Award

Network Rail (High Speed) High Output Midlife Ballast Refurbishment

NETWORK RAIL (HIGH SPEED) LIMITED

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

27 Jan 2025 at 13:14

Summary of the contracting process

Network Rail (High Speed) Limited has completed the procurement process for the "Network Rail (High Speed) High Output Midlife Ballast Refurbishment" project in the railway services sector. The project entails the cleaning and partial replacement of ballast materials as part of the structure of the High Speed 1 railway line in Kent, UK. The procurement was at the Award stage and included a ten-day standstill period prior to contract finalisation. The procurement method used was a limited procedure without a prior call for competition, with the contract signed on 27th January 2025 for a value of GBP 89,000,000.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses involved in railway infrastructure, maintenance, and related services. Companies specialising in detailed design, site investigations, logistics, haulage, and the provision of labour and specialist machinery are well-suited to compete and collaborate. The project requires comprehensive management and delivery capabilities, including adherence to stringent quality assurances and regulatory compliance, presenting substantial growth potential for qualified organisations within the industry.

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Notice Title

Network Rail (High Speed) High Output Midlife Ballast Refurbishment

Notice Description

Cleaning and partial replacement of ballast materials forming part of the structure of the High Speed 1 railway line.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Cleaning and partial replacement of ballast materials, currently planned to be delivered in three tranches over a 5 year period, forming part of the structure of the High Speed 1 railway line including but not limited to: * Management and delivery of the detailed design and development works * Undertaking and validation of the site investigations and survey information * Access planning and control * Contingency arrangements and planning * Logistics and haulage * Provisions of labour and all specialist plant and machinery * Supply and quality assurance of ballast materials * Compliant delivery of the renewal works * Generation and issue of relevant handover documents and completion drawings

Procurement Information

Network Rail (High Speed) Limited (NRHS) intends to enter into this contract with Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (NRIL) on the basis of Regulation 28(2) of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016. This provides that a contract falls outside UCR2016 where a controlled legal person which is a contracting authority awards a contract to its controlling contracting authority provided there is no direct private capital participation in the contracting authority being awarded the contract. NRIL is a contracting authority; it is ultimately owned by Network Rail Limited, a company limited by guarantee, of whom the Secretary of State for Transport is the sole member. NRHS is a wholly owned subsidiary of NRIL. NRHS considers that it is a contracting authority on the basis of the general test set out in Regulation 4, UCR2016. NRHS has legally personality as it is a private company limited by shares, incorporated in England and Wales. NRHS is subject to administrative, managerial and supervisory control by NRIL for the purposes of part (c)(ii) and (iii). NRHS's memorandum and articles of association provide for the appointment of directors to the board by ordinary resolution. NRHS's directors have the usual duties in the direction and management of its affairs as required of the directors of a limited company under UK company law. As NRIL is the sole shareholder of NRHS, its ability to make appointments to the board of directors means part (c)(iii) of the test is met. NRHS also considers it was "established for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest" i.e. its activities were intended to and continue to almost entirely consist of services in relation to the High-Speed 1 line for HS1 Limited (under the long-term Operator Agreement between NRHS and HS1 Limited) including u, the provision of maintenance and renewals services and that those services should be regarded as meeting needs in the general interest. Activities of NRIL's subsidiaries are also constrained by Condition 16.1 of its Network Licence. NRHS further considers that it does not have an industrial or commercial character on the basis that it is strongly arguable that it does not operate in normal market conditions and that it is not clear that it would ultimately require to bear all risks associated with exercise of its activities. For these reasons, NRHS considers that it is a contracting authority and is entitled to make use of the exception from UCR2016 set out in Regulation 28(2). The contract to be awarded will place an obligation upon NRIL to carry out works relating to the cleaning and partial replacement of ballast materials forming part of the structure of the High Speed 1 railway line which NRHS is responsible to HS1 Limited for the maintenance of.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04d66e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002702-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work

50 - Repair and maintenance services


CPV Codes

45234130 - Ballast construction works

50225000 - Railway-track maintenance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£89,000,000 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Jan 20251 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
27 Jan 20251 years ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NETWORK RAIL (HIGH SPEED) LIMITED
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
richard.connolly@networkrail.co.uk
Contact Phone
+44 1908781000

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SE1 8SW
Post Town
South East London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI45 Lambeth
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Lambeth
Electoral Ward
Waterloo & South Bank
Westminster Constituency
Vauxhall and Camberwell Green

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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