United Kingdom-LONDON: Online Ticket Issuing System (webTIS and mobile app)

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Ref: (2022/S 000-004660/EN)
Nature of contract: Supply contract
Procedure: Negotiated procedure
Type of bid required: Global bid

Contract notice
Supplies

Section I: Contracting entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: Govia Thameslink Railway Ltd
Postal address: 24 Monument Street
Town: LONDON
Postal code: EC3R8AJ
Country: United Kingdom
Contact Person: Joseph keaney
Telephone: +44 7580745612
Email: joe.keaney@gtrailway.com
Internet address(es):
Main address:

I.3)Communication
Access to the procurement documents is restricted.Further information can be obtained at:
Additional information can be obtained from:
the above mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted
electronically via:www.______joe.keaney@gtrailway.com
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted
to the above mentioned address
I.6) Main activity:
Railway services

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement:
II.1.1) Title: Online Ticket Issuing System (webTIS and mobile app)
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 48110000
II.1.3) Type of contract: Supplies
II.1.4) Short Description:
The Project
Govia Thameslink Railway Limited (GTR) are looking to procure a partner to deliver an online Ticket Issuing System (desktop and mobile App) “webTIS”.
GTR has historically provided its online webTIS via a group affiliate company. Over the last two years, COVID 19 has significantly changed and accelerated customer behaviors both in terms of how they interact with the railway and procure tickets. This change in Customer behavior and the increased digital adoption has resulted in a need to review our product offering in relation to webTIS, deliver a modernised retail solution for the customer; whilst ensuring value for money for the Department of Transport (DfT).
GTR are therefore looking for a service provider that can offer the following:
• A WebTIS (desktop, mobile web & app) solution aligned to current and future customer retail behavior
• A front-end customer app
• Functionality to deliver new ticketing products to the Customer
• Capability to retail the latest digital barcode rail tickets
• A UK Railway Industry compliant Rail Delivery Group accredited back-office system including financial processing via Lennon (either currently accredited or with realistic plans to become so)
• An accessibility compliant product suite to rail industry standards
• Full accreditation and compliance with UK Rail Retailing Standards (where applicable)
• Agility in adapting to industry and customer behavior changes
For information, please refer to Appendix A for key accreditation and compliance.

II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: 3000000 Currency: GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
The contract is divided into lots:no
II.2) Description
II.2.2)Additional CPV code(s)
Main CPV code: 72212110

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: Main site or place of performance:
About GTR:
• Four individual consumer brands (Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern & Thameslink) running across an extended geography with multiple train and station operational models.
• 239 managed stations
• over 500 units in its train fleet,
• GTR has one of the largest estates amongst UK Train Operating Companies (TOCs), with a geographically far-reaching network covering over 800 route miles across London and the Southeast of England.
• GTR had the largest number of passenger journeys at 19% of all UK journeys (ORR data 2018-19).

II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
The Project
Govia Thameslink Railway Limited (GTR) are looking to procure a partner to deliver an online Ticket Issuing System (desktop and mobile App) “webTIS”.
GTR has historically provided its online webTIS via a group affiliate company. Over the last two years, COVID 19 has significantly changed and accelerated customer behaviors both in terms of how they interact with the railway and procure tickets. This change in Customer behavior and the increased digital adoption has resulted in a need to review our product offering in relation to webTIS, deliver a modernised retail solution for the customer; whilst ensuring value for money for the Department of Transport (DfT).
GTR are therefore looking for a service provider that can offer the following:
• A WebTIS (desktop, mobile web & app) solution aligned to current and future customer retail behavior
• A front-end customer app
• Functionality to deliver new ticketing products to the Customer
• Capability to retail the latest digital barcode rail tickets
• A UK Railway Industry compliant Rail Delivery Group accredited back-office system including financial processing via Lennon (either currently accredited or with realistic plans to become so)
• An accessibility compliant product suite to rail industry standards
• Full accreditation and compliance with UK Rail Retailing Standards (where applicable)
• Agility in adapting to industry and customer behavior changes
For information, please refer to Appendix A for key accreditation and compliance.
The rail industry in the UK is experiencing a period of significant change including the development of Great British Railways (GBR) and rail reform. It is anticipated that during the next two to five years a new industry facing solution/platform will be launched within the UK.
As a result, the initial opportunity and contract proposed is for a period of up to two (2) years with further contract options to extend for additional term(s) of up to three (3) years. This will be subject to the industry solution and its associated timeline.
The intention is to split the services into two clear objectives,
1) Core Competencies and functionality
2) Non-core and optional services and functionality
This call for competition and subsequent tender event will be inclusive of all the aspects defined herein which allow GTR to deliver its Online webTIS solution.
Customers need consistent, accurate and personalised information through all channels about their journey, ensuring they see one version of the truth, no matter where they look. This includes whilst planning their journey, buying their ticket and whilst travelling. This information must also meet the needs of customers who use additional resources to view information i.e. screen readers and must be fully accessible.
Core Competencies and Functionality
The main high-level activities/components of the core competencies and functionality are:
• A modern and flexible user experience across all touch points
• Online webTIS (desktop & mobile web)
• RDG compliant TIS for all fulfilment types- (Paper, Barcode and ITSO smart card),
• RDG compliant webTIS functionality to sell and support all tickets types
• Integration with GTR existing websites
• Native or Non-native mobile webTIS for Apps
• New front end apps
• Integration with GTRs existing third-party systems:
o Delay Repay including Smartcard notifications
o Existing smartcard back-office to support existing ITSO Account Based Ticketing (ABT) solution.
o National Rail accredited industry source data sets to feed the information into both the webTIS and the app.
o Customer journey planner (through API)Ticket forwarding process (paper fulfilment)
o Refund portal
o RARS 2 reservation system
o Customer Relationship Management system
• s-Ticket barcode capability (live or on road map)
• Flexi season ticket (live or on road map)
• ITSO part 11 fulfilment (live or on road map)
• Back office functionality:
o Backoffice functionality to process customer refunds
o Backoffice functionality to review customer accounts and purchase history for customer queries
o Backoffice functionality to add/remove e-vouchers to customer accounts
o Different security/functionality levels for user accounts, when using the back-office system
• Customer account management
• Multiple Payment options (e.g. Apple / Google Pay, Pay Pal, Amazon Pay, VISA Pay).
• Fraud prevention measures
• Provision of real-time (or near real-time) data to GTR through APIs to integrate with the Customer’s Business Intelligence platform (Azure)
• Flexible functionality and capability to migrate to a potential future National Industry Retailing Solution, products, and development
• Support testing including sand box/ UAT environments
We will expect any new partner to accept and adhere to our standard GDPR and InfoSec clauses as part of any new contract given the sensitive nature of the customer data which will be processed on our behalf.
Non-core and optional services
In addition, to the elements outline above, the tender will allow suppliers the opportunity to provide non-core and optional product offerings in addition to the core functionality. This will enable GTR to provide a full seamless end to end solution for its Customers including (but not limited to):
• End-to-end Journey planner
• Customer metrics and marketing tools
• Multi-platform webTIS interface
• Flexible back-office interface functionality to support other retailing products
• Account based ticketing
• Best fare calculator
• Delay repay settlement / solution
• Delay Repay solution
• Digital Wallet
• Reservation System (RARS 2)
• Ticket fulfilment (traditional paper tickets)
• Support and/or deliver yield management tools
• Facilitate new payment solutions/providers
• ITSO/Smart Media Host Operating Processing System
• Retailing product development and innovation
The purpose is to run a competitive tender exercise to select a partner to deliver the entire webTIS and App solution. GTR propose a single solution and do not intend to split the opportunity into lots.
GTR reserve the option to extend the use of the successful online webTIS solution to existing ticket fulfillment solutions across its network via any multi-platform functionality delivered as part of this award.
II.2.5)Award criteria
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: 3000000 Currency: GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract,framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months:24
This contract is subject to renewal: no
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged minimum number:2
/ Maximum number:7
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:Maximum number of suppliers invited to tender following EOI and associated PQQ if required.

II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:yes
II.2.11) Information about options
Options: yes
Description of options:
the final contract award will include options up to a full term of up to 60months. i.e. an extension of a further 36months following the initial award term of 24 months.

II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
APPENDIX A
RDG Accreditation mandate:
RDG’s TIS accreditation process covers systems that sell or issue tickets to travel on the National Rail network including Ticket Office Machines, Ticket Vending Machines, On-Train Devices, Web-based Systems and Apps.
It assures passengers can:
• purchase valid interoperable tickets to travel, based on correct timetables, availability, and correct fare.
• It ensures accurate apportionment of revenue between TOCs.
• It protects RDG systems such as NRS, LSM and PMS.
• It supports suppliers of Ticket Issuing Systems when developing their systems to meet industry standards
To ensure that:
 for whatever journey the passenger wants to make they are offered the right choice of tickets at the correct price.
 that payment is taken securely.
 that details of the ticket sale are recorded correctly and submitted for settlement, so that the revenue is distributed between about 30 train operators and hundreds of other parties: and
 that the tickets are produced in a consistent format, clearly recognisable as valid by staff and passengers, secure against fraud and which can be correctly read by people and machines throughout the journey.

III.1.4) Objective rules and criteria for participation
List and brief description of rules and criteria:Tender Programme (forecasted)
Call for Competition (EOI) ends: 21st March 2022
Tender Issue: by end March 2022
Tender Returns: Early May 2022
Clarifications / Assessment Complete: May-June 2022
Contract Notification: End June 2022
Contract Award: July 2022
The above tender period is estimated and may be subject to change at GTR’s discretion.
It is anticipated that the tender will be limited six suppliers, though this will be subject to the quantity or suppliers expressing an interest. In the event a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) is required, this will have two (2) clear aspects:
a) A checklist of pass/fail functionality, compliance, and accreditation
b) An assessed PQQ section
The PQQ period inclusive of assessment may take up to five (5) weeks. GTR intend to invite the top six (6) scoring suppliers to the tender event.
Those submitting tenders will be required to resource accordingly to meet the required tender return date.
Mobilisation
A period of up to four months mobilisation for core functionally going live in the 4th quarter 2022 with further functionality and products coming online through no later than quarter one (1) 2023.
Tenderers will be expected to align these targets as part of any proposal received.
Expression of Interest Response/ Reply to the call for competition:
The supplier is requested to confirm their ability to meet the above requirements.
All other competency requirements to award a contract will be identified with the tender enquiry documentation.
The proposed contract will be on GTR (The Go-Ahead Group’s) model terms and conditions for supply of services.
Mandatory terms and service levels will be included within the tender package aligned to the programme.
Please send returns to:
joe.keaney@gtrailway.com
Subject: GTR Online webTIS (desktop and app) – Expression of Interest

Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure:
Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
IV.1.4) Information about the reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement(GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: no
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:2022-03-21 Local time:16:00
IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
Date:2022-07-11
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: EN

Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:no
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information:Important information regarding this expression of interest (EOI):
Govia Thameslink Railway Limited’s (“GTR”) contract to operate passenger carrying rail services (its “Franchise Agreement”) expires at 01:59 on 1 April 2022 (“Franchise End Date”). On and from that time:
A) GTR’s Franchise Agreement may be extended (“Scenario A”); or
B) GTR may be awarded a new, different, contract to operate passenger carrying rail services (“Scenario B”); or
C) GTR may cease to operate passenger carrying rail services and a new company operated by a Department for Transport (DfT) (the “OLR Company”) will commence the operation of passenger carrying rail services in what was GTR’s franchised area (“Scenario C”).
The ITT to which this EOI relates will commence before the Franchise End Date, however the decision to award will be taken after the Franchise End Date. GTR is therefore acting on its own behalf and as a central purchasing body under Regulation 55 of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016.
Responding to the EOI you understand that should:
1) Scenario A or scenario B transpire GTR will operate the entire ITT process and, it as a result it awards a legally binding contract to the successful participant, GTR will be the successful participant’s counterparty; and
2) Scenario B transpires GTR will commence the ITT process and as at Franchise End Date GTR will have no further involvement. Post Franchise End Date the ITT process may be continued by the OLR Company and, if as a result OLR Company awards a legally binding contract to the successful participant, OLR Company will be the successful participant’s counterparty.
EOI recipients understand that by participating in the EOI they acknowledge and agree to the above.

VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Official name: The Go Ahead Group
Town: Newcastle
Country: United Kingdom

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:
2022-02-18