Tender: Rail Replacement Bus & Coach Services | Transport for Wales

Transport for Wales Rail (TfWRL) are in-housing the co-ordination and management of Rail Replacement Service (RRS) across Wales and Border routes operated by TfWRL within Wales and between Wales and England. Or any such route operated by TfW as may arise in future.

This means that all pre-planned and emergency rail replacement services currently provided by coach and bus operators through an aggregator agreement, will be contracted for as services, directly by TfWRL.

This procurement also includes the requirement for adhoc travel services to be commissioned via this framework as they arise.

Based upon 24/25 Financial year data, approximately 6,000 emergency duties and 21,000 planned duties were delivered by circa 135 different operators.

It is currently intended the Open Framework will run for the maximum 8 year term.

Operators may apply to be entered into each of the three lots within the framework. Each lot will include an unlimited number of suppliers who meet the criteria for entry into that lot, as set out in the procurement documentation.

Duties to be offered with up to 48 Hours Notice.

Part 2 Lot 2: Pre-Planned (48 hours to 14 days)

Part 3 Lot 2: Pre-Planned (over 14 days)

Larger groups of duties/blockades over a longer period of time. Each variable, dependant upon the specific need for rail replacement services at the time.

All associated tender documents are available free of charge by registering on the named e-procurement portal.

Operators will be required to pass all of the first stage selection questions to be appointed to the framework.

The operators technical and commercial submissions for Lot 1 and Lot 2 shall be imported into the end to end system on a weighted basis and used to determine the ranked order for calling off under the Framework taking into account relevant information regarding the location and delivery of the services where appropriate.

Lot 1 – Emergency – For each duty or group of duties, Operators will be contacted by telephone, email or text message to offer the duty. The nature of the emergency will determine how much time Operators have to respond e.g. If a higher ranked operator is contacted and fails to accept the duty within the prescribed timescale, the duty will be offered to the next highest ranked operator. Operators may also be contacted simultaneously and the duty offered to the first to respond regardless of ranked position.

Lot 2 – Pre-Planned – For each duty or group of duties, Operators will be requested to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) within a prescribed timeframe. Upon receipt of the EOI, the duty will be offered in line with the ranked order.

Lot 3 – Mini Competition – All Operators appointed to Lots 1 and Lot 2, who express an interest when the framework is established, in bidding for Lot 3 duties will be invited to submit a price for the duty/blockade. The quality scores for the technical questions at the time the framework was established will be carried forward and added to the price score on a weighted basis to create the combined ranking. The duty/blockade will be offered to the highest ranked operator.

In all cases, duties/blockades will only be offered to operators with the vehicle and disc capacity.

Full details of the process are explained in the tender pack.

As described in the ITT pack.

As described in the ITT pack.

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30 Days for traditional PO invoice payment and 14 days if automated billing processes are adopted.

Examples of known risks at the framework level include:

Refinements of specification for service or vehicle provision e.g., Electric Vehicles.

Changes in legislation which may increase operator costs due to additional investment in technology or other requirements for the delivery of the services.

Changes in fuel rates, NI, minimum or living wage or other material costs of provision of the services.

Examples of known/unknown risks at the call off level include:

Amendment to call off contracts (duties awarded) including extension and curtailment of duties or full termination of duties due to the nature of the industry and respective need to deliver a resilient rail replacement service when trains are unable to operate.

Late cancellation of duties

Refer to ITT Volume 1 for full details.

Single Stage Procurement.

Step 1 – Participation Stage – not used for down selection. All Tenderers must pass this stage to be appointed to the Framework.

Step 2 – Technical responses will be evaluated and the Commercial responses will be checked for accuracy/errors or omissions.

Step 3 – Dialogue – the Authority reserves the right to hold a dialogue stage with some or all operators if needed to clarify any complex queries arising. Any changes to the specification or Terms and Conditions would be communicated to all bidders. This is to ensure any unforeseen issues arising can be dealt with effectively and supports the assurance process that the Authority requirement is understood and the Tenderer offer and ability to provide the service is consistent with the requirement.

Step 4 – Notify Bidders if they are successful in being appointed to the framework and provide assessment summaries.

Step 5 – Calling off under the framework – the quality scores and commercial rate card will be imported into a separate ‘end to end’ system within which duties are calculated and the ranked order of bidders determined in accordance with the award methodology (price/quality weighting) described in the ITT). Each duty/blockage is effectively an individual competition.

All associated tender documents are available free of charge by registering on the named e-procurement portal.

Additional tender support for SME’s in Wales is available by contacting the Business Wales Tender Support Service on 03000 6 03000

Further details are available on the Business Wales website: https://businesswales.gov.wales/topics-and-guidance/tendering-and-supply-chain

All documents will be released at the same time the tender notice is published. If additional documents are identified as being needed, these will be made available via the nominated e-procurement portal – Atamis.

As described in the ITT pack.

3 Llys Cadwyn

Pontypridd

CF37 4TH

United Kingdom

Contact name: Christine Thorne

Email: TFW.RRSOperators@tfwrail.wales

Website: http://www.tfwrail.wales

Region: UKL15 – Central Valleys

Organisation type: Public undertaking (commercial organisation subject to public authority oversight)

Devolved regulations that apply: Wales

3 Llys Cadwyn

Pontypridd

CF37 4TH

United Kingdom

Contact name: Christine Thorne

Email: TFW.RRSOperators@tfwrail.wales

Website: http://www.tfwrail.wales/

Region: UKL15 – Central Valleys

Organisation type: Public undertaking (commercial organisation subject to public authority oversight)

Devolved regulations that apply: Wales