Scope
Reference
FX1229
Description
1. Detailed CRM requirements are:
• Project Management/Client Services including status calls, timing plans and project updates
• Customer contact strategy to continue enhancing the CRM ecosystem with a focus on retention, increasing Average Transaction Frequency/Average Transaction Value and reducing churn
• Customer Acquisition: create an omni-channel strategy to effectively grow the customer base
• Campaign Planning: including testing and measurement plans
• Creative concepting: including idea generation, design, copywriting & wireframe
• Ability to demonstrates good ability for cross-agency collaboration
• Proactive approach to optimise current activity and pushing forward innovative ideas to drive customer engagement
2. Detailed Loyalty requirements are:
• Project Management/Client Services including status calls, timing plans and project updates
• Customer Acquisition: continue to develop the omni-channel strategy to effectively grow the Loyalty customer base
• Creative concepting: including idea generation, design, copywriting & wireframe utilising all available data points
• Ability to demonstrates good ability for cross-agency collaboration
• Proactive approach to optimise current activity and pushing forward innovative ideas to drive customer engagement, increase customer travel and increase reward redemptions.
• Optimise creative and strategy to increase Loyalty revenue penetration and growth and increase redemptions of rewards.
3. Account Management for CRM and Loyalty
• Dedicated Point of Contact
The Agency shall provide a dedicated point of contact available throughout the duration of the Agreement to deliver CRM and Loyalty account management services. A tiered account team - including a Senior Account Manager, Account Director, and Planning Director - will support varying strategic and delivery needs. The approach must be flexible and tailored, not "one-size-fits-all."
• Flexible Resourcing and Review
The Agency must demonstrate the ability to flex resourcing in response to shifting priorities and levels of activity. This team structure and resource mix will be subject to annual review to ensure continued alignment with the Client's evolving CRM and Loyalty goals.
• Resilience and Continuity
The Agency shall ensure continuity of service, including cover during absence, public holidays, or urgent requirements. This includes having sufficient resilience and senior oversight to maintain momentum on projects and meet deadlines.
• Agile and Responsive Delivery
The Agency must be able to respond quickly and effectively to fast-changing needs such as emergency sends, last-minute creative changes, or unplanned campaigns - while protecting timelines and budgets.
• Tailored Service Types
The Agency shall allocate a named account team to deliver across three levels of service depending on the nature of the Client's requirements:
o Strategic Planning and Consultancy: Deep involvement in areas like loyalty proposition development, segmentation strategy, CRM vision, test-and-learn design, and journey mapping.
o Creative and Tactical Campaign Delivery: Responsive, insight-led CRM campaign execution across key channels including email, push, and DM, with strong creative delivery and campaign management.
o BAU/Operational Support: Execution of regular comms, performance tracking, stakeholder management, and creative adaptation, delivered consistently and reliably.
4. Retained Services
Ongoing Coordination and Performance Management
The Agency will attend weekly status meetings and monthly planning sessions to review project pipelines, resolve issues, and align on new priorities. In addition, quarterly business reviews will cover service levels, strategic direction, and overall relationship management.
The Agency shall:
• Provide the Client with a lead Account Director, supported by a Senior Account Manager and Planning Director under the agreed retainer model.
• Adhere to a structured workflow including briefing templates, planning timelines, and clear approvals governance.
• Offer a straightforward escalation path to resolve delivery or service issues efficiently.
• Ensure full transparency on scope and pricing. All projects outside the retainer will be quoted and billed separately, with clear estimates provided in advance.
• Share insights and counsel on CRM and loyalty trends, customer experience innovations, and regulatory developments.
• Provide training or capability-building sessions when appropriate to support Client team development.
• Flag any resourcing risks early and propose solutions to maintain service continuity.
• Comply fully with Data Protection Legislation and identify the designated Data Protection Officer(s) responsible for CRM data compliance.
Total value (estimated)
- £2,000,000 excluding VAT
- £2,400,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028
- Possible extension to 31 December 2030
- 5 years
Description of possible extension:
The contract length is anticipated to be three (3) years with an option to extend for another 2 years (as a 1+1 option).
The spend indicated within this tender process is not fully committed as the actual annual budgets will be subject to approval by Department for Transport from time to time, usually annually. Please note, we would reserve the right to reduce or increase the budgets as necessary at any point in time.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79340000 - Advertising and marketing services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Participation
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
7 July 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
17 November 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Qualitative - 55% | . Response to the brief (Retainer Services) -5% • Case study and Experience - CRM - 15% • Case study and Experience - Loyalty - 15% • Agency Team Capability - 15% • Sustainability - 5% |
Quality |
| Contract Review - 5% | Quality | |
| Price - 40% | • Retainer Fees - 10% • Case Study 1 Cost - 15% • Case Study 2 Cost - 15% |
Cost |
Weighting description
Qualitative 55%
Contract 5%
and
Price 40%
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Utilities
Competitive flexible procedure description
This will be a three stage process including 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 (5) 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. the shortlisted bidders from the PQQ will submit the written response on the ITT and there will be a further shortlist to a maximum of two or three (2 or 3) tenderers based on the evaluation of written response received.
These shortlisted tenderers (2-3) will then be taken forward to a presentation stage including a chemistry session before final evaluation and award.
The final scores for each tenderer 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
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public undertaking (commercial organisation subject to public authority oversight)