Scope
Reference
FX1204
Description
As part of the continuation of DfT's Service Quality Regime, we are looking to retender contracts associated with the audit, mystery shopping and data handling requirements of the regime. The specification is the same as the existing specification for SQRs by the DfT and will cover:
• Station inspections
• Train inspections
• Customer Service mystery shopping
• Re-inspections for failures to confirm improvement
In order to deliver the above we are looking for a supplier to provide independent inspections and mystery shopping across our network and we have split this into two lots to obtain the best solution. Bidders are free to bid for either Lots 1 or 2, or both lots:
• Lot 1: Service Quality Management System
• Lot 2:
o Service Quality Register
o Service Quality App/Inspections Software
o Service Quality Inspections and Re-inspections
Total value (estimated)
- £850,000 excluding VAT
- £1,020,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 12 November 2025 to 11 November 2028
- 3 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 72250000 - System and support services
- 79212000 - Auditing services
Contract locations
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
- UKL - Wales
- UKM - Scotland
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
This procurement process is being advertised and run by Avanti West Coast on its own behalf and on behalf of the successor operator of the rail passenger transport services in respect of West Coast Franchise. That successor operator will be a public sector company, is expected to be a wholly owned subsidiary of DfT OLR Holdings Limited and will be ultimately owned by the Secretary of State for Transport.
The date for transfer of the current operations to the successor operator is not yet confirmed. Where the transfer is completed before contract award under this procurement process, the successor operator may elect (but will not be obliged) to carry on with this procurement process in place of Avanti West Coast, by taking on the role of contracting entity from the date of completion of the transfer (with this notice and all other procurement documents to be interpreted accordingly).
Where the transfer is not yet completed by the time of contract award, contractual rights may be included in the contractual arrangements to enable transfer to the successor operator. Bidders should note that this procurement process (if ongoing), or any awarded contract, may be included in a transfer scheme made by the Secretary of State under section 12 of the Railways Act 2005, or the transfer may be effected outside of, or separate from, such a scheme.
If transfer takes place before the contract award the successor operator shall assume all the rights of the Client set out in this document. All references to Avanti West Coast shall be deemed to refer to the successor operator for the purposes of this procurement and the successor operator shall be entitled to continue or terminate this procurement as if it was involved from the outset.
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
7 May 2025, 5:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Access to the expression of interest can be found at:-
http://redirect.transaxions.com/events/CsoqG
The procurement will be run on the WaxDigital procurement platform by First Trenitalia West Coast Rail Limited (the "Client") in connection with the procurement for the provision of Service Quality Regime procurement - 2025 (the "Project").
For the avoidance of doubt, the Client acts in accordance with its procurement policy which is consistent with the Procurement Act 2023 (the "Act").
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Suppliers to be invited to tender
Maximum 5 suppliers
Selection criteria:
The Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be evaluated in line with the criteria stated within the PQQ.
Following the evaluation of the PQQ responses, the Client will shortlist the Applicants it will invite to tender in accordance with the terms of the PQQ.
The Client reserves the right to limit the number of Applicants that are invited to tender to a maximum of five Applicants. Only Applicants that score a "Pass" for all non-qualitatively scored questions in this PQQ will be considered and places will be awarded in order of highest to lowest score. The client reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to invite more Applicants if there is a tie in the scores between two or more Applicants for the final place.
Award decision date (estimated)
24 July 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Submission | Cost | 40% |
| Service Specification & Innovation | Quality | 25% |
| Programme & Delivery | Quality | 25% |
| Sustainability & Inclusion | Quality | 10% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Utilities
Competitive flexible procedure description
This will be a two stage process with Pre Qualification Stage (PQQ).
Following the evaluation of the PQQ responses, the Client will shortlist the Applicants it will invite to tender in accordance with the terms of the PQQ.
The Client reserves the right to limit the number of Applicants that are invited to tender to a maximum of five Applicants. Only Applicants that score a "Pass" for all non-qualitatively scored questions in the PQQ will be considered and places will be awarded in order of highest to lowest score. The client reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to invite more Applicants if there is a tie in the scores between two or more Applicants for the final place.
The PQQ will be followed by an Invitation to Tender (ITT) with shortlisted bidders being taken forward to a Presentation stage before final evaluation and award.
The final scores for each Tender will be added together, after application of the relevant weightings, to receive a final score for each Tender. The Tenders will then be ranked according to the final scores received to identify the Most Advantageous Tender.
The Client intends to award the contract to the highest scoring Tender.
Contracting authority
FIRST TRENITALIA WEST COAST RAIL LIMITED
- Companies House: 10349442
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PGLQ-8629-CMPG
8th Floor The Point
London
W2 1AF
United Kingdom
Contact name: Mark Ibbs
Email: procurement@avantiwestcoast.co.uk
Website: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public undertaking (commercial organisation subject to public authority oversight)