Tender

RSSB2757 - T1161 Improvements to pantograph collector strips maintenance and to Automatic Dropping Device

RAIL SAFETY AND STANDARDS BOARD LIMITED

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

TenderAmendment

18 Jan 2019 at 15:25

Tender Notice
TenderAmendment

17 Jan 2019 at 14:10

Tender Notice
TenderAmendment

21 Dec 2018 at 13:54

Tender Notice
Tender

07 Dec 2018 at 10:50

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Rail Safety and Standards Board Limited is currently engaged in a procurement process for the project titled "RSSB2757 - T1161 Improvements to pantograph collector strips maintenance and to Automatic Dropping Device". This tender falls under the category of research and development services and aims to enhance maintenance practices and design improvements for critical railway components. The procurement method employed is an open procedure, and the tender period is set to conclude on 1st February 2019. The resulting contract is scheduled to commence on 4th February 2019 and will extend until 31st October 2019, with a total budget of £130,000. The work will take place at a delivery address located in London, EC2M 2RB.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses involved in research and development, particularly those specialising in engineering, railway technologies, and maintenance services. Companies capable of innovating wear management strategies or enhancing existing technologies for pantograph systems will find this contract especially relevant. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to participate, as they often bring agile solutions and fresh perspectives to the railway sector, contributing to advancements in both safety and efficiency.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

RSSB2757 - T1161 Improvements to pantograph collector strips maintenance and to Automatic Dropping Device

Notice Description

This research focuses on: 1. Identification of cost-effective wear management strategies together with novel technological options for the collector strip. The collector strips (or carbon strips) in contact with the OLE contact wire are the key component for the transmission of electrical energy between OLE infrastructure and the train. When the train is in motion, the strips are subjected to abrasion, electrical damage and fatigue eventually reaching their electrical and mechanical engineering limits. Hence, they must be regularly inspected and renewed (every 10-30 weeks ). 2. Improvements to the Automatic Dropping Device (ADD), a component of the pantograph. Closely allied to the collector strips is the ADD, a feature of most pantographs operating on Network Rail infrastructure. Its role is to drop the pantograph in the event of significant damage to the pantograph head and/or collector strips as a protective measure. Further damage to the pantograph and strip could lead to dewirement. Dewirements are a significant cost to the industry with safety implications (major dewirement incidents include injuries to passengers and/or track workers), but they primarily impact the performance and reliability of the service. This project will contribute to improving the reliability and performance of pantographs while reducing maintenance costs, system failure costs and to some extent, reducing dewirement delay costs and incidents. T1060 (RSSB, 2018) looked at past dewirement cases and identified some causes and risks. The report recommended to review the effectiveness of the ADD system in preventing or mitigating the escalation of dewirement events. It noted that in a proportion of cases, the ADD position on the pantograph assembly is not always optimised for all rolling stock types. The project also identified opportunities to improve the ADD system. Although, the definition of dewirement excludes regular wear and tear of OLE wires or pantograph carbon strips, they can become contributory factors to a more damaging event if not managed properly. There has been discussion at the VTE SIC around the need for an agreed industry position on the wear of pantograph collector strips. Network Rail Ltd is working with suppliers and the University of Milan to understand wear on the OLE, but no work has been undertaken to understand collector strip wear. Currently, there is an inconsistent approach across the industry to manage collector strip wear and no Whole Life Cycle (WLC) analysis is available to inform this. The other highly relevant piece of research, T346 (RSSB, 2012), investigated the potential for improvements in electrification systems. It provided an assessment of the latest technological developments in both collector strips and ADD, laying down the areas for further improvements (e.g. alternative carbon material with lower wear rate and alternative ADD systems with faster response times).

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-03f53e52-ed44-447f-bd43-cfdb21c67519
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/be42c359-0fe9-4ad1-b3e3-775f6e60c5bd
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure (below threshold)
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£130,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
18 Jan 20197 years ago
Submission Deadline
1 Feb 2019Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
4 Feb 2019 - 31 Oct 2019 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
RAIL SAFETY AND STANDARDS BOARD LIMITED
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
EC2M 2RB
Post Town
Central London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI43 Haringey and Islington
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Islington
Electoral Ward
Bunhill
Westminster Constituency
Islington South and Finsbury

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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