Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Transport For Greater Manchester
2 Piccadilly Place
MANCHESTER
M13BG
Contact
Jade Rawlinson
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKD - North West (England)
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Other type
Transport Authority
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Transport
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Merchant Acquirer Services
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 66172000 - Financial transaction processing and clearing-house services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
TfGM has a range of strategic priorities that impact on the need for merchant acquirer services, including 'PAYGO' contactless payments on Metrolink trams, cycle hire and bus reform. Given the criticality of these projects, their associated programmes and project timeframes, and due to the very close interaction of the payment processing / merchant acquirer services with other systems operated by TfGM, a change in supplier at this point in the programmes mentioned above (amongst others) would add significant risk to the continued provision of payment solutions and services across TfGM, taking into account the complexity of the requirements and the integration required. Most significantly, the contactless payments solution would require significant rework and regression testing for the processing of transit payments. Payment processing for transit is far more inherently complex than for other payment channels, and suppliers of the other systems that need to interact with the payment processing /merchant acquirer services have their own specifications to meet the card schemes requirements for transit.
It is highly likely that any new supplier of payment processing / merchant acquirer services would be required to re-accredit the contactless scheme. This end-to-end process would take a period of time and require significant interaction with other suppliers in the payments process, and adds significant risk of disruption to existing customer facing services on TfGM's Metrolink and Drivesafe services.
Appointing a new supplier would also provide challenges with respect to 'waivers' that have previously been agreed between the card schemes and the current supplier. Again, this would require significant time to ensure the same waivers would remain in place, and would add risk to the timescales associated with the franchised bus network, as well as maintaining provision on the existing Metrolink payment schemes. It is therefore the intention of TfGM to progress these programmes to move to an operational environment, gather data on customer card payments, and engage with the market once the schemes are in operation.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £550,000 / Highest offer: £1,000,000 taken into consideration
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKD3 - Greater Manchester
Main site or place of performance
Manchester
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Merchant Acquirer Services associated with card payments.
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Contract extension is based on a 3+1+1 basis.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
TfGM is making an award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition on Find a Tender Service as a change of contractor-
(i) cannot be made for economic or technical reasons such as requirements of interchangeability or interoperability with existing equipment, software, services or installations procured under the initial procurement; and
(ii) would cause significant inconvenience or substantial duplication of costs for the utility.
Explanation:
TfGM has a range of strategic priorities that impact on the need for merchant acquirer services, including 'PAYGO' contactless payments on Metrolink trams, cycle hire and bus reform. Given the criticality of these projects, their associated programmes and project timeframes, and due to the very close interaction of the payment processing / merchant acquirer services with other systems operated by TfGM, a change in supplier at this point in the programmes mentioned above (amongst others) would add significant risk to the continued provision of payment solutions and services across TfGM, taking into account the complexity of the requirements and the integration required. Most significantly, the contactless payments solution would require significant rework and regression testing for the processing of transit payments. Payment processing for transit is far more inherently complex than for other payment channels, and suppliers of the other systems that need to interact with the payment processing /merchant acquirer services have their own specifications to meet the card schemes requirements for transit.
It is highly likely that any new supplier of payment processing / merchant acquirer services would be required to re-accredit the contactless scheme. This end-to-end process would take a period of time and require significant interaction with other suppliers in the payments process, and adds significant risk of disruption to existing customer facing services on TfGM's Metrolink and Drivesafe services.
Appointing a new supplier would also provide challenges with respect to 'waivers' that have previously been agreed between the card schemes and the current supplier. Again, this would require significant time to ensure the same waivers would remain in place, and would add risk to the timescales associated with the franchised bus network, as well as maintaining provision on the existing Metrolink payment schemes. It is therefore the intention of TfGM to progress these programmes to move to an operational environment, gather data on customer card payments, and engage with the market once the schemes are in operation.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section five. Award of contract/concession
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
22 July 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Barclays Bank Plc
London
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKI - London
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £550,000 / Highest offer: £1,000,000 taken into consideration
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Transport for Greater Manchester
Manchester
Country
United Kingdom