Award

Docklands Light Railway Technical Support and Spares Agreement

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

27 Oct 2025 at 11:35

Award

17 Sep 2025 at 14:35

Award

05 Aug 2025 at 12:37

Summary of the contracting process

The contracting process for the "Docklands Light Railway Technical Support and Spares Agreement" involves Transport for London as the buying organisation. The procurement aims to provide technical support and spares for the signalling system on the Docklands Light Railway network. The contract spans 3 years, starting on 1st October 2025, with an option to extend by up to 1 year. The direct award was completed under provisions of the Procurement Act 2023, highlighting intellectual property rights constraints. The supplier, HITACHI RAIL GTS UK LIMITED, will deliver services across various regions of the United Kingdom, and the contract's gross value is £4,288,916.40.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses with expertise in railway systems and infrastructure support, particularly those capable of providing specialised technical services attributed to signalling systems. Given the direct procurement method, companies possessing essential intellectual property or exclusive technical capabilities in railway signalling are best suited to engage in similar procurement processes. The contract includes optional services for additional investigations, specialist engineering consultation, and training, offering additional avenues for businesses to expand their service offerings to support and maintain sophisticated rail systems.

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Notice Title

Docklands Light Railway Technical Support and Spares Agreement

Notice Description

Technical support and spares provision for the signalling system deployed on the Docklands Light Railway network. The Contract length will be 3 years with an option to extend by up to 1 year. The scope of the Service provisions includes: - Hitachi technical office support - Seltrac Failure Notice investigations - Maintenance support - System Monitoring - Technical Training and Mentoring - Spares and Repairs Service - Asset life roadmap support - Obsolescence management support - Cyber security provisions.

Procurement Information

The reasons for a single source award pursuant to the direct award justifications set out in paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 are as follows: 1. Hitachi is the only supplier capable of providing the required services to maintain the DLR signalling system as they own the intellectual property rights (IPR) in that system, including the hardware and software for all signalling sub-systems. 2. The DLR signalling system is a bespoke and complex system designed for the DLR. No other operator has the IPR (including access to the source code of the system software), expertise or knowledge required to provide the technical support services for the signalling system. TfL has no contractual right to access the source code for the software and associated IPR. 3. Hitachi will not permit others to access or maintain its software as this would invalidate the safety assurances given by Hitachi, in its capacity as the signalling design authority, that the system is and continues to be fit for purpose and safe to operate. 4. For the reasons explained above, there are no reasonable alternatives to the services required from Hitachi under the support agreement.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05817c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068493-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details 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

50 - Repair and maintenance services


CPV Codes

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

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£3,574,097 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
£3,574,097 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Oct 20253 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
5 Aug 20256 months ago
Contract Period
30 Sep 2025 - 1 Oct 2028 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
TRANSPORT FOR LONDON
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
bsfaribaadministration@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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

HITACHI RAIL GTS

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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