Scope
Reference
ORR/CT/25-93
Description
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is seeking a specialist consultancy to support the development of a new Retail Code of Practice, as required under the Railways Bill. The Code will govern how Great British Railways (GBR), in its future role as both a retailer and operator of key industry retail systems, interacts fairly and transparently with all retail market participants.
The supplier will work with ORR, the Department for Transport (DfT), Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and wider stakeholders to develop the Code from initial principles through to full public consultation and final publication. This includes contributing to workshops, drafting the Code, researching best practice from relevant sectors, and helping design an effective dispute‑resolution process for non‑GBR retailers.
Total value (estimated)
- £110,000 excluding VAT
- £132,000 including VAT
Below the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 10 March 2026 to 28 February 2027
- Possible extension to 30 November 2027
- 1 year, 8 months, 22 days
Description of possible extension:
This contract may be extended to allow additional work arising from legislative changes, stakeholder input, or further refinement required following the public consultation. The development of the Retail Code of Practice is closely linked to the progress of the Railways Bill and wider industry reforms, which may necessitate additional analysis, workshops or updates beyond the initial scope and timeline.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 71311200 - Transport systems consultancy services
- 71313000 - Environmental engineering consultancy services
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Tender submission deadline
2 March 2026, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders must be submitted electronically via the ORR eTendering Portal.
ITT URL: https://orr.ukp.app.jaggaer.com/go/14176286019C577A2EDB
All bids must be uploaded to the portal before the stated deadline.
The system allows suppliers to upload revised versions of their submissions up until the closing time, but late tenders will not be accepted.
All clarification questions must also be submitted through the electronic portal for audit purposes.
Responses will be shared with all bidders without identifying the source of the question.
No electronic auction will be used in this procurement.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Award criteria
The contract will be awarded to the supplier offering the most advantageous tender, based on a combination of quality and price. Proposals will be assessed against four weighted criteria:
Methodology (20%) - how well the bidder explains their approach to delivering the requirements.
Delivery (25%) - how the bidder will meet timelines, manage risks, and allocate resources.
Experience (35%) - relevant organisational and personnel experience supported by examples.
Cost / Value for Money (20%) - fixed‑fee pricing assessed relative to other bids.
The tender with the highest overall score across these criteria will be selected.
Procedure
Procedure type
Below threshold - open competition
Documents
Associated tender documents
ORR CR 25-93 Retail CoP - ITT Statement of Requirement FINAL.pdf
ORR CT 25-93 Template - Disclaimer.docx
ORR CT 25-93 Template - Form of Tender - Day Rate.docx
ORR CT 25-93 Template Long-Form Services Agreement + Cover Sheet.docx
Railway Bill.pdf
Railways Bill factsheet_ tickets and retail - GOV.UK.pdf
Contracting authority
Office of Rail and Road
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMPH-6471-MDYY
25 Cabot Square
London
E14 4QZ
United Kingdom
Email: procurementteam@orr.gov.uk
Region: UKI42 - Tower Hamlets
Organisation type: Public authority - central government