Scope
Description
Chiltern Railways is conducting this Procurement to select a supplier for the provision of Radio Hire Equipment.
This Procurement defines the technical standards for radio equipment deployed across Chiltern Railways operations. It establishes the minimum functional, technical, environmental, and regulatory requirements for handheld equipment used by operational staff, including Route Control personnel, Train Managers, shunters, and station staff.
Reliable and interoperable radio communications are critical to ensuring the safe and efficient movement of trains, effective coordination between front-line teams, and compliance with the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) safety standards. These standards apply to all radio systems intended for use within the Chiltern Railways network, including, private mobile radios, and digital radio systems where applicable.
The technical standards set out in this Procurement align with current UK railway regulations, including Ofcom licensing conditions and Network Rail interoperability requirements.
Consideration has also been given to environmental resilience, user ergonomics, future scalability, and integration with legacy and safety-critical systems.
This Procurement supports the procurement, deployment, and maintenance of radio communication systems that are robust, future-ready, and fully aligned with Chiltern Railways' operational and safety objectives.
The contract term is 7 years, 3+2+2 with an estimated value of £700,000 over the 7 year term.
The contracting start date is 1st May 2026.
1st May 2026 to 1st May 2029.
Possible further extension 30th April 2033.
Total value (estimated)
- £700,000 excluding VAT
- £840,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2029
- Possible extension to 30 April 2033
- 7 years
Description of possible extension:
An initial 3 year term plus an opportunity for an additional 2 x 2 year extensions based on the contract performance of the supplier.
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Additional radio handsets, docking stations and associated peripherals.
Main procurement category
Goods
CPV classifications
- 32344280 - Portable radios
Contract locations
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH23 - Hertfordshire
- UKH25 - Central Bedfordshire
- UKI5 - Outer London - East and North East
- UKJ1 - Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Participation
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
24 October 2025, 1:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Chiltern use Market Dojo e-sourcing portal for the purposes of this Procurement.
Use Invitation Code: 4E5287BAE6 to access the tender documents.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
19 January 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Costs | Cost | 30% |
| Technical Deliverability | Quality | 25% |
| Terms & Conditions | Quality | 15% |
| Health & Safety | Quality | 10% |
| Relevant Experience & Contract Examples | Quality | 10% |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) | Quality | 10% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Competitive flexible procedure description
This procurement will consist of 6 Stages.
Non-Disclosure Agreement - NDA
Stage 1 - Invitation to Participate (ITP), includes Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ). Bidders who are successfully shortlisted in Stage 1 will be invited to participate in Stage 2.
Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender.
Stage 3 - Best and Final Offer (BAFO)
Stage 4 - Preferred Bidder Stage.
Stage 5 - Contract Award.
Contracting authority
THE CHILTERN RAILWAY COMPANY LIMITED
- Companies House: 03007939
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PNPV-7838-DRMN
1 Admiral Way
Sunderland
SR3 3XP
United Kingdom
Contact name: Peter Clark
Region: UKC23 - Sunderland
Organisation type: Private utility