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Find a TenderAwarded without competitionTransparency notice
Published 17 Jun 2025, 12:32 BST

Official UK procurement notice

TABS Software licencing + support & maintenance

Official notice

Authority: NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED (Public body)

Direct awardUtilities
Sectors: IT Services & Software (72) Delivery: UK
Awarded value£827,198published award · exc. VAT
Award in standstill Not publishedno call for competition

What is being bought

Published requirement description

This requirement is for a three year renewal for the Microgen Aptitude Software Licence, Maintenance and Support Agreement with Aptitude Software Limited via a Single Tender Action (STA) commencing on 23/06/2025.

The “Track access billing programme” has been established within Route Services IT to deliver a consolidated software application, database and infrastructure for the recording of Track Access, Compensation Payments (Planned and Unplanned) and the maintenance of reference data. The Billing programme is a strategic programme to improve the way in which the billing function for Network Rail (NR) is carried out and managed by the organisation.

As a longstanding client of Aptitude since 2008, Network Rail has leveraged Aptitude

Software Limited platform to support critical internal operations through a customised application built and maintained using the Aptitude Platform.

Key Areas of Support:

  • Web Application Development

Network Rail uses the Aptitude Platform’s web application generator to develop and operate an internal application. Uniquely, they run their environment on Microsoft Windows, utilising IIS (Internet Information Services) and .NET technologies, rather than the more common Linux-based setup.

  • Calculation Capability

The platform supports core business calculations - specifically, those used to model and determine the fees other companies must pay to access and use railway infrastructure. These financial models are essential to Network Rail’s operations.

  • Ongoing Upgrades and Technical Support

Aptitude has supported several platform upgrades over the years, with the most recent migration to version 24.4.1. We assisted in resolving issues during this process, particularly compatibility concerns with Windows Server 2022.

  • Testing and Migration Status

Network Rail is in the final phase of testing their newly upgraded application. Most system tests have been completed successfully, with a few final validations currently underway.

  • Continued Engagement

While direct development work has been minimal since 2019, Aptitude

continues to provide proactive technical support, version upgrades, and assistance with troubleshooting to ensure continued platform stability.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Awarded
Delivery: UK
72000000 IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Utilities
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
17 Jun 2025, 12:32 BST
Last source update
17 Jun 2025, 13:00 BST
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-032937
Latest notice
Transparency notice (UK5)
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-054e31 Find a Tender
Why no open competition

Single Suppliers Unique Work Art Performance; Single Suppliers Intellectual Property Exclusive Rights; Single Suppliers Technical Reasons

Published justification

This award is compliant with the New Procurement Act 2023 under section 41 referencing I7 Sch. 5 para. 4 and para. 5 ; competition is absent for technical reasons . The Rationale is as follows:

Due to a particular supplier having intellectual property rights or other exclusive rights, only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and

There are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.

due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and

There are no other suppliers in the marketplace that are able to replace NR’s legacy billing systems with a single solution that could manage changes to the billing rules more effectively and to more efficiently manage the workload and improve the accuracy of revenue collection.

Notice history

3 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 17 Jun 2025
  1. Transparency notice published
    17 Jun 2025, 12:32 BST
    UK5
  2. Transparency notice published
    17 Jun 2025, 13:00 BST
    UK5
  3. Contract signature expected
    19 Jun 2025, 23:59 BST
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1some still in standstill
Awarded value £827,1981 award exc. VAT
Awarded toValueDateStatus
supplier not publishedAptitude Software Limited, TABS Software licensing + support & maintenance23 Jun 2025 – 30 Jun 2028£827,198—Standstill

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PNZN-9524-VCQJ Waterloo General Office, London, London, SE1 8SWContact name, email

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender