Tender

1008157290 T1414 Testing the feasibility of the use of solar reflective solutions on rolling stock

RAIL SAFETY STANDARDS BOARD (RSSB)

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

28 Jan 2026 at 12:06

Summary of the contracting process

The Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB) invites qualified suppliers to participate in an open tender titled "Testing the feasibility of the use of solar reflective solutions on rolling stock" located in London, UK. This procurement, categorised under research services, aims to explore solar reflective solutions on rail vehicles to enhance passenger comfort and operational efficiency. The tender is currently in the active stage, with a deadline for submissions by 27th February 2026 and an enquiry period closing on 9th February 2026. The contract is valued at £120,000 (gross: £144,000) and spans from 12th March 2026 to 11th February 2027. The procurement follows an open competition process, aligning with UK legal standards, to establish best-practice benchmarks for potential material solutions.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses in research services, specifically those involved in innovative material solutions meeting technical, safety, and operational requirements in the transport sector. Ideal participants are enterprises experienced in benchmarking and environmental performance testing, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs), as the opportunity is suited for these entities. Participation in this tender could not only provide financial growth but also position businesses as leaders in sustainable transport innovation. The open competition provides a fair platform for diverse organisations to contribute to pioneering advancements in railway safety and efficiency.

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Notice Title

1008157290 T1414 Testing the feasibility of the use of solar reflective solutions on rolling stock

Notice Description

T1414 aims to demonstrate the effective use of Solar Reflective Solutions to reduce internal vehicle temperatures, supporting improved passenger comfort, reduced HVAC energy consumption demand and improved component reliability for GB passenger rolling stock. Work Package 1- Benchmarking and trial planning * Assess the current performance of existing rolling stock paint systems to establish a baseline against which the potential benefit and disbenefits of adopting solar reflective alternatives can be determined. * Identify and select SRSs which meet GB passenger rolling stock requirements to ensure the SRSs trialled meet technical, safety, and operational material requirements. * Develop a test plan for a box trial, representative of a rail vehicle, to assess the effect that SRSs would have on internal rail vehicle temperature. Work Package 2 - Box trials * Undertake box trials2, representative of a rail vehicle, as per the test plan produced in WP1, to gather data on the solar, thermal and operational environment performance of SRSs. *Analyse the data gathered from the box trials to enable cost-benefit analysis of the material systems and mitigate potential risk/unsuitable candidates. Work Package 3 - Business case for SRS adoption * Produce an initial business case for the use of SRSs on GB passenger rolling stock based on WP2. Work Package 4 - Planning next steps - This will only be undertaken if business case in WP3 is positive * Identify the questions (including technical) that remain to be answered to make informed decisions on the adoption of SRS. * Develop a test plan for trial(s) that would answer the outstanding questions identified in WP 2 and 3 so RSSB may seek support from relevant parties and plan for such trial(s). Note - The decision to proceed with the last work package will be made by RSSB based on the findings from WP2 and 3. The work for WP4 should be included in the total price, but with the cost separately identified to be able to be removed if WP4 is not progressed. benefit analysis of the material systems and mitigate potential risk/unsuitable candidates. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Research-services./H6PV3F8HC3 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/H6PV3F8HC3

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0610c7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007543-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services


CPV Codes

73110000 - Research services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£120,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£120,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Jan 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
27 Feb 20263 days to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
12 Mar 2026 - 11 Feb 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
RAIL SAFETY STANDARDS BOARD (RSSB)
Contact Name
Procurement Team
Contact Email
procurement@rssb.co.uk
Contact Phone
+44 2031425651

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
EC3M 5AD
Post Town
Central London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
City of London
Electoral Ward
Aldgate
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

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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