Notice Information
Notice Title
Railhead Adhesion
Notice Description
Transport for London's Open Innovation Team works with market innovators of all sizes to help solve some of the challenges that TfL faces where there is a need for more innovative solutions. Rather than prescribing solutions, we instead look to the market for creative, resourceful and novel approaches to problem solving to create new value for TfL by doing things better, quicker or cheaper. Transport for London (TfL) relies on adhesion management to maintain a safe, reliable, and high-frequency railway system while preserving asset health. Both high and low friction levels at the wheel-rail interface can cause safety issues like delays, derailments, and asset damage. To address these, TfL uses various operational, procedural, and technical solutions. During autumnal months, outdoor sections of the network (55% of the London Underground) face low adhesion due to fallen leaves mixing with iron oxides on rails. This can lead to delays, cancellations, wheel flats, and even collisions or derailments. TfL's current solutions include vegetation management, rail adhesion trains, Traction Gel Applicators, seasonal timetables, and reduced brake rates. Any new solution must consider the diverse infrastructure of TfL's network, which includes a mix of above-ground and underground stations with varying platform dimensions and designs. The network also features different rolling stock and signalling systems, some automated and others manually driven. Service intervals range from 22 to 36 trains per hour. Any proposed solution should ensure safety across these varied conditions without compromising service frequency or asset longevity. Problem statement: How might we target railhead contamination such that we retain optimal (or as near as feasible) levels of friction on the railhead; allowing us to run a high-frequency service year-round regardless of the weather?
Lot Information
Lot 1
TfL wishes to engage the market to seek feedback on emerging approaches and solutions for rail adhesion management. Interested respondents are required to email msqinnovation@tfl.gov.uk to request the Rail Adhesion - Market Sounding Questionnaire (MSQ) for completion by 12:00 (midday) on Monday 23 September 2024 in order to receive the MSQ. This is a pre-procurement activity and does not imply any commitment to any future procurement process. The purpose is to seek feedback on TfL's approach, appetite from industry and information on alternative solutions that are being developed in the marketplace for similar schemes. Participation in the PIN and subsequent MSQ is not a prerequisite to, and will not prejudice, participation in any future competitive process. The information contained in this PIN or in any communication made between TfL and any supplier in connection with this should not be relied upon as constituting a contract, agreement, or representation that any contract will be offered as a result of this PIN and MSQ. If TfL decides to progress with any procurement exercise , TfL will publish a separate contract notice. Additional information: This is a pre-procurement activity and does not imply any commitment to any future procurement process. The purpose is to seek feedback on TfL's approach, appetite from industry and information on alternative solutions that are being developed in the marketplace for similar schemes. Participation in the PIN and subsequent MSQ is not a prerequisite to, and will not prejudice, participation in any future competitive process. The information contained in this PIN or in any communication made between TfL and any supplier in connection with this should not be relied upon as constituting a contract, agreement, or representation that any contract will be offered as a result of this PIN and MSQ. If TfL decides to progress with any procurement exercise , TfL will publish a separate contract notice.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-0489e0
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031644-2024
- Current Stage
- Tender
- All Stages
- Planning, Tender
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
34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
-
- CPV Codes
34600000 - Railway and tramway locomotives and rolling stock and associated parts
34900000 - Miscellaneous transport equipment and spare parts
60000000 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
60200000 - Railway transport services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 3 Oct 20241 years ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- 11 Aug 2025Expired
- 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
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- TRANSPORT FOR LONDON
- Contact Name
- Valentina Laughton
- Contact Email
- valentinalaughton@tfl.gov.uk
- Contact Phone
- Not specified
Buyer Location
- Locality
- LONDON
- Postcode
- E20 1JN
- Post Town
- East London
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLI London
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLI4 Inner London - East
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLI41 Hackney and Newham
- Delivery Location
- Not specified
-
- Local Authority
- Newham
- Electoral Ward
- Stratford Olympic Park
- Westminster Constituency
- Stratford and Bow
Further Information
Notice URLs
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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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