Planning

Inspections and surveys of dry open voids-Prometheus R&D

NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LTD

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

16 Mar 2022 at 22:45

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process, initiated by Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd, seeks to engage suppliers for the "Inspections and surveys of dry open voids-Prometheus R&D" project. This initiative falls within the research and development services sector, specifically aimed at ensuring railway safety by addressing risks posed by shallow mine workings. The opportunity is currently in the planning stage, with a key deadline for submissions set for 14th April 2022. Responses can be directed to Network Rail's contact email and must demonstrate potential solutions along with indicative costings for a product trial.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in research, development, and consultancy services, particularly those with expertise in innovative inspection technologies and geophysical methods. Small to medium-sized enterprises and research institutions that can contribute to advancing safer and more automated surveying solutions without requiring human-entry would be well-suited to compete. Collaborating within a consortium, as seen in the first phase of the project, could further enhance competitiveness in delivering the required outcomes for this essential railway safety initiative.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Notice Title

Inspections and surveys of dry open voids-Prometheus R&D

Notice Description

There are over 5000 recorded and numerous other unrecorded locations across the network where shallow mine workings may constitute a risk to the operation of the railway. The primary risk relates to the collapse of shallow workings causing subsidence at the surface that has the potential to damage railway assets including track possibly resulting in derailment. To manage the risks posed by shallow mine workings it is necessary to understand both the extent and condition of the workings. Only a small percentage of the shallow mine workings can be accessed, inspected and surveyed by suitably qualified engineers, the remainder are inaccessible or too dangerous. There are a limited number of techniques available to investigate those mine workings that cannot be accessed including geophysical methods and the drilling of multiple boreholes at each location, these have the following disadvantages: 1. Geophysical techniques rarely give reliable results in a railway environment, gaining access to track requires expensive possessions 2. The drilling of boreholes has the following challenges; * The process can be expensive, labour intensive and time consuming; * There can be difficulties gaining access near or on the operational railway; * The drilling of boreholes can initiate the collapse of mine workings; * The data obtained is limited to the borehole location and not the wider workings; * Interpretation of results can be very subjective. The first phase of the project saw Network Rail work with a consortium of small-to-medium sized enterprises and universities to develop the Prometheus drone to Rail Industry Readiness Level (RIRL) 3. The key motivation for this second-phase project is to develop a solution to RIRL6 that enables for these challenging sites to be inspected and surveyed through safer and more automated methods, by eliminating the need for human-entry. Network Rail would like to invite prospective suppliers to submit a Request for Information (RFI) Submission Template, which addresses this challenge statement. Network Rail would also like to understand indicative costs in delivering a product trial. Network Rail reserves the rights to hold discussions with Suppliers, following a response to this RFI.

Lot Information

Lot 1

There are over 5000 recorded and numerous other unrecorded locations across the network where shallow mine workings may constitute a risk to the operation of the railway. The primary risk relates to the collapse of shallow workings causing subsidence at the surface that has the potential to damage railway assets including track possibly resulting in derailment. To manage the risks posed by shallow mine workings it is necessary to understand both the extent and condition of the workings. Only a small percentage of the shallow mine workings can be accessed, inspected and surveyed by suitably qualified engineers, the remainder are inaccessible or too dangerous. There are a limited number of techniques available to investigate those mine workings that cannot be accessed including geophysical methods and the drilling of multiple boreholes at each location, these have the following disadvantages: 1. Geophysical techniques rarely give reliable results in a railway environment, gaining access to track requires expensive possessions 2. The drilling of boreholes has the following challenges; * The process can be expensive, labour intensive and time consuming; * There can be difficulties gaining access near or on the operational railway; * The drilling of boreholes can initiate the collapse of mine workings; * The data obtained is limited to the borehole location and not the wider workings; * Interpretation of results can be very subjective. The first phase of the project saw Network Rail work with a consortium of small-to-medium sized enterprises and universities to develop the Prometheus drone to Rail Industry Readiness Level (RIRL) 3. The key motivation for this second-phase project is to develop a solution to RIRL6 that enables for these challenging sites to be inspected and surveyed through safer and more automated methods, by eliminating the need for human-entry. Network Rail would like to invite prospective suppliers to submit a Request for Information (RFI) Submission Template, which addresses this challenge statement. Network Rail would also like to understand indicative costs in delivering a product trial. Network Rail reserves the rights to hold discussions with Suppliers, following a response to this RFI.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0322f5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007259-2022
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
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
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Mar 20223 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
28 Feb 2023Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LTD
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
kalpana.bhatt@networkrail.co.uk
Contact Phone
+44 1908781000

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
NW1 2DN
Post Town
North West London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI36 Camden
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Camden
Electoral Ward
Regent's Park
Westminster Constituency
Holborn and St Pancras

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-0322f5-2022-03-16T22:45:03Z",
    "date": "2022-03-16T22:45:03Z",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-0322f5",
    "description": "To access the instruction/guidance on how to be apart of the initial Pre Market engagement and to access the Pre Market engagement support document please follow below link. Deadline for responding is 14th April'22. https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=53682 Send your completed RFI submission template via email as an attachment to Kalpana.bhatt@networkrail.co.uk with the email subject \"project_32604 - #25935 - Prometheus R&D\"",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-0322f5",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "32014L0025",
            "scheme": "CELEX"
        },
        "title": "Inspections and surveys of dry open voids-Prometheus R&D",
        "status": "planned",
        "classification": {
            "scheme": "CPV",
            "id": "73000000",
            "description": "Research and development services and related consultancy services"
        },
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "description": "There are over 5000 recorded and numerous other unrecorded locations across the network where shallow mine workings may constitute a risk to the operation of the railway. The primary risk relates to the collapse of shallow workings causing subsidence at the surface that has the potential to damage railway assets including track possibly resulting in derailment. To manage the risks posed by shallow mine workings it is necessary to understand both the extent and condition of the workings. Only a small percentage of the shallow mine workings can be accessed, inspected and surveyed by suitably qualified engineers, the remainder are inaccessible or too dangerous. There are a limited number of techniques available to investigate those mine workings that cannot be accessed including geophysical methods and the drilling of multiple boreholes at each location, these have the following disadvantages: 1. Geophysical techniques rarely give reliable results in a railway environment, gaining access to track requires expensive possessions 2. The drilling of boreholes has the following challenges; * The process can be expensive, labour intensive and time consuming; * There can be difficulties gaining access near or on the operational railway; * The drilling of boreholes can initiate the collapse of mine workings; * The data obtained is limited to the borehole location and not the wider workings; * Interpretation of results can be very subjective. The first phase of the project saw Network Rail work with a consortium of small-to-medium sized enterprises and universities to develop the Prometheus drone to Rail Industry Readiness Level (RIRL) 3. The key motivation for this second-phase project is to develop a solution to RIRL6 that enables for these challenging sites to be inspected and surveyed through safer and more automated methods, by eliminating the need for human-entry. Network Rail would like to invite prospective suppliers to submit a Request for Information (RFI) Submission Template, which addresses this challenge statement. Network Rail would also like to understand indicative costs in delivering a product trial. Network Rail reserves the rights to hold discussions with Suppliers, following a response to this RFI.",
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "description": "There are over 5000 recorded and numerous other unrecorded locations across the network where shallow mine workings may constitute a risk to the operation of the railway. The primary risk relates to the collapse of shallow workings causing subsidence at the surface that has the potential to damage railway assets including track possibly resulting in derailment. To manage the risks posed by shallow mine workings it is necessary to understand both the extent and condition of the workings. Only a small percentage of the shallow mine workings can be accessed, inspected and surveyed by suitably qualified engineers, the remainder are inaccessible or too dangerous. There are a limited number of techniques available to investigate those mine workings that cannot be accessed including geophysical methods and the drilling of multiple boreholes at each location, these have the following disadvantages: 1. Geophysical techniques rarely give reliable results in a railway environment, gaining access to track requires expensive possessions 2. The drilling of boreholes has the following challenges; * The process can be expensive, labour intensive and time consuming; * There can be difficulties gaining access near or on the operational railway; * The drilling of boreholes can initiate the collapse of mine workings; * The data obtained is limited to the borehole location and not the wider workings; * Interpretation of results can be very subjective. The first phase of the project saw Network Rail work with a consortium of small-to-medium sized enterprises and universities to develop the Prometheus drone to Rail Industry Readiness Level (RIRL) 3. The key motivation for this second-phase project is to develop a solution to RIRL6 that enables for these challenging sites to be inspected and surveyed through safer and more automated methods, by eliminating the need for human-entry. Network Rail would like to invite prospective suppliers to submit a Request for Information (RFI) Submission Template, which addresses this challenge statement. Network Rail would also like to understand indicative costs in delivering a product trial. Network Rail reserves the rights to hold discussions with Suppliers, following a response to this RFI.",
                "status": "planned"
            }
        ],
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "73000000",
                        "description": "Research and development services and related consultancy services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UK"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "communication": {
            "futureNoticeDate": "2023-02-28T00:00:00Z"
        }
    },
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-FTS-448",
            "name": "Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "1 Eversholt Street",
                "locality": "London",
                "region": "UK",
                "postalCode": "NW1 2DN",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "telephone": "+44 1908781000",
                "email": "Kalpana.Bhatt@networkrail.co.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "https://www.networkrail.co.uk/",
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "TED_CE_ACTIVITY",
                        "id": "RAILWAY_SERVICES",
                        "description": "Railway services"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-FTS-448",
        "name": "Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd"
    },
    "language": "en"
}