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Provision of Service Quality Regime (SQR) Inspection Services

XC TRAINS LIMITED

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

02 Jun 2026 at 16:00

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

09 Oct 2025 at 14:17

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

XC Trains Limited, a private utility company operating extensive passenger rail services across the United Kingdom, recently concluded a procurement process for the "Provision of Service Quality Regime (SQR) Inspection Services." The focus of this contract is to ensure high standards of customer experience across its network, as incentivized by the Department for Transport under the National Rail Contracts. This endeavor includes various inspection regimes such as the Train Service Regime and Customer Service Regime, with activities conducted across multiple UK regions, from the Southwest in England to the North of Scotland. The procurement was carried out using a competitive flexible procedure, with the tender process culminating in an award notice on 2nd June 2026. The awarded contract, valued at £1,342,073 GBP exclusive of VAT, involves comprehensive services related to inspection management and data assurance and is scheduled to commence on 24th August 2026, with provisions for extension up to 2031.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses involved in technical inspections, auditing, and survey conduction services. Given the scope and strategic importance of maintaining customer service quality across a national rail network, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with expertise in the listed services, mobile technology solutions, or those capable of providing specialized inspection services would find this contract particularly lucrative. The involvement of "Mystery Shoppers Limited" as the awarded supplier underscores the need for firms that can offer innovative customer insight and quality assurance solutions. Businesses that can navigate the requirements defined under the selective procurement methodology stand to benefit from recurring work throughout the contract term, contributing to growth and diversification of their service portfolio within the public sector transport domain.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of Service Quality Regime (SQR) Inspection Services

Notice Description

XC Trains Limited (XC) operates passenger rail services across the United Kingdom. XC is a unique operation in that it runs from the Southwest in England to the North of Scotland and is the most extensive rail franchise in Britain, calling at more than 100 stations. XC serves 7 of the 10 largest UK cities with 7 routes radiating from a central hub in Birmingham. The Service Quality Regime (SQR) was set up by the Department for Transport (DfT) to incentivise Train Operating Companies (TOCs) to ensure customer experience standards across the railway network are maintained and improved. The regime is defined in the National Rail Contracts (NRCs) that exist between TOCs and the DfT, including XC's NRC. The NRC sets out the obligations that TOCs have to deliver to ensure compliance with the Contract, and the repercussions if they are not. XC's SQR has been in place since late 2021 and has seen a few changes since it first started. XC is also proud to have helped the DfT trial changes to SQR during this time to pave the way for other TOCs following in the future. This Procurement is undertaken by XC on behalf of itself, and a successor operator of the XC. The key elements and strategic objectives of the Project are: - Train Service Regime (TSR) inspections by inspectors; - Customer Service Regime (CSR) inspections by mystery shoppers; - Accessible Customer Service Regime (ACSR) inspections by mystery shoppers with additional accessible needs; - Provision of mobile devices to the supplier inspectors and mystery shoppers for running inspection forms; and - Inspection data quality assurance. The awarded supplier will provide the following services: - Project mobilisation and implementation of services - Total of 290 inspections per railway period across the duration of the contract - Account management services

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The Contract's duration is for three years. XC reserves the right to extend the Contract, in whole or in part, for up to two additional years, in increments determined at its sole discretion, subject to mutual agreement of the parties. Please see the associated documents for further details.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05abb0
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/052018-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

71630000 - Technical inspection and testing services

79212000 - Auditing services

79311200 - Survey conduction services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,300,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,300,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£1,344,073 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Jun 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
20 Oct 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
2 Jun 20262 months ago
Contract Period
24 Aug 2026 - 24 Aug 2029 3-4 years
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
XC TRAINS LIMITED
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BUSINESS PARK
Postcode
SR3 3XP
Postcode Area
Sunderland
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC44 Sunderland
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England), TLL Wales, TLM Scotland
Local Authority
Sunderland
Electoral Ward
Doxford
Westminster Constituency
Houghton and Sunderland South

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Mystery Shoppers Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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