Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Third Line Support for Network Rail (High Speed)

NETWORK RAIL (HIGH SPEED) LIMITED

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

18 Aug 2026 at 14:55

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

15 Jun 2026 at 09:28

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

09 Apr 2026 at 09:42

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Network Rail (High Speed) Limited is procuring third-line support services for the signalling and control systems on the HS1 route in the United Kingdom. The work covers the Railway Control and Command System (RCCS) and associated proprietary platforms, including incident support, fault investigation and recovery, maintenance of development and support environments, diagnostics and repair of critical equipment, obsolescence monitoring, contract and service management, and system-specific training. This is specialist systems support work (CPV 72253200) for a safety-critical rail infrastructure operator. The requirement is intended to maintain system integrity and operational support across the existing signalling and control environment, rather than to deliver a new system or general IT support service.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to Compagnie des Signaux under a direct award. The award was made on 5 June 2026, and the contract was signed on 29 July 2026. The contract runs from 29 July 2026 to 30 June 2032, with an option to extend by two years in two one-year periods, to 30 June 2034. Its value is £6,095,211.24 excluding VAT and £7,314,253.49 including VAT. It is an above-threshold utilities procurement, covered by the GPA and CPTPP, using a closed framework with work instructed through purchase orders without further competition. The direct award was justified because changing supplier would create incompatibility and disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance.

This requirement suits a large, specialist rail signalling or control-systems provider with direct access to the relevant proprietary engineering environment, safety-critical software and system-level intellectual property. A credible competitor would need demonstrable ability to provide comprehensive third-line support for RCCS, including fault diagnosis, recovery, critical equipment repair, development and support-environment maintenance, obsolescence monitoring and system-specific training. It would also need the technical depth to preserve system integrity across an established HS1 signalling environment, together with strong incident response, service management and contract management capability. The award indicates that Network Rail values continuity, proprietary system access and specialist engineering expertise over a general support capability. Peripheral rail, SCADA, power-system or independent safety-assessment experience alone would not address this requirement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Third Line Support for Network Rail (High Speed)

Notice Description

Network Rail (High Speed) intends to award a contract for Third Line Support to Compagnie des Signaux. This is an ongoing contract which provides signalling and control systems on the HS1 route, including RCCS and associated proprietary platforms. Services include incident support, fault investigation and recovery, maintenance of development and support environments, diagnostics and repair of critical equipment, obsolescence monitoring, contract and service management, and system specific training. The services can only be delivered by the supplier as the sole owner of the system-level intellectual property.

Procurement Information

This approach aligns with the Direct Award Justification under Schedule 5, item 7 of the Procurement Act 2023. Schedule 5, item 7 stipulates that direct award is permitted if the following conditions are met in relation to the public contract: * (a) a change in supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods, services or works that are different from, or incompatible with, the existing goods, services or works, and * (b) the difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance. Compagnie des Signaux is the sole supplier capable of providing comprehensive third line support for the HS1 signalling and control systems. No other supplier has access to the proprietary engineering environment or the safety critical software needed to diagnose faults, implement fixes or maintain system integrity. Alternative suppliers could only contribute to peripheral or unrelated areas (e.g., independent safety assessment or separate SCADA/power systems), but none can provide the required third line support for RCCS, confirming that a direct award is justified.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-067e86
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078597-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
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

72253200 - Systems support services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£6,095,211 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
£6,095,211 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
18 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
9 Apr 20264 months ago
Contract Period
29 Jul 2026 - 30 Jun 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NETWORK RAIL (HIGH SPEED) 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
LONDON
Postcode
SE1 8SW
Postcode Area
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

COMPAGNIE DES SIGNAUX

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...