Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED
Albany House Albany House,94-98 Petty France
LONDON
SW1H9AE
Contact
David Schuster
David.Schuster@northernrailway.co.uk
Telephone
+44 7736227222
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKE21 - York
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/procurement/operations/delay-repay-solution
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/procurement/operations/delay-repay-solution
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Other type
Utility
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Rail Transport
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
NTL Delay Repay Service Tender
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 48000000 - Software package and information systems
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
The Delay Repay service provides a compensation process for passengers whose rail journey has been delayed. Compensation is provided on a tiered basis, dependent upon the severity of the delay. This is a critical customer facing service, classified as a Key Contract by the DfT.
Since April 2018 the Delay Repay service has been provided by a third-party supplier. Due to the criticality of the service, the contract term was for two years, with the option of extending for a further two periods of 12 months: four years in total.
Whilst Northern remains satisfied with the service provided by the incumbent supplier, the value of this contract, approximately £600,000 per annum, is such that it is above the UCR regulations threshold and so must be retendered prior to the end of the contracted period. The contract has now been extended for the final 12-month period, in order to provide time for the retender of the Delay Repay service and mobilisation of any potential replacement.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £600,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 48100000 - Industry specific software package
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKE21 - York
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The core Delay Repay service is expected to include:
• Claims capture (including via web front end, agent input, or initiated by another system).
• Validate that a ticket was held.
• Validate that a delay was incurred.
• Calculate the compensation entitlement.
• Keep the customer informed about the progress of their claim and allow agents to support queries.
The service may optionally* include:
• Manual validation of claims (by agents of the Supplier) that cannot be validated automatically.
• Processing of payments to customers.
*If the service does not include these optional elements, it must provide the tools to allow Northern to efficiently and effectively undertake these activities.
Northern expects to:
• Validate any complex claims that cannot be validated by the information available to the Supplier or otherwise require escalation.
• Audit the process through spot checks, and appropriate process checkpoints e.g. approval of payment batches.
Northern are looking for a Delay Repay solution which provides the following high-level functionality:
• Customer Facing Services: The capability to provide Delay Repay services to the general public through web based (including WebChat and AI), email, telephone and postal channels. 'My Account' and season ticket 'one click' functionality.
• System Automation: A high level of accurate 'claim to resolution' automation, requiring no human intervention is desired. Including functionality to calculate compensation value based on ticket type, cost and delay, Train Operating Company (TOC) identification, ticket validation, journey validation, delay validation and fraud checks.
• Systems Access Provision: The capability to provide direct access to the Delay Repay system to Northern personnel. The capability for agents and team leaders to enter data through the Customer interface as a Customer, and override the automated decision making.
• Reporting and MI: The capability to provide a range of electronic service reporting and management information.
• Personal Data Processing: The capability to process personal data supplied by the general public, securely and in compliance with all applicable legislation.
• Multiple Payment Channels: The optional* (see Solution Scope above) capability to deliver compensation payments to the customer through a variety of mechanisms. Electronic, such as bank transfer, PayPal, credit and debit card refunds. Physical and electronic vouchers and tickets, cheque or charitable donation.
• Staff Provision: The optional* (see Solution Scope above) capability to provide agents to manually validate claims.
Preference will be given to Candidate Suppliers who have demonstrable previous experience of providing the above, ideally in the Transport Sector.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £600,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Initial term of 2 years, year on year renewal thereafter.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Northern are looking for a Delay Repay solution which provides the following high-level functionality, rather than being focused on the mechanism of delivery.
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive procedure with negotiation
four.1.4) Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated
four.1.5) Information about negotiation
The contracting authority reserves the right to award the contract on the basis of the initial tenders without conducting negotiations
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
12 July 2021
Local time
5:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: 4 Years
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Public Procurement Review Service
London
Country
United Kingdom