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TVCA-PROC-0905 Rail Passenger Focus Survey

Tees Valley Combined Authority

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

09 Sep 2026 at 10:09

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Tees Valley Combined Authority is preparing a potential rail passenger focus survey covering the Tees Valley region. The work would investigate passengers’ customer issues, identify opportunities and gather qualitative evidence to support future rail planning and service development. It falls within research and development and related consultancy services, with an additional business consultancy classification (CPV 73000000 and 79000000). The survey is expected to involve research design, passenger engagement, evidence collection and findings that can inform rail services and investment decisions. Delivery is in the Tees Valley area of England. The authority is seeking views from the market before deciding and refining any future procurement, including views on the proposed scope, objectives, methodology, deliverables, timescales, risks, commercial approach and social value considerations.

This procurement is at the planning stage and is currently a pre-tender market engagement exercise, not an invitation to tender. Tees Valley Combined Authority expects to use the engagement to test the requirement, understand supplier interest, capability and capacity, and refine a possible future procurement. The planned engagement milestone is 30 September 2026, which is an indicative date for market input rather than a tender deadline. If the requirement proceeds, the current planned contract period is 4 January 2027 to 3 January 2028. One lot is planned. The recorded gross value is £0. The buyer has not yet settled the final scope, methodology, commercial terms, evaluation approach or procurement timetable; suppliers are being invited to provide feedback, challenge assumptions and recommend improvements.

This will suit market-research agencies, passenger-insight specialists, transport consultants and research-led consultancies able to design and deliver surveys for rail users in the Tees Valley. Relevant preparation includes demonstrating capability and capacity for passenger research, qualitative evidence gathering, analysis of customer issues and translation of findings into practical planning or service-development recommendations. Suppliers with experience of rail, public transport, customer insight, stakeholder engagement or public-sector research are likely to be well placed to contribute. The authority is specifically looking for informed views on research methodologies, deliverables, timescales, risks, indicative costs, contractual and commercial arrangements, and social value. There are no stated accreditation or qualification requirements at this stage, so businesses should focus on a credible proposed approach, relevant case studies, delivery capacity and constructive recommendations for shaping the eventual specification.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

TVCA-PROC-0905 Rail Passenger Focus Survey

Notice Description

Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) (the 'Contacting Authority'), part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority Group, seeks to engage the market through this Pre-Tender Market Engagement (PTME) exercise in preparation for the potential procurement of a supplier to undertake a rail passenger survey within the Tees Valley region to understand customer issues, identify opportunities, and collect qualitative evidence to support future rail planning and service development. Through this PTME, the Contracting Authority aims to: *Understand market interest, capability and capacity to deliver the proposed requirement. *Test and validate the proposed scope, objectives and approach. *Obtain feedback on methodologies, deliverables, timescales, risks and indicative costs. *Understand market views on contractual, commercial and social value considerations. *Identify opportunities to improve and refine any future procurement. *Provide suppliers with an opportunity to raise questions, challenge assumptions and make recommendations based on their experience. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://teesvalley.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Darlington:-Research-and-development-services-and-related-consultancy-services./S6YZ443D79 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://teesvalley.delta-esourcing.com/respond/S6YZ443D79

Planning Information

For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Tees Valley portal at: https://teesvalley.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-Darlington:-Research-and-development-services-and-related-consultancy-services./S6YZ443D79 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://teesvalley.delta-esourcing.com/respond/S6YZ443D79 If you experience any technical difficulties from accessing the above url, then please contact the Delta eSourcing Helpdesk on call 0800 923 9236 or email helpdesk@delta-esourcing.com.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f53e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085220-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

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

CPV Codes

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
4 Jan 2027 - 3 Jan 2028 6-12 months
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
Tees Valley Combined Authority
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
DARLINGTON
Postcode
DL2 1NJ
Postcode Area
Darlington
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC3 Tees Valley
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC33 Darlington
Delivery Location
TLC1 Tees Valley and Durham
Local Authority
Darlington
Electoral Ward
Sadberge & Middleton St George
Westminster Constituency
Stockton West

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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