Prior information notice
This notice is for prior information only
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd
Waterloo General Offices
London
SE1 8SW
UK
Contact person: Brent Murgatroyd
Telephone: +44 1908781000
E-mail: brent.murgatroyd@networkrail.co.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.networkrail.co.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/
I.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at:
https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Operations processing system (TOPS & POIS)
II.1.2) Main CPV code
72212100
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The TOPS and POIS Replacement Project is required to deliver a solution to replace in-use functionality of the existing application under the adoption of modern technologies, thus avoiding innovation limitation, technical debt, operational risk and extended support agreements for these two mission critical services.
TOPS is a mainframe system procured by British Rail (BR) from Southern Pacific in the early 1970s. It is a complex, command-driven system, originally designed for the management and control of freight vehicles and trains to provide real-time information of the whereabouts, loading, consignee, condition, etc. of freight vehicles. Since the introduction of TOPS to BR, the system has been expanded to handle locomotive activities and information about loco-hauled passenger operations, via a sub-system named POIS. The average freight traffic is currently 500 trains per day but may increase going forward.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
16 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
48000000
48100000
72222300
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The TOPS and POIS Replacement Project is required to deliver a solution to replace in-use functionality of the existing application under the adoption of modern technologies, thus avoiding innovation limitation, technical debt, operational risk and extended support agreements for these two mission critical services.
TOPS is a mainframe system procured by British Rail (BR) from Southern Pacific in the early 1970s. It is a complex, command-driven system, originally designed for the management and control of freight vehicles and trains to provide real-time information of the whereabouts, loading, consignee, condition, etc. of freight vehicles. Since the introduction of TOPS to BR, the system has been expanded to handle locomotive activities and information about loco-hauled passenger operations,
via a sub-system named POIS. The average freight traffic is currently 500 trains per day but may increase going forward.
II.2.14) Additional information
Network Rail are planning to issue an ITT via the competitive Flexible Procedure Q1/Q2 of 2026. This is a prior notice of our intent to issue the ITT.
II.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice:
21/08/2025
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.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
23/09/2025