Tender

Retail Code of Practice - Rail Reform

OFFICE OF RAIL AND ROAD

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

13 Feb 2026 at 15:11

Summary of the contracting process

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), a central government public authority, is initiating a procurement process for the "Retail Code of Practice - Rail Reform." This tender seeks a specialist consultancy to develop a new Retail Code of Practice, as mandated by the Railways Bill, to ensure fair and transparent interactions by Great British Railways with all retail market participants. The procurement is in the tender stage and follows an open competition method with electronic submissions required via the ORR eTendering Portal by 2nd March 2026, at noon. The contract, valued at £110,000, will span from 10th March 2026 to 28th February 2027, with potential for extension based on evolving legislative requirements and stakeholder feedback. The consultancy services fall under transport systems, environmental engineering, and business management categories, with the work predominantly delivered in the United Kingdom.

This tender presents growth opportunities for businesses specialising in transport systems consultation, environmental engineering, and business management consultancy. Ideal contenders are those with robust experience and methodologies tailored to supporting legislative reforms in the rail sector. SMEs and VCSEs are encouraged to participate, offering them a lucrative pathway to impact significant industry practices through contributing to a reform-driven initiative. The winning tender will be selected based on a blend of quality and cost-effectiveness, assessed through weighted criteria including methodology, delivery capability, organisational experience, and value for money. This opportunity is poised for enterprises capable of innovation and strategic alignment with the future direction of the UK's rail industry infrastructure under legislative reforms.

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Notice Title

Retail Code of Practice - Rail Reform

Notice Description

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is seeking a specialist consultancy to support the development of a new Retail Code of Practice, as required under the Railways Bill. The Code will govern how Great British Railways (GBR), in its future role as both a retailer and operator of key industry retail systems, interacts fairly and transparently with all retail market participants. The supplier will work with ORR, the Department for Transport (DfT), Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and wider stakeholders to develop the Code from initial principles through to full public consultation and final publication. This includes contributing to workshops, drafting the Code, researching best practice from relevant sectors, and helping design an effective dispute-resolution process for non-GBR retailers.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: This contract may be extended to allow additional work arising from legislative changes, stakeholder input, or further refinement required following the public consultation. The development of the Retail Code of Practice is closely linked to the progress of the Railways Bill and wider industry reforms, which may necessitate additional analysis, workshops or updates beyond the initial scope and timeline.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-065429
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013521-2026
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

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

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


CPV Codes

71311200 - Transport systems consultancy services

71313000 - Environmental engineering consultancy services

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£110,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£110,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
13 Feb 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
2 Mar 20261 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
10 Mar 2026 - 28 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
OFFICE OF RAIL AND ROAD
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
procurementteam@orr.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
E14 4QZ
Post Town
East London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI42 Tower Hamlets
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Tower Hamlets
Electoral Ward
Canary Wharf
Westminster Constituency
Poplar and Limehouse

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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