Tender

Selection of an Investment Partner for the Global Centre of Rail Excellence

GCRE LTD

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

19 Jan 2023 at 08:54

Planning

23 Nov 2022 at 11:21

Summary of the contracting process

The Global Centre of Rail Excellence Ltd (GCRE Ltd) is seeking an investment partner for the development of the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in South Wales. The procurement process involves selecting a strategic investor to acquire a majority shareholding in GCRE Ltd. The project aims to create a railway infrastructure and rolling stock testing facility, spanning 700 hectares in Powys and Neath Port Talbot. Investment phases include ground works, infrastructure development, and commercial operations over a 3-year period, with a total estimated capital cost of around GBP400m. The current stage is active, with a tender deadline of 28th February 2023.

This opportunity opens avenues for businesses in construction project management services, railway equipment, electrical installations for railways, and related sectors. Companies with experience in greenfield projects, energy development, and rail operations stand to benefit. The strategic investor will play a lead role in funding and implementing the project, offering potential returns based on market conditions. The procurement method is selective with competitive dialogue, and key dates include the invitation date for the next stage on 3rd April 2023. The location for the project is in South Wales, creating a significant opportunity for growth and collaboration in the rail industry.

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Notice Title

Selection of an Investment Partner for the Global Centre of Rail Excellence

Notice Description

GCRE Ltd (the "Company") is seeking a strategic investor to fund the Company. This is an investment and commercialisation opportunity in relation to the Global Centre of Rail Excellence ("GCRE"), a planned railway infrastructure and rolling stock testing, proving, demonstration and storage facility in South Wales, on a site of 700 hectares located within the Powys and Neath Port Talbot local authorities. GCRE is being developed by the Company, which is currently wholly owned by the Welsh Government. The strategic investor, which could be a single investor or a consortium of investors, will acquire a majority shareholding in and control of the Company (being a minimum of 51%).

Lot Information

Lot 1

This is a procurement to acquire a controlling interest in GCRE Ltd (the "Company"). The Global Centre of Rail Excellence ("GCRE") is a planned railway infrastructure and rolling stock testing, proving, demonstration and storage facility in South Wales, on a site of 700 hectares located within the Powys and Neath Port Talbot local authorities. For the rail industry and its supply chain, GCRE will provide a single site that brings people and ideas together, enabling world class research, testing and innovation. GCRE will be net zero in operation and will be the first purpose built large scale rail testing facility in the UK. The capital deployment needed will occur over a period of 3 years with the aim to achieve full commercial operations in FY25/26. GCRE's core revenues will be derived from the assets delivered by Investment Phases 1 and 2, which are described as follows: 1. Investment Phase 1: ground works, site preparation, outline design and the development of storage facilities. 2. Investment Phase 2: development of the rail infrastructure, including construction of a rolling stock testing track (outer loop with track length of 6.9km), an infrastructure testing track (inner loop with track length of 4km), additional storage and maintenance facilities, and the required building and civil works to make the site fully operational, including: (a) assuring supply of cost effective, sustainable, and reliable energy to the site to support 24/7 operations; and (b) working with local stakeholders to get access to relevant utilities and access infrastructure. The total estimated capital cost to deliver Investment Phases 1 and 2 is c.GBP400m. Investment Phase 1 is already underway using public funding. Investment Phase 2 requires private funding. There is also an opportunity to commercially exploit and develop the renewable energy opportunities available at the site in line with GCRE's energy strategy (which opportunity would be beyond the initial c.GBP400m investment). The initial c.GBP400m investment is proposed to be funded through: i) Public funding of GBP70m already committed and partially drawn down: Welsh Government equity investment of GBP50m and a GBP20m grant from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. ii) Private funding of c.GBP330m. The strategic investor selected through this procurement process will take majority ownership and control of the Company. Please note that this is a current estimate and work is underway to determine more precise value of the total capital cost. It should also be noted that site works (including award of the contract for earthworks) and relevant studies have already commenced. There is also the opportunity to develop, over the course of time, other commercial / revenue opportunities related to land / real estate development on the site. Potential returns will depend on many commercial factors including (but not limited to) market conditions. Details about the requirements and the scope can be found in the Selection Questionnaire ("SQ") and the Memorandum of Information ("MOI") with a more detailed description of the Company, its business plan and investment requirements to be provided at the tender stage of the procurement process. Access to procurement documentation: The MOI will be provided by GCRE Ltd to the applicant following signing by the applicant of a non-disclosure agreement ("NDA") and returning it to GCRE Ltd at the email address above. Access to the SQ and the NDA is unrestricted and you can access the SQ and the NDA in the Additional Documents section of Sell2Wales. Bidders should seek independent legal and commercial advice in relation to the opportunity. Additional information: The duration is an estimate only, provided on the basis of the estimated time periods required to deliver Investment Phases 1 and 2. Any queries and responses and circulars that may be issued during the tender period will be communicated exclusively via eTenderWales. See section II.2.4 above for instructions on how to access the procurement documentation.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-038790
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001623-2023
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive dialogue
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

09 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy

31 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting

32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

45 - Construction work

50 - Repair and maintenance services

65 - Public utilities

66 - Financial and insurance services

70 - Real estate services

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security


CPV Codes

09310000 - Electricity

09330000 - Solar energy

31121110 - Power converters

32500000 - Telecommunications equipment and supplies

32552420 - Frequency converter

34632300 - Electrical installations for railways

34940000 - Railway equipment

45111291 - Site-development work

45200000 - Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work

45213000 - Construction work for commercial buildings, warehouses and industrial buildings, buildings relating to transport

45213313 - Service-area building construction work

45213320 - Construction work for buildings relating to railway transport

45230000 - Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways; flatwork

45234000 - Construction work for railways and cable transport systems

45234112 - Railway depot construction work

45234115 - Railway signalling works

50220000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services related to railways and other equipment

50222000 - Repair and maintenance services of rolling stock

50224000 - Reconditioning services of rolling stock

65300000 - Electricity distribution and related services

66120000 - Investment banking services and related services

70112000 - Development of non-residential real estate

71311230 - Railway engineering services

71314000 - Energy and related services

71314100 - Electrical services

71314200 - Energy-management services

71540000 - Construction management services

71541000 - Construction project management services

79420000 - Management-related services

79421000 - Project-management services other than for construction work

79421100 - Project-supervision services other than for construction work

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Jan 20233 years ago
Submission Deadline
28 Feb 2023Expired
Future Notice Date
18 Jan 2023Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
GCRE LTD
Contact Name
Tamara Evans
Contact Email
strategicinvestment@gcre.wales
Contact Phone
+44 7590603692

Buyer Location

Locality
NEATH PORT TALBOT
Postcode
SA10 9HN
Post Town
Swansea
Country
Wales

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL4 Mid and South West Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL44 Neath Port Talbot
Delivery Location
TLL Wales

Local Authority
Neath Port Talbot
Electoral Ward
Crynant, Onllwyn and Seven Sisters
Westminster Constituency
Neath and Swansea East

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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