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PME for 115 x Intermodal Wagons (IKA or Equivalent)

Direct Rail Services Limited

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

01 Sep 2026 at 10:44

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

01 Sep 2026 at 10:31

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Direct Rail Services Limited is considering the purchase of 115 intermodal railway freight wagons, specified as IKA wagons or an equivalent design. The requirement is for goods rather than construction or a service, supporting the movement of intermodal freight by rail. The buying organisation is Direct Rail Services Limited, based in Carlisle. The wagons would form a single requirement, with the stated scope covering the full fleet of 115 units. This will suit manufacturers, owners, leasing companies and specialist rail freight equipment providers able to supply intermodal wagons that meet the buyer’s operational and technical needs. Suppliers offering equivalent wagon designs may also be relevant, rather than only those offering the named IKA model.

This procurement is at the planning stage and is currently a preliminary market engagement exercise, not an invitation to tender. Direct Rail Services Limited expects to use the information gathered to assess market availability, obtain indicative high-level pricing and shape any future procurement strategy. The planned engagement milestone is 8 September 2026. The estimated value is £5,000,000 including taxes, for one lot. If the requirement proceeds, the planned contract period is 1 October 2027 to 30 September 2032. The buyer has not committed to awarding a contract or proceeding with a future procurement. Suppliers should treat the dates and future contract as indicative planning information, with any formal competition to be established later.

The exercise is relevant to businesses with access to intermodal freight wagon design, manufacture, ownership, leasing, fleet supply or rail engineering expertise. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate that they can make 115 wagons available, whether based on the IKA specification or an equivalent solution, and provide credible information on fleet availability and indicative pricing. The scale is suited to established rail rolling-stock providers, specialist wagon manufacturers, asset owners and leasing businesses, while the requirement is expressly identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises. Businesses that can explain technical equivalence, supply capacity, delivery planning and whole-life support should prepare market-engagement information before any formal procurement is launched.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

PME for 115 x Intermodal Wagons (IKA or Equivalent)

Notice Description

This is a high-level market engagement exercise intended to obtain availability and indicative high-level pricing from the market. It is not a formal procurement process and does not commit NTS to award a contract or proceed with any future procurement activity. The information received will be used to support internal planning, understand market capability, and inform any potential future procurement strategy. Link to document and PME - https://atamis-2464.my.site.com/s/Welcome

Planning Information

115 x Intermodal Wagons (IKA or Equivalent)

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06ef40
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082509-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

CPV Codes

34621100 - Railway freight wagons

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£5,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Sep 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
8 Sep 20266 days to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Oct 2027 - 30 Sep 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Direct Rail Services 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
CARLISLE
Postcode
CA6 4SJ
Postcode Area
Carlisle
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD1 Cumbria
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD13 Cumberland
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Cumberland
Electoral Ward
Dalston and Burgh
Westminster Constituency
Carlisle

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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