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Published 10 Jun 2025, 14:26 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Real Time Passenger Information System

Official notice

Authority: Essex County Council (Local council)

ServicesOpen procedureAbove threshold
Sectors: Software Packages & ERP (48)Installation services (except software) (51) Delivery: East of England (UKH3)
Published estimate£10,000,000≈ £1.3m / year · £12,000,000 inc. VAT · 1 value update
Submissions closed 14 Aug 2026
Next notice expected 15 Feb 2026
Contract term 7 yrs 9 moends 30 Jun 2034 · up to 1 Jul 2039 with extensions · starts 18 Sept 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The Authority requires a single Contractor to provide Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) Software and Equipment across Essex, through delivering the following requirements:

  1. The Contractor must provide RTPI Software, used across existing and new RTPI Equipment and other locations
  2. The Contractor must provide maintenance of RTPI Equipment as required to maintain functionality of the Authority's RTPI Estate
  3. The Contractor must provide, install and manage any new or replacement RTPI Equipment purchased by the Authority.

The initial term for this Contract is from the date of Contract Signature, through to the 30th of June 2034. This Contract has the option to be extended for a further five years, with the extension decision being at the sole discretion of the Authority.

The purpose of this Contract is to continue and improve access to real time passenger information across Essex, with the aim of increasing the number of people travelling by bus. A strong public transport network helps enable access to jobs, education, shops and health services, and provides an alternative to car travel.

  • Not divided into lots: The Authority made the decision not to Lot this Contract, primarily due to the commercial and technical efficiencies that can be delivered through providing the RTPI System under one Contract. Commercial value can be achieved through a single provider being best placed to deliver a lower revenue price through the opportunity for them to commercialise the displays. Technical efficiencies can be achieved through the same Contractor delivering the RTPI Software and providing and maintaining the RTPI Equipment.

CPV: Installation services of communications equipment · Passenger information system

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1Renewal 7 yrs 9 moPublished value£10,000,000
Contract period: 18 Sept 2026 – 30 Jun 2034 (7 yrs 9 mo) · up to 1 Jul 2039 with extensionsValue: £10,000,000 exc. VAT · £12,000,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: East of England
Extensions: The Authority may require that this Contract be modified to include the RTPI Estates of Southend Council and Thurrock Council. More information can be found in the tender documentation. · This Contract has the option to be extended for a further five years, with the extension decision being at the sole discretion of the Authority.
48813000 Passenger information system51300000 Installation services of communications equipment
Pre-qualification & selection criteria (PQQ)2
  • Economic & financial standing
    1. Financial Capacity: Insurance - Bidders are required to already have or be willing to obtain prior to contract award the following insurances: Employer's Liability Insurance of £5 million; Public Liability Insurance of £5 million; Professional Indemnity Insurance of £500,000.
    2. Legal Capacity: Modern Slavery Act 2015 compliance - Bidders are required to self-declare if they are a commercial organisation subject to the Act requirements, and where they are, Bidders shall self-declare that they fully comply with these requirements.
    3. Legal Capacity: Discrimination Legislation - Bidders are required to confirm that a finding of unlawful discrimination has not been made against your organisation in the last three years, either by an Employment Tribunal, an Employment Appeal Tribunal, or any other comparable bodies; or had a complaint submitted against them by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Where Bidders have had such a finding against them, they will need to provide evidence to the Authority's satisfaction that they have taken sufficient remedial action to prevent the risk of similar unlawful discrimination recurring.
    4. Legal Capacity: Environmental Management Legislation - Bidders are required to confirm that they have not been convicted of breaching environmental legislation, or had any notice served upon it, in the last three years by an environmental regulator, local authority or other Authority. Where Bidders have self-declared they have previously breached this legislation or had notice served upon it, Bidders will need to provide evidence to the Authority's satisfaction that they have taken sufficient remedial action to prevent the risk of similar environmental management legislation recurring.
    5. Legal Capacity: Health and Safety Policy - Bidders are required to self-certify that their organisation has a Health and Safety Policy that complies with current legislative requirements.
    6. Legal Capacity: Health and Safety Enforcement/Remedial Orders - Bidders are required to self-declare if any of their Directors or Executive Officers have been in receipt of enforcement/remedial orders in relation to the Health and Safety Executive (or equivalent body) in the last 3 years. Where the Bidder declares they have been in receipt of such, they are required to provide evidence to demonstrate that the Bidder has taken remedial action to prevent the risk of breaching this legislation recurring.
    7. Legal Capacity: Monitoring Subcontractor Legislative Compliance - Bidders shall confirm if they do or do not intend to use subcontractors to deliver this Service. Where Bidders intend to use subcontractors, they are required to confirm their organisation has processes in place to monitor whether subcontractors have been in receipt of any of the above legislative breaches.
    8. Legal Capacity: Data Protection Legislation - Bidders are required to complete the Authority's Data Protection Compliance Questionnaire. To participate in this tender, Bidders must have a response to this questionnaire categorised as 'Satisfactory'.
    9. Legal Capacity - Bidders are required to self-declare if their organisation or any other Parties they are relying on as a Connected Person or an Associated Person is constituted or organised under the law of Russia or Belarus, or whose individual information states Russia or Belarus as the place of residency. The Authority may exclude such bids, unless the relevant person/organisation is registered in the UK or in a country the UK has a relevant international agreement with for reciprocal rights of access to public procurement; and/or the relevant person/organisation has significant business operations in the UK or in a country the UK has a relevant international agreement with for reciprocal rights of access to public procurement.
  • Technical & professional ability
    1. E-Procurement - Bidders are required to confirm that their organisation can fully meet the Authority's requirements for receiving electronic orders and submitting e-mailled invoices.
    2. Relevant Experience - Bidders are required to provide details of up to three contracts from the past three years, to demonstrate that they have suitable relevant experience delivering similar services. For each contract, the Bidder is required to name the customer organisation, the contract dates and value, and describe the services they delivered under the contract.
    3. Organisation Management Structure - Bidders are required to submit a description of their organisation's management structure, which will need to demonstrate an appropriate management structure with enough suitably qualified staff, which has successfully co-ordinated the delivery of similar services, to the Authority's satisfaction.
    4. Resourcing and Systems Plan - Bidders are required to provide a Resourcing and Systems Plan, describing the physical infrastructure, staffing and organisational resources, and functional and technological resources your organisation draws on to deliver similar requirements. This is to provide the Authority with confidence that the Bidder has the appropriate resources available to deliver the Services.
    5. Healthy supply chains - where Bidders intend to subcontract a proportion of the Contract, they are required to describe how they have ensured supply chain performance and ensured prompt payment.

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Quality: 30%Price: 60%Social value: 5%Environmental: 5%
Published sub-criteria (7)
  • Data Accuracy and Systems Plan: 10%
  • Resident Usability and Accessibility Plan: 10%
  • Innovation Plan: 5%
  • Maintenance and Repair Plan: 5%
  • Pricing Matrix: 60%
  • Social Value Plan: 5%
  • Sustainability and Disposal Plan: 5%
Published award criteria (7)
  • Pricing Matrix: Bidders are required to complete a Pricing Matrix, which includes several pricing elements that sum together to an estimate Total Contract Price, for the purposes of evaluation. The pricing elements evaluated in the spreadsheet include: 1. A Bill of Quantities, where Bidders provide a price per item, that is multiplied with the estimate quantity the Authority will require 2. A Mobilisation Price 3. An annual price for the Prediction Engine 4. A monthly price for the maintenance and management of displays, scalable dependant on the number of displays under this Contract 5. The price for Additional Ad-Hoc Services 6. The optional submission of a Minimum Income Guarantee payable to the Authority, if the Contractor has proposed the commercialisation of some of the Authority's displays
  • Data Accuracy and Systems Plan
  • Resident Usability and Accessibility Plan
  • Innovation Plan
  • Maintenance and Repair Plan
  • Sustainability and Disposal Plan
  • Social Value Plan
Conditions of participation2
  • Economic & financial standing
    1. Financial Capacity: Insurance - Bidders are required to already have or be willing to obtain prior to contract award the following insurances: Employer's Liability Insurance of £5 million; Public Liability Insurance of £5 million; Professional Indemnity Insurance of £500,000.
    2. Legal Capacity: Modern Slavery Act 2015 compliance - Bidders are required to self-declare if they are a commercial organisation subject to the Act requirements, and where they are, Bidders shall self-declare that they fully comply with these requirements.
    3. Legal Capacity: Discrimination Legislation - Bidders are required to confirm that a finding of unlawful discrimination has not been made against your organisation in the last three years, either by an Employment Tribunal, an Employment Appeal Tribunal, or any other comparable bodies; or had a complaint submitted against them by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Where Bidders have had such a finding against them, they will need to provide evidence to the Authority's satisfaction that they have taken sufficient remedial action to prevent the risk of similar unlawful discrimination recurring.
    4. Legal Capacity: Environmental Management Legislation - Bidders are required to confirm that they have not been convicted of breaching environmental legislation, or had any notice served upon it, in the last three years by an environmental regulator, local authority or other Authority. Where Bidders have self-declared they have previously breached t…
  • Technical & professional ability
    1. E-Procurement - Bidders are required to confirm that their organisation can fully meet the Authority's requirements for receiving electronic orders and submitting e-mailled invoices.
    2. Relevant Experience - Bidders are required to provide details of up to three contracts from the past three years, to demonstrate that they have suitable relevant experience delivering similar services. For each contract, the Bidder is required to name the customer organisation, the contract dates and value, and describe the services they delivered under the contract.
    3. Organisation Management Structure - Bidders are required to submit a description of their organisation's management structure, which will need to demonstrate an appropriate management structure with enough suitably qualified staff, which has successfully co-ordinated the delivery of similar services, to the Authority's satisfaction.
    4. Resourcing and Systems Plan - Bidders are required to provide a Resourcing and Systems Plan, describing the physical infrastructure, staffing and organisational resources, and functional and technological resources your organisation draws on to deliver similar requirements. This is to provide the Authority with confidence that the Bidder has the appropriate resources available to deliver the Services.
    5. Healthy supply chains - where Bidders intend to subcontract a proportion of the Contract, they are required to describe how they have ensured supply chain performance and ensured prompt paymen…
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 60 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 6 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Closed
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA, CPTPP)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
10 Jun 2025, 14:26 BST
Last source update
6 Aug 2026, 10:49 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 4 Sept 2026
Authority reference
PL0078
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-060880
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
Installation services of communications equipmentPassenger information system
Delivery area
East of England (UKH3)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05461e Find a Tender
Review and risk notes
Risks

There are two known risks for this Contract:

  1. That the Authority will require this Contract be modified to include the RTPI Estates of Southend Council and/or Thurrock Council. The displays within these Estates would become subject to the same Maintenance and operational requirements as detailed throughout this Specification and in the Contractor's Offer. The Contractor would receive increased Maintenance and Management Service Payments proportionate to the increased number of displays, and the Authority would receive increased income proportionate to the increased number of any commercialised displays in this/these areas.
  2. That Devolution and Local Government reform have the implication that the Authority requires this Contract to novate to ECC's Successor Authority.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: OPEN-UK
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free
Submission deadline
14 Aug 2026, 15:00 BST
Clarification deadline
31 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

open-uk.org/opportunities/overvi… ↗

This tender can be found on open-uk.org/opportunities ↗, under the project name PL0078 Real Time Passenger Information Installation and System, or the opportunity number #OPEN2026952.

Timeline

10 Jun 2025 → 18 Sept 2026 · 9 dates
  1. Planning notice published
    10 Jun 2025, 14:26 BST
  2. Market engagement330 days ago
    30 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT

    The Real Time Passenger Information team here at Essex County Council would be grateful for virtual demonstrations of RTPI systems to aid with further defining our specification for this upcoming requirement, which we intend to tender next February/March.

    The functionality they would wish to view is:

    1. Core system:
    • How to enter a disruption or curtailment manually, including a polygon area, list of bus stops or a whole bus service route on a map. Show a disruption or curtailment automatically entering the system (e.g from SIRI SX)
    • How the system receives and processes incoming feeds e.g. TransXchange, SIRI, road closures, API etc. Show how the system produces an outgoing feed e.g. to populate on-street displays, websites etc
    • The fault reporting system
    • The ability to 'snail trail' a journey
    • The bus service routes on a map
    1. Display system
    • The fault reporting system - tracking of process of first report to repair
    • The Asset Management function
    • The data export function (AMX, Travel Essex etc)
    • Adding a message; including emergency messages, including selecting a cluster of displays, a polygon area or a whole bus service route on a map
    • How a display shows a disruption message produced from the core system
    • How to change a Layout
    • A representation of the passenger's view of the display

    To book time in with the Real Time Passenger Information team, please contact sonya.sparks@essex.gov.uk before the 30th November 2025.

    N.B there is a ProContract portal page for ongoing communication on the early market engagement for this - please request to join via DN713073 Real Time Passenger Information and Advertising Request for Information *Soft Market Testing*.

  3. Next notice expected253 days ago
    15 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
  4. Tender notice published119 days ago
    29 Jun 2026, 15:57 BST
  5. Clarification questions by87 days ago
    31 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
  6. Latest notice published81 days ago
    6 Aug 2026, 10:49 BST
  7. Submission deadline73 days ago
    14 Aug 2026, 15:00 BST
  8. Award decision expected by52 days ago
    4 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
  9. Contract starts39 days ago
    18 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST

Notice history

10 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 10 Jun 2025
  1. Pipeline notice published
    10 Jun 2025, 14:26 BST
    UK1
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    13 Nov 2025, 10:53 GMT
    UK2
  3. Pipeline notice published
    13 Nov 2025, 11:12 GMT
    UK1
  4. Tender notice published
    29 Jun 2026, 15:57 BST
    UK4
  5. Published value updated to £10,000,000
    29 Jun 2026, 15:57 BST
    was £3,100,000
  6. Status changed to active
    29 Jun 2026, 15:57 BST
  7. Procurement method changed
    29 Jun 2026, 15:57 BST
  8. Deadline published: 7 Aug 2026, 15:00 BST
    29 Jun 2026, 15:57 BST
  9. Tender notice published
    6 Aug 2026, 10:49 BST
    UK4
  10. Deadline moved to 14 Aug 2026, 15:00 BST
    6 Aug 2026, 10:49 BST
    +7 days · was 7 Aug 2026, 15:00 BST
Published amendments (2)

Estimate for the date of tender publishing updated, from 1st November 2025 to 15th February 2026.

Submission deadline extended.

Routine re-releases (5)
  • 2025-11: 1 release · 13 Nov 2025
  • 2025-06: 1 release · 10 Jun 2025

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Essex County Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PWVM-4844-NRQH County Hall, Market Road, Chelmsford, East of England, CM1 1QHContact name, email

Official documents & specifications (5)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Pipeline notice planningPipeline noticeUK1Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
  • Preliminary market engagement notice planningPreliminary market engagement noticeUK2Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
  • Pipeline notice planningPipeline noticeUK1Pipeline notice on Find a Tender