Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd
Waterloo General Offices
London
SE1 8SW
Telephone
+44 1908781000
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
National or federal Agency/Office
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Track Bed Investigation Framework re-tender
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 71631470 - Railway-track inspection services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This Contract Notice relates to F01: Prior information notice (prior information only) Notice reference: 2024/S 000-003733 Published 5 February 2024, 3:46pm.
Network Rail currently has a national Framework Agreement for the provision of Track Bed Investigations which will be re-tendered to satisfy business needs.
The framework scope will include standard and deep track bed investigations, concrete coring and various drainage surveys, which are used for the design and specification of the trackbed for track renewals.
The framework will be specific to the Engineering Services Design Delivery function in Network Rail. The workbank comes from client teams in the Network Rail regions who will call-off from the framework when track bed investigations are required.
Due to the work-related nature of these activities, the framework terms & conditions will be based on the NR29 Framework Contract for Network Rail Amended NEC4 Engineering and Construction Short Contract.
The framework will run for an initial period of five years, and Network Rail will have the option to extend for two further one-year periods, providing the flexibility for a five, six or seven year framework duration.
The tender will be split into two lots as follows; lot 1 will be for track bed investigations in England & Wales, and lot 2 will be for those in Scotland. Based on historic usage we estimate that lot 1 will account for approximately 90% of demand and lot 2 the remaining 10%.
No more than one supplier will be awarded a framework for each lot, however one supplier could win both lots, or two suppliers could win a lot each.
Network Rail will undertake a pre-qualification stage which will down select to a shortlist of Candidates that shall be invited to tender.
If you would like to take part in this Procurement Event then please send an email referencing this Contract Notice to philip.hunt@networkrail.co.uk no later than 12:00 on Friday 26th July 2024.
The Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, which will contain all of the Procurement Documents, is being finalised and will be issued as soon as possible in the week commencing 22/07/2024 to any candidate that requests participation prior to the deadline as above, and you can start working on this upon receipt.
A summary of key timeline events is as follows:
Deadline to respond to this Contract Notice - 12:00 26/07/2024
Deadline to respond to the Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) - 06/09/2024
Invitation to Tender (ITT) issue date - 28/11/2024
Deadline to respond to ITT - 23/01/2025
Contract Award Decision - 12/06/2025
Contract Commencement - 17/07/2025
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £45,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 2
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Track Bed Investigation Framework re-tender - England & Wales
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 71631470 - Railway-track inspection services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
- UKL - Wales
Main site or place of performance
Railway track sites in England & Wales
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The specification for the Track Bed Investigation Framework covers the following track bed investigation and associated works, and site & factual reporting which are to be provided for track sites in England & Wales:
Standard Track Bed Investigation:
• Determining the condition of the existing track bed and sub-grade
• Assessing the condition of the existing lineside drainage.
• Dynamic Cone Penetration (DCP) to determine the soil structural properties.
• Trial trenches to determine drainage paths and lateral variation of track bed materials.
• Categorising of Spent Ballast for disposal
• Measuring structural constraints (clearances) to support the construction phase and compliance with COM Regulations 2015 (Design Risk Register) to determine construction risks and mitigations.
Deep Track Bed Investigation
• Deeper window sampling and Standard Penetration Test (SPT) using heavy probing techniques for investigating Track Bed Stabilisation sites.
Additional Works and Other Investigation Techniques
• Stiffness Measurement surveys using Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD), and Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD).
• Drainage level surveys/topographical surveys to support the design track of drainage systems.
• Concrete coring of slab track or other associated foundations
• Material testing
• Rail and sleeper deflection monitoring using cameras, Geophones or similar.
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: £40,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
60
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Network Rail will have the option to extend for two further one-year periods, providing the flexibility for a five, six or seven year framework duration in total.
two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged number of candidates: 4
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:
Please refer to the Procurement Documents.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Track Bed Investigation Framework - Scotland's Railway
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 71631470 - Railway-track inspection services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Railway track sites in Scotland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The specification for the current Track Bed Investigation Framework covers the following track bed investigation and associated works, and site & factual reporting which are provided in Scotland:
Standard Track Bed Investigation:
• Determining the condition of the existing track bed and sub-grade
• Assessing the condition of the existing lineside drainage.
• Dynamic Cone Penetration (DCP) to determine the soil structural properties.
• Trial trenches to determine drainage paths and lateral variation of track bed materials.
• Categorising of Spent Ballast for disposal
• Measuring structural constraints (clearances) to support the construction phase and compliance with COM Regulations 2015 (Design Risk Register) to determine construction risks and mitigations.
Deep Track Bed Investigation
• Deeper window sampling and Standard Penetration Test (SPT) using heavy probing techniques for investigating Track Bed Stabilisation sites.
Additional Works and Other Investigation Techniques
• Stiffness Measurement surveys using Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD), and Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD).
• Drainage level surveys/topographical surveys to support the design track of drainage systems.
• Concrete coring of slab track or other associated foundations
• Material testing
• Rail and sleeper deflection monitoring using cameras, Geophones or similar.
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: £4,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
60
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Network Rail will have the option to extend for two further one-year periods, providing the flexibility for a five, six or seven year framework duration in total.
two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged number of candidates: 4
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:
Please refer to the Procurement Documents.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
The framework terms & conditions will be based on the NR29 Framework Contract for Network Rail Amended NEC4 Engineering and Construction Short Contract.
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.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with a single operator
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: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-003733
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
26 July 2024
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
28 November 2024
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 9 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom