Award

Class 777 OLE Monitoring

NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

05 Dec 2025 at 19:30

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited has awarded a contract for the provision of an Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) monitoring service for the Class 777 fleet. The procurement process involved a direct award to MerseyRail Electrics 2002 Limited and is categorized under public authority – central government. The service encompasses technology selection, design, installation, maintenance, and data analysis related to OLE monitoring. The location for this project includes Liverpool and London, with the contract legally compliant under the Procurement Act 2023. The award notice was published on 5th December 2025, with a scheduled signature date of 15th December 2025. The contract period is set from 22nd December 2025 to 14th December 2026.

This procurement could present substantial opportunities for businesses involved in data services and railway infrastructure by partnering with MerseyRail Electrics. As MerseyRail owns and operates the Class 777 fleet, it provides leverage for a seamless installation and integration of advanced OLE monitoring equipment. Businesses specialising in data-driven solutions can find this tender appealing due to the technological scope involved, such as automated height and stagger detection and visual processing of CCTV footage. The direct award approach highlights the need for unique technical expertise that MerseyRail possesses, suggesting that businesses with existing railway infrastructure knowledge or technological capabilities could benefit from collaboration or supply chain roles.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Class 777 OLE Monitoring

Notice Description

This procurement is for the provision of an Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) monitoring service for the Class 777 fleet. This service will encompass the selection of technology, design, and installation of monitoring equipment on the passenger trains, ongoing maintenance, operation of the system, and subscription charges to the relevant supplier for data and analysis. The OLE monitoring service will provide the following key functionalities: - Height and Stagger Detection: Automated monitoring of OLE height and stagger, crucial parameters for safe and efficient train operation. - Acceleration-Based Alerts: Detection of rapid changes in OLE parameters, providing early warnings of potential issues. - Visual Processing: Analysis of streamed forward-facing CCTV and PanCam footage to identify: - Balance weight positions on the OLE. - Presence of birds' nests on the OLE infrastructure. - Vegetation encroachment impacting the OLE. This comprehensive monitoring service will enable NR to proactively identify and address potential OLE defects, contributing to improved safety, reliability, and performance of the railway network.

Procurement Information

This award is compliant with the Procurement Act 2023 under schedule 5 paragraph 5; competition is absent for technical reasons and NR's C&P Policy. The Rationale is as follows: * the aim of the procurement is the creation or acquisition of a unique work of art or artistic performance. * competition is absent for technical reasons. * the protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights, but only in the case of paragraphs. MerseyRail, as the owner and lessor of the Class 777 fleet, is uniquely positioned to provide this OLE monitoring service. The rationale for a direct award is based on the following: * Existing Asset Knowledge and Access: MerseyRail possesses in-depth knowledge of the Class 777 fleet and has established access to the trains for the necessary design and installation of the monitoring equipment. This eliminates the need for a separate procurement process to identify and contract with a third party for train access and modification. * Service Integration: Awarding the entire service to MerseyRail ensures seamless integration of the technology selection, installation, maintenance, and data provision aspects. This streamlined approach minimizes potential interface issues and simplifies contract management. * Efficiency and Time Savings: A direct award to MerseyRail leverages their existing relationship and knowledge, significantly reducing the time and resources required for a full competitive tender process. This allows for a faster implementation of the vital OLE monitoring capability. * Upgrade of Existing Equipment: MerseyRail already has a previous generation of OLE monitoring equipment fitted to these trains, which can be upgraded to provide the latest technology. By awarding this contract directly to MerseyRail, Network Rail can efficiently implement a well-established and effective OLE monitoring solution, leveraging the asset owner's unique position and existing service delivery capabilities.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f040
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080388-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency 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

72300000 - Data services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£298,508 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Dec 2025Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
5 Dec 2025Yesterday
Contract Period
22 Dec 2025 - 14 Dec 2026 6-12 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
NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
valentine.onwuchekwa@networkrail.co.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

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

MERSEYRAIL ELECTRICS 2002

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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