Award

Peninsula Transport Rail Mobile Connectivity Trial

PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

09 May 2025 at 16:03

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

09 May 2025 at 14:01

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Plymouth City Council has completed the contract award stage for the "Peninsula Transport Rail Mobile Connectivity Trial." This procurement, focusing on the services industry category, aims to enhance public transport Wi-Fi connectivity across the United Kingdom. The project involves implementing on-train Wi-Fi through a unique 60-day proof-of-concept trial. The contracting authority opted for a direct award due to intellectual property rights held by McClaren Applied, ensuring the deployment of a pioneering 5G Edge Active Antenna system. The contract is set to commence on 21 May 2025 and conclude on 31 October 2025.

This tender presents significant growth opportunities, particularly for large businesses specialised in information technology services. Companies capable of delivering innovative connectivity solutions, especially those with experience in transportation and telecommunications sectors, are well-suited to participate in similar procurements. The focus on advanced 5G technologies opens avenues for businesses to showcase their cutting-edge solutions, leveraging the increasing demand for seamless connectivity in public transportation systems. The project not only promises improvements in passenger experience but also sets a precedent for future technology-driven public infrastructure upgrades.

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.

Start Free Trial Book a Demo
All Features Pricing

Notice Information

Notice Title

Peninsula Transport Rail Mobile Connectivity Trial

Notice Description

As public Wi-Fi availability increases, passengers expect to remain connected to their work or social networks, regardless of their location. The opportunity to increase productivity while travelling is making public transport usage more attractive, and it has reached the point where Wi-Fi is now considered an essential offering for transport operators. The solution proposal is to introduce on train Wi-Fi in a 60-day proof-of-concept trial.

Procurement Information

Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights This allows for a direct award to a supplier with exclusive rights, i.e., Intellectual Property Rights, which means that only that supplier can deliver the goods or services. Unique 5G Edge Active Antenna system is a pioneering solution in a 'blue ocean' market, with no direct competitors offering 5G edge antennas (routers located on the roof, rather than inside the train). This innovative approach enhances performance by up to 10 times on the uplink / 4x on the downlink compared with passive systems, while being less intrusive, more cost effective, and simpler to implement. Most importantly, it delivers a 'Wi-Fi-at-home' experience for passengers on trains. Applied 5G Edge Active Antenna solution eliminates the need for on-train routers, RF cables, RF splitters, and patch panels. Additionally, Patented link aggregation software inside the antennas is unique in the industry.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020224-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

CPV Codes

72222300 - Information technology services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£213,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 May 20259 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
8 May 20259 months ago
Contract Period
20 May 2025 - 31 Oct 2025 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Philip Symons
Contact Email
procurement@plymouth.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
PLYMOUTH
Postcode
PL1 3BJ
Post Town
Plymouth
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK4 Devon
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK41 Plymouth
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Plymouth
Electoral Ward
St Peter and the Waterfront
Westminster Constituency
Plymouth Sutton and Devonport

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

MCCLAREN APPLIED

Further Information

Notice Documents

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-050fe3-2025-05-09T17:03:29+01:00",
    "date": "2025-05-09T17:03:29+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PBQP-8499-TLMP",
            "name": "Plymouth City Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PBQP-8499-TLMP"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Ballard House, West Hoe Road",
                "locality": "Plymouth",
                "postalCode": "PL1 3BJ",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKK41"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Philip Symons",
                "email": "procurement@plymouth.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "http://www.plymouth.gov.uk",
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PJYH-9371-ZZWL",
            "name": "McClaren Applied",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PJYH-9371-ZZWL"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Block E Dukes Court",
                "locality": "Woking",
                "postalCode": "GU21 5BH",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKJ25"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "sales@mclarenapplied.com"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "http://www.mclarenapplied.com",
                "scale": "large",
                "vcse": false,
                "publicServiceMissionOrganization": false,
                "shelteredWorkshop": false
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PBQP-8499-TLMP",
        "name": "Plymouth City Council"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "27745",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "Peninsula Transport Rail Mobile Connectivity Trial",
        "description": "As public Wi-Fi availability increases, passengers expect to remain connected to their work or social networks, regardless of their location. The opportunity to increase productivity while travelling is making public transport usage more attractive, and it has reached the point where Wi-Fi is now considered an essential offering for transport operators. The solution proposal is to introduce on train Wi-Fi in a 60-day proof-of-concept trial.",
        "status": "complete",
        "procurementMethod": "direct",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Direct award",
        "procurementMethodRationale": "Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights This allows for a direct award to a supplier with exclusive rights, i.e., Intellectual Property Rights, which means that only that supplier can deliver the goods or services. Unique 5G Edge Active Antenna system is a pioneering solution in a 'blue ocean' market, with no direct competitors offering 5G edge antennas (routers located on the roof, rather than inside the train). This innovative approach enhances performance by up to 10 times on the uplink / 4x on the downlink compared with passive systems, while being less intrusive, more cost effective, and simpler to implement. Most importantly, it delivers a 'Wi-Fi-at-home' experience for passengers on trains. Applied 5G Edge Active Antenna solution eliminates the need for on-train routers, RF cables, RF splitters, and patch panels. Additionally, Patented link aggregation software inside the antennas is unique in the industry.",
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "status": "complete"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "conflictOfInterest",
                "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
                "description": "Not published"
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
            {
                "id": "singleSuppliersIntellectualPropertyExclusiveRights"
            }
        ]
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "1",
            "title": "Peninsula Transport Rail Mobile Connectivity Trial",
            "status": "pending",
            "value": {
                "amountGross": 255600,
                "amount": 213000,
                "currency": "GBP"
            },
            "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
            "aboveThreshold": true,
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "GB-PPON-PJYH-9371-ZZWL",
                    "name": "McClaren Applied"
                }
            ],
            "items": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "additionalClassifications": [
                        {
                            "scheme": "CPV",
                            "id": "72222300",
                            "description": "Information technology services"
                        }
                    ],
                    "deliveryAddresses": [
                        {
                            "region": "UK",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UK",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        }
                    ],
                    "relatedLot": "1"
                }
            ],
            "contractPeriod": {
                "startDate": "2025-05-21T00:00:00+01:00",
                "endDate": "2025-10-31T23:59:59Z"
            },
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ],
            "documents": [
                {
                    "id": "020125-2025",
                    "documentType": "awardNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK5",
                    "description": "Transparency notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020125-2025",
                    "datePublished": "2025-05-09T15:01:53+01:00",
                    "format": "text/html"
                },
                {
                    "id": "020224-2025",
                    "documentType": "awardNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK6",
                    "description": "Contract award notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020224-2025",
                    "datePublished": "2025-05-09T17:03:29+01:00",
                    "format": "text/html"
                }
            ],
            "milestones": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "type": "futureSignatureDate",
                    "dueDate": "2025-05-21T23:59:59+01:00",
                    "status": "scheduled"
                }
            ],
            "date": "2025-05-09T00:00:00+01:00",
            "standstillPeriod": {
                "endDate": "2025-05-20T23:59:59+01:00"
            }
        }
    ],
    "language": "en"
}