Scope
Description
Northern Trains Limited has a requirement to replace its existing Ticket Retailing & Validation solution by December 2026 due to the incumbent supplier's withdrawal from the UK rail ticketing market. Northern are therefore
looking to engage the supply market to understand the solutions available.
Northern Trains Limited Invitation to Tender is for the provision of a technology solution that satisfies two main
outcomes for Northern:
•Suitable replacement of the on-train and ticket office solution to maintain and safeguard ticket retailing and validation
provision
•Deliver on NTL's dependency into the PAYG programme for EMV
A successfully delivered solution must meet 11 significant requirements:
1)Complete Ticket Issuing System (TIS) for All Devices
•Requirement: Solution must provide a fully operational TIS across ticket offices and onboard mobile devices.
•Rationale: Protects the continuity of retailing & ticket validation for Northern.
2)Architecture Description of All Components
•Requirement: Supplier must provide a clear architecture description, confirming deployment as Cloud or Supplierhosted only.
•Rationale: Ensures transparency of system design and integration capability, supporting Northern's preference for
modern hosting models and interoperability.
3)Full Range of Retailing Options Available Day One
•Requirement: Must support issuance of all national ticket types and Northern-specific products from launch.
•Rationale: Northern's customer base spans multiple fare types and channels; continuity and breadth of retail options
are critical for customer service and revenue protection.
4)RDG Accreditation and Compliance
•Requirement: Solution must hold full RDG accreditation and comply with all industry standards at tender.
•Rationale: Accreditation guarantees interoperability and adherence to rail industry technical standards, safeguarding
operational integrity and compliance.
5)Adherence to Project Delivery Timelines
•Requirement: Fully operational solution by December 2026.
•Rationale: Aligns with Fujitsu contract end date and Northern's strategic timeline for transition and staff training,
avoiding service disruption.
6)Customer Payment Type Acceptance
•Requirement: Must process all major payment types (cards, contactless, mobile wallets, cash, warrants) and support
PCI DSS compliance.
•Rationale: Reflects diverse customer payment preferences and ensures secure, industry-standard processing to
prevent fraud and maintain trust.
7)Support for ITSO PAYG Smartcards
•Requirement: Must support ITSO PAYG products (e.g., MCard, POP card) and integrate with ITSO HOPS for ISAM
management.
•Rationale: Enables interoperability with regional smart ticketing schemes, supporting Northern's multi-modal travel
commitments.
8)TfGM cEMV PAYG Capability
•Requirement: Must incorporate functionality for TfGM's contactless EMV PAYG scheme, ready for testing by July
2026.
•Rationale: Future-proofs the solution for emerging PAYG initiatives, supporting Greater Manchester's integrated
transport vision and Northern's strategic role in PAYG rollout.
9)Customer Travel Options and Fare Types
•Requirement: Must present full range of national and Northern-specific fare options across all devices.
•Rationale: Ensures customers can access correct fares and products consistently, enhancing service quality and
revenue accuracy.
10)End-of-Shift Accounting Functionality
•Requirement: Must provide robust end-of-shift accounting features for ticket sales and reconciliation.
•Rationale: Critical for financial integrity, audit compliance, and operational efficiency in managing cash and card
transactions.
11)Ticket Inspection and Validation Functionality
•Requirement: Must enable inspection and validation of all ticket types (smartcards, barcodes, PAYG) on both ticket
office and mobile devices.
•Rationale: Supports revenue protection and customer trust by ensuring tickets are valid and correctly processed
across all channels.
Northern Trains Limited, is a Train Operating Company (TOC) that operates passenger rail services in the North of England.
Where used throughout this notice, the meaning of Train Operating Companies includes all and any of those train operating companies who, currently or in the future, provide services for the carriage of passengers by railway:
a. under a franchise agreement with the Secretary of State within the meaning of section 23(3) of the Railways Act 1993 or
b. under, or secured under, the Secretary of State's duty in section 30(1) of the Railways Act 1993; or
c. in accordance with legislation which supersedes or amends the powers referred to in a) and b), including where such powers are transferred from the Secretary of State to another body.
The list of current providers of services for the carriage of passengers by railway under these provisions can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-register-of-rail-passenger-contracts.
Novation or Assignment
The contract may be novated or assigned by Northern Trains Limited to Train Operating Companies, or to DFT Operator Limited (company number: 07141122) or any successor parent company to a Train Operating Company, following a corporate restructuring or similar circumstance.
Other Information
Northern Trains Limited expressly reserves the right:
i. not to award any suppliers the contract referred to in this notice; and
ii. in no circumstances will the customer be liable for any costs incurred by the suppliers.
Total value (estimated)
- £30,000,000 excluding VAT
- £36,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 31 March 2026 to 30 March 2032
- Possible extension to 30 March 2037
- 11 years
Description of possible extension:
The minimum term is six (6) years, with the option to extend for a further five (5) years, split into a three (3) year option followed by a two (2) year option, up to a total maximum duration of eleven (11) years.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 30123100 - Ticket-validation machines
- 30144200 - Ticket-issuing machines
- 50316000 - Maintenance and repair of ticket-issuing machinery
- 50317000 - Maintenance and repair of ticket-validation machinery
Submission
Tender submission deadline
12 January 2026, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/
Access Code : KF72D9CNNW
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
4 March 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | Quality | 45% |
| Commercial | Cost | 45% |
| Social Value | Quality | 10% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Utilities
Contracting authority
NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED
- Companies House: 03076444
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PZCJ-2164-HJQZ
George Stephenson House
York
YO1 6JT
United Kingdom
Region: UKE21 - York
Organisation type: Public authority - central government