring fairness, openness and transparency, and to following EU procurement regulations. The periodic indicative notice is issued solely for the purpose of conducting pre-procurement market engagement via a request for information and does not constitute any commitment to undertake any procurement in the future. Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to the PIN event and a response to this PIN does not guarantee any invitation to participate in this event or any future procurement.
This PIN does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services, supplies or works mentioned in this PIN and Network Rail will not accept any proposals offered in response to this PIN. Network Rail is not liable for any costs, fees, or expenses incurred by any party in replying to or attending any PIN event. Any procurement of any services, supplies or works by Network Rail will be carried out strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
17/11/2020