Award

First Avanti West Coast Contract for Maintenance and Support of Automatic Passenger Gate Systems

FIRST RAIL HOLDINGS LIMITED

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

05 May 2026 at 11:59

Summary of the contracting process

First Rail Holdings Limited, a private utility entity based in London, has completed a procurement process titled "First Avanti West Coast Contract for Maintenance and Support of Automatic Passenger Gate Systems." The procurement falls within the transportation and IT services categories and pertains to maintenance solutions for proprietary ticket gates technology. The direct award process culminated on 5th May 2026, with the contract scheduled to commence on 20th June 2026 and conclude by 19th June 2032. The awarded supplier, Cubic Transportation Systems Limited from Salfords Redhill, is expected to provide services under this initiatives framework, which also includes potential contract extensions up to 2034. The contract aligns with maintaining proprietary systems critical to ensuring uninterrupted operation and safety standards.

This tender presents a significant business growth opportunity for Cubic Transportation Systems Limited, given the unique technical requirements and proprietary nature of the equipment involved. Businesses specialising in maintenance and support of such niche technological systems, especially Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) with access to authorised documentation and bespoke equipment, are ideally positioned to capitalise on such opportunities. The direct award method, justified by the necessity for technical exclusivity and continuity, underlines the critical nature of expertise in handling proprietary systems, thus opening avenues for companies with specialised skills in hardware and software support to expand their market footprint within specific utility sectors.

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Notice Title

First Avanti West Coast Contract for Maintenance and Support of Automatic Passenger Gate Systems

Notice Description

The provision of maintenance and support for automatic ticket gates technology for First Avanti West Coast containing propriety software and hardware.

Procurement Information

The contract for the maintenance and support of the gateline systems is awarded to the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) on the basis that the equipment incorporates proprietary technology and proprietary software that are unique to the manufacturer and not available on the open market. The gatelines rely on OEM-specific hardware, firmware, and software, including control and diagnostic systems that are essential to their safe and reliable operation. Only the OEM has access to the necessary technical documentation, software updates, diagnostic tools, certified spare parts, and specialist support resources required to maintain the systems in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. Engaging an alternative provider would present a material risk of ineffective or improper maintenance, which could result in equipment failure, safety risks, and operational disruption. This could also introduce unknown and disproportionate cost for the business. The OEM's exclusive knowledge of the design, integration, and operating parameters of the gatelines is critical to ensuring continued performance, reliability, and compliance with operational and safety requirements. For these reasons, and due to the absence of competition for technical reasons, the maintenance and support services can only be provided by the OEM. The direct award is therefore justified to protect our business's existing investment in the gateline assets and to ensure continuity of service throughout their operational life.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-069149
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040990-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages

45 - Construction work

48 - Software package and information systems

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support


CPV Codes

30123100 - Ticket-validation machines

45259000 - Repair and maintenance of plant

48000000 - Software package and information systems

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£18,258,321 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 May 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
5 May 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
19 Jun 2026 - 19 Jun 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
FIRST RAIL HOLDINGS 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
W2 1AF
Post Town
West 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
Westminster
Electoral Ward
Hyde Park
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

CUBIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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