Award

DISAB TubeVac Overhaul

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

20 Feb 2026 at 11:28

Award

05 Jan 2026 at 08:29

Summary of the contracting process

Transport for London (TfL) has initiated a direct award procurement process for the overhaul of two Disab Tubevac machines, essential for the maintenance of London Underground's Engineering Vehicles Rolling Stock requirements. The contract, valued at approximately £1,449,392, has been awarded to DISAB UK LIMITED, a supplier possessing exclusive intellectual property rights necessary for the service, with no reasonable alternatives available. The procurement process is currently in the award stage, with an 8-working-day standstill period in place until 3 March 2026. The contract period is slated to begin on 9 March 2026 and conclude on 8 March 2027, with potential for extensions depending on operational requirements. This initiative falls under the utilities special regime category, tailored for railway maintenance or service vehicles, and will be carried out primarily within the United Kingdom.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses within the railway maintenance and engineering sectors, particularly those aligned with specialised services involving proprietary technologies. Given DISAB UK LIMITED’s role as both holder of exclusive intellectual property and supplier, other businesses may find niche benefits in partnering for auxiliary services that complement this primary overhaul endeavour, such as supply chain provisions or operational support linked to rail infrastructure works. Businesses currently working or looking to expand within services related to repair, maintenance, and associated sectors of transportation equipment may find lucrative channels for collaboration, tapping into the expertise mandated by TfL's procurement needs.

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Notice Title

DISAB TubeVac Overhaul

Notice Description

This Contract Award Notice is issued in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 to notify the market of the intention to award a contract and to formally commence the standstill period for the overhaul of two Disab Tubevac machines to support London Underground's Engineering Vehicles Rolling Stock requirements. In line with the Procurement Act 2023, this Contract Award Notice triggers an 8-working-day standstill period, as applied automatically by the Find a Tender system. The Authority will not enter into the contract before the end of this standstill period. DISAB Tubevac Machines are specialized rail-mounted vacuum units that help keep railway tracks clean and safe, reducing downtime and improving efficiency during maintenance projects. They are mounted on rail wagons and used primarily for ballast track renewals and track maintenance. These machines employ powerful suction technology to remove and handle large volumes of material-such as ballast, dust, and debris-efficiently and safely during rail infrastructure works. Total contract amount is circa PS1,449,392. The justification for awarding this proposed contract in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 Direct Award to DISAB UK LTD is compliant with Schedule 5 - paragraph 5: Paragraph 5 states - The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract- (a)due to a particular supplier having intellectual property rights or other exclusive rights, only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b)there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.

Procurement Information

The Tubevac machines are OEM-controlled assets with critical components under DISAB's intellectual property, including hoppers, engine houses, oil and fuel tanks, manipulator arms, and J-hooks. Technical schematics, wiring diagrams, and spare parts information are strictly controlled and not shared with third parties. The overhaul requires compatible parts, and due to lack of technical documentation and information, it is not possible to create a specification for an alternative.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05feef
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015580-2026
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
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

50 - Repair and maintenance services


CPV Codes

34621000 - Railway maintenance or service vehicles, and railway freight wagons

50200000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services related to aircraft, railways, roads and marine equipment

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£1,449,392 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Feb 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
5 Jan 20261 months ago
Contract Period
9 Mar 2026 - 8 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
TRANSPORT FOR LONDON
Contact Name
Arjun Mattathil Anilan
Contact Email
arjunmattathil@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

DISAB

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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