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Extension of Service Agreement relating to the provision of a passenger Wi-Fi system and associated services

Thameslink Southern Great Northern Limited (TSGN)

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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18 Sep 2026 at 09:50

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Thameslink Southern Great Northern Limited (TSGN) procured an extension to the service agreement for passenger Wi-Fi and associated operational services across its rolling stock fleet. The requirement covers the continued operation, maintenance and support of the onboard connectivity system, including the installed routers, gateways, antennas, software platform, remote monitoring tools, management portals and back-office systems. The work is passenger internet services delivered on trains operating across the United Kingdom, with the buyer based in London. This is a rail technology and managed connectivity requirement rather than a general internet service contract: the supplier must support an integrated onboard and back-office environment already deployed across the fleet. The procurement is categorised as services, with internet services as the stated classification.

The procurement is complete and was awarded by direct award under the utilities regime. Icomera UK Limited was selected for the single lot. The award date was 18 September 2026, with a planned contract signature milestone of 30 September 2026. The awarded value is £1,434,823.20 excluding VAT, or £1,721,787.84 including VAT. The contract period runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2028. TSGN justified the direct award under Procurement Act 2023 Schedule 5, Item 7 for additional or repeat services. Its rationale is that Icomera designed, supplied and installed the existing system, and that changing supplier would create substantial integration, testing, certification, migration, service continuity and maintenance risks. The requirement was therefore limited to the incumbent supplier.

This award indicates demand from a major rail operator for suppliers able to design, install, operate, maintain and support passenger Wi-Fi across an operational rolling stock fleet. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need strong rail communications engineering, fleet-specific integration expertise and the capacity to manage onboard hardware, vehicle wiring, antenna systems, gateways, software and back-office platforms as one service. Experience of remote monitoring, technical support, testing, validation and certification would be important, alongside the operational discipline to protect passenger connectivity while trains remain in service. Suppliers would also need to demonstrate robust migration and commissioning capability, compatibility with established network architectures, and enough resource to support a large, distributed fleet without introducing competing platforms or avoidable service disruption.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Extension of Service Agreement relating to the provision of a passenger Wi-Fi system and associated services

Notice Description

Extension of Service Agreement relating to the provision of a passenger Wi-Fi system and associated services on rolling stock and ongoing operational services

Procurement Information

The contract relates to the design, installation, operation, maintenance and ongoing support of the passenger Wi-Fi system installed across the Authority's rolling stock fleet. Icomera is the incumbent provider and has designed, supplied and installed the existing onboard Wi-Fi infrastructure, including the onboard routers, gateways, antennas, software platform, remote monitoring tools, management portals and associated back-office systems. The current solution forms an integrated operational system that supports passenger connectivity and associated operational services across the fleet. A change of supplier would require the replacement, modification or reconfiguration of significant elements of the existing onboard hardware, software and communications architecture. This would create substantial technical and operational challenges, including: Integration risks between new and existing onboard communications equipment. Potential incompatibility with fleet-specific hardware, vehicle wiring, antenna systems and installed network architecture. The need for extensive testing, validation and certification activities to ensure continued safe and reliable operation on operational rolling stock. Increased risk of service disruption to passenger Wi-Fi services during transition and implementation. Additional maintenance and support complexity arising from the coexistence of multiple technology platforms and support arrangements. Significant operational resource requirements to manage migration, commissioning and acceptance activities across the fleet. The Authority has assessed whether reasonable alternatives exist and concluded that, within the required timeframe, there is no alternative supplier capable of providing the required extension and ongoing services without introducing disproportionate technical difficulties and operational risk. The requirement is therefore limited to the existing supplier because: The services are intrinsically linked to the proprietary solution currently deployed across the fleet. The supplier possesses unique technical knowledge of the installed system, its configuration and historical performance data. Continuity of service, maintenance, monitoring and support is dependent upon access to established systems, interfaces, software tools and operational arrangements already provided by Icomera. Replacing the supplier would require substantial technical redesign, equipment replacement and re-certification activities, resulting in disproportionate cost, complexity and operational disruption. Accordingly, the Authority considers that only Icomera can deliver the required services without causing disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance. The direct award is therefore justified under Procurement Act 2023 Schedule 5, Item 7 (Additional or Repeat Goods, Services or Works).

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077508
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088491-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
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

72400000 - Internet services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£1,434,823 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
18 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Oct 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Thameslink Southern Great Northern Limited (TSGN)
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
EC3R 8AJ
Postcode Area
Central 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
City of London
Electoral Ward
Bridge
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ICOMERA UK LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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