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Project Reach

Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

02 Jun 2025 at 17:40

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd, based in London, has completed a significant procurement process titled "Project Reach," which pertains to the construction and ancillary works for telephone and communication lines under the CPV classification 45232300. This initiative is focused on deploying new public communications networks alongside the UK's railway infrastructure to enhance public electronic communications connectivity and futureproof essential telecoms services. The procurement, exempt from the UK public procurement regulations due to its specific scope under Regulation 11 of the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, has been awarded to the Digital Reach Partners consortium, comprising Digital Reach Partners Limited and Freshwave Facilities Limited. The project has moved to the award stage, with a contract signed on 2nd June 2025 after observing a mandatory standstill period, and the estimated value ranges from £925 million to £935 million. The procurement method did not involve prior publication of a call for competition due to its exemption status.

This tender presents substantial business opportunities, particularly for companies specializing in telecommunications infrastructure, electronic communication services, and railway technology enhancements. Businesses with expertise in optical telecommunications, mobile connectivity, and fibre network deployment can significantly benefit, given the project's scope to expand technological frameworks and improve connectivity along railway corridors. SMEs such as Digital Reach Partners Limited and Freshwave Facilities Limited exemplify the type of innovative enterprises that stand to grow by contributing to and leveraging advancements in public communications infrastructure. The long-term concession of 37 years, with a potential extension to 77 years, offers a considerable runway for businesses to engage in sustainable, technologically driven growth by partnering with Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd in this forward-thinking initiative.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Project Reach

Notice Description

Following the completion of a competitive procedure, Network Rail ("NR") intends to appoint the Digital Reach Partners consortium to design, deploy, support and fund new public communications networks and supporting infrastructure on the railway in return for the right to use and commercially exploit the new networks and infrastructure under a long-term concession. The concession may also involve using, upgrading or increasing NR's existing telecoms infrastructure assets. The consortium comprises Digital Reach Partners Limited, a subsidiary of Neos Networks Limited, as the fibre partner ("Fibre Partner"), and Freshwave Facilities Limited as the connectivity partner ("Connectivity Partner") (together the "Concessionaire Partners"). NR will now observe a standstill period of at least 10 calendar days from the date of this notice. Following expiry of the standstill period, NR and the Concessionaire Partners will enter into a concession agreement and other concession documents

Lot Information

Lot 1

PROJECT REACH BACKGROUND TO NETWORK RAIL TELECOMS NR owns, operates and develops most of Great Britain's railway infrastructure, which includes over 16,000 km of fibre networks and c. 2,500 wireless masts with co-location potential alongside the rail corridor. These telecoms infrastructure assets are a critical enabler for NR to run a safe and efficient railway service to meet the needs of passengers and freight users. They support the delivery of secure, efficient and effective services to passengers and freight users by underpinning safety critical operational services, enabling future train control systems and delivering improved passenger experience and safety via information and security systems. BACKGROUND TO PROJECT REACH Project Reach is designed to advance wider government policy goals of improving public electronic communications connectivity; futureproof NR's telecoms infrastructure for its own rail requirements; and to enable the provision of the next generation of railway technology to significantly improve safety, reliability and passenger connectivity (together "Reach Outcomes"). PROCESS The award follows a tender process that was exempt from the UK statutory procurement regime (see Section VI.3 for further information). The original call for competition was advertised on Find a Tender Service on 26 April 2021 (Contract Notice Ref: 2021/S 000-008949). SCOPE The main features of the concession are as follows: The Fibre Partner will be granted (subject to certain exclusions) the following: * the exclusive right to deploy a new fibre optic network along the rail corridor on NR's controlled estate ("New Reach Fibre") in addition to other NR fibre networks on NR's estate ("Other NR Fibre"); the receipt of dark fibre 'indefeasible rights of use' ("IRU") over allocated capacity on New Reach Fibre; * the option to receive additional IRU over capacity from Other NR Fibre, with certain IRUs being granted from the outset; * the exclusive right to commercialise the IRUs received on New Reach Fibre and Other NR Fibre by selling electronic communication services to the public. The Connectivity Partner will be granted (subject to certain exclusions) the following: * the exclusive right to deploy mobile connectivity solutions (within certain railway stations and railway tunnels and/or cuttings across railway routes) and commercialise such mobile connectivity solutions for public use; and * the option to provide white label Wi-Fi service for public use within stations. NR will receive a revenue share and retain an allocation of New Reach Fibre for various purposes including rail use and supporting the Concessionaire Partners' provision and exploitation of the mobile connectivity solutions. NR will also receive electronic communication services to NR's corporate and operational sites including circuits, fibre and additional connection services. The estimated value of revenue from the Concessionaire Partners' use and commercial exploitation of the new networks is PS740m for the Concessionaire Partners. In addition, NR will provide a capital contribution to support initial deployment of fibre (PS100m) and pay for the electronic communication services with an estimated value of PS85m-95m. The initial term of the concession is 37 years, with an option to renew for a further 30 years and an extension of the initial term by up to 10 years if the renewal option is not exercised.

Options: Set out elsewhere in this notice

Procurement Information

Project Reach is an exempt transaction under UK public procurement regulations, as it falls within the scope of the electronic communications exemption in Regulation 11 of the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016. For further information, please see the explanation in Section VI.3.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-052b13
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029322-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

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

44 - Construction structures and materials; auxiliary products to construction (except electric apparatus)

45 - Construction work

50 - Repair and maintenance services

64 - Postal and telecommunications services

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

31200000 - Electricity distribution and control apparatus

32000000 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

32412100 - Telecommunications network

32520000 - Telecommunications cable and equipment

32521000 - Telecommunications cable

32522000 - Telecommunications equipment

32523000 - Telecommunications facilities

32524000 - Telecommunications system

32562200 - Optical telecommunication cables

44212250 - Masts

44212261 - Radio masts

45231400 - Construction work for electricity power lines

45231600 - Construction work for communication lines

45232300 - Construction and ancillary works for telephone and communication lines

45232332 - Ancillary works for telecommunications

45314300 - Installation of cable infrastructure

45314310 - Installation of cable laying

50330000 - Maintenance services of telecommunications equipment

50331000 - Repair and maintenance services of telecommunications lines

50332000 - Telecommunications-infrastructure maintenance services

50333000 - Maintenance services of radio-communications equipment

50334000 - Repair and maintenance services of line telephony and line telegraphy equipment

64200000 - Telecommunications services

64227000 - Integrated telecommunications services

71311230 - Railway engineering services

71322000 - Engineering design services for the construction of civil engineering works

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£935,000,000 £100M-£1B

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Jun 20251 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
2 Jun 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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SE1 8SW
Postcode Area
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
2
Supplier Names

Digital Reach Partners Limited

Freshwave Facilities Limited

Further Information

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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