Notice Information
Notice Title
Selection of an Investment Partner for the Global Centre of Rail Excellence
Notice Description
This is an investment and commercialisation opportunity in relation to the Global Centre of Rail Excellence ("GCRE"), a planned railway infrastructure and rolling stock testing, proving, demonstration and storage facility in South Wales, on a site of 700 hectares located within the Powys and Neath Port Talbot local authorities. GCRE is being developed by GCRE Ltd, wholly owned by the Welsh Government. Through this procurement process, GCRE Ltd is seeking a joint venture partner ("Strategic Investor") to develop and fund GCRE to completion. The Strategic Investor will play a lead role in its successful and timely implementation, along with further commercialisation of the GCRE opportunity. The Strategic Investor could be a single investor or a consortium of investors, who will acquire a majority shareholding in and control of GCRE Ltd (being a minimum of 51%). The GCRE team will be holding an event in London on Wednesday 7 December 2022 to discuss the opportunity ahead in more detail with potential Strategic Investors. Those wishing to register for the event can do so here: https://directory.railbusinessdaily.com/gcre/
Lot Information
Lot 1
GCRE is a planned railway infrastructure and rolling stock testing, proving, demonstration and storage facilities in South Wales, on a 700 hectares site located within the Powys and Neath Port Talbot local authorities. For the rail industry and its supply chain, GCRE will provide a single site that brings people and ideas together, enabling world class research, testing and innovation. GCRE will be net zero in operation and will be the first purpose built large scale rail testing facility in the UK. The capital deployment needed will occur over a period of 3 years with the aim to achieve full commercial operations in FY25/26. Delivery will take place across different investment phases as described below: 1. Investment Phase 1: Ground works, site preparation, outline design and the development of storage facilities - this is already underway using public funding. 2. Investment Phase 2: Private funding needed for the development of the rail infrastructure, including construction of a rolling stock testing track (outer loop track length 6.9km), an infrastructure testing track (inner loop with track length of 4km), additional storage and maintenance facilities, and the required building and civil works to make the site fully operational, including: (a) assuring supply of cost effective, sustainable, and reliable energy to the site to support 24/7 operations; and (b) working with local stakeholders to get access to relevant utilities and access infrastructure. The delivery of Investment Phases 1 and 2 form the "Project". The total estimated capital cost to deliver the Project is c.GBP400m (including estimated capital required for assuring energy supply to the site). There is also an opportunity to commercially exploit and develop the renewable energy opportunities available at the site in line with GCRE's energy strategy, which includes development of a solar PV plant. The proposed funding for the Project includes: i) Public funding of GBP70m already committed and partially drawn down: Welsh Government equity investment of GBP50m and a GBP20m grant from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. ii) Private funding of c.GBP330m with part of the funding to be provided as equity by the Strategic Investor and part of the funding to be arranged by the Strategic Investor as debt to GCRE. The Strategic Investor selected through this procurement process will take majority ownership and control of GCRE Ltd, work alongside existing management and provide support necessary to achieve successful delivery of the Project. iii) Please note that this is a current estimate for the Project and work is underway to determine more precise value of the total capital cost. It should also be noted that site works (including award of the contract for earthworks), and relevant studies have already commenced. This opportunity would also involve development over the course of time of other commercial / revenue opportunities related to land / real estate development on the site. A more detailed description of the Project, its business plan and investment requirements will be provided at the tender stage of the procurement process. Transaction Definition: The Strategic Investor will play a lead role in the successful and timely implementation of the Project and further commercialisation of the GCRE opportunity. In addition, the Strategic Investor will be required to: i) provide additional support, management capability and expertise to support GCRE in the planning and delivery of the Project and achieve commercial operation. ii) demonstrate adequate relevant experience necessary to achieve the objectives of GCRE, including experience in matters such as: - rail operations and/or infrastructure; - development of complex greenfield projects including investment, management; and operations; - energy development (additional experience in this is preferred). iii) provide / arrange the required funding for the Project to completion c.GBP330m.. The contract value stated in this notice is an estimate only. Potential returns will depend on many commercial factors including (but not limited to) market conditions. Bidders should seek independent legal and commercial advice in relation to the potential value of the opportunity.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-kuma6s-126842
- Publication Source
- Sell2Wales
- Latest Notice
- https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=126842
- Current Stage
- Planning
- All Stages
- Planning
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- OJEU - F1 - Prior Information 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
09 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy
31 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment
34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
45 - Construction work
50 - Repair and maintenance services
65 - Public utilities
66 - Financial and insurance services
70 - Real estate services
71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
-
- CPV Codes
09310000 - Electricity
09330000 - Solar energy
31121110 - Power converters
32500000 - Telecommunications equipment and supplies
32552420 - Frequency converter
34632300 - Electrical installations for railways
34940000 - Railway equipment
45111291 - Site-development work
45200000 - Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work
45213000 - Construction work for commercial buildings, warehouses and industrial buildings, buildings relating to transport
45213313 - Service-area building construction work
45213320 - Construction work for buildings relating to railway transport
45230000 - Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways; flatwork
45234000 - Construction work for railways and cable transport systems
45234112 - Railway depot construction work
45234115 - Railway signalling works
50220000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services related to railways and other equipment
50222000 - Repair and maintenance services of rolling stock
50224000 - Reconditioning services of rolling stock
65300000 - Electricity distribution and related services
66120000 - Investment banking services and related services
70112000 - Development of non-residential real estate
71311230 - Railway engineering services
71314000 - Energy and related services
71314100 - Electrical services
71314200 - Energy-management services
71540000 - Construction management services
71541000 - Construction project management services
79420000 - Management-related services
79421000 - Project-management services other than for construction work
79421100 - Project-supervision services other than for construction work
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 23 Nov 20223 years ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- 18 Jan 2023Expired
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- Not specified - Not specified
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Planned
- Lots Status
- Planned
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- GCRE LTD
- Contact Name
- Tamara Evans
- Contact Email
- tamara.evans@gcre.wales
- Contact Phone
- +44 7590603692
Buyer Location
- Locality
- NEATH PORT TALBOT
- Postcode
- SA10 9HN
- Post Town
- Swansea
- Country
- Wales
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLL Wales
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLL4 Mid and South West Wales
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLL44 Neath Port Talbot
- Delivery Location
- TLL Wales
-
- Local Authority
- Neath Port Talbot
- Electoral Ward
- Crynant, Onllwyn and Seven Sisters
- Westminster Constituency
- Neath and Swansea East
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV419341
Selection of an Investment Partner for the Global Centre of Rail Excellence - This is an investment and commercialisation opportunity in relation to the Global Centre of Rail Excellence ("GCRE"), a planned railway infrastructure and rolling stock testing, proving, demonstration and storage facility in South Wales, on a site of 700 hectares located within the Powys and Neath Port Talbot local authorities. GCRE is being developed by GCRE Ltd, wholly owned by the Welsh Government. Through this procurement process, GCRE Ltd is seeking a joint venture partner ("Strategic Investor") to develop and fund GCRE to completion. The Strategic Investor will play a lead role in its successful and timely implementation, along with further commercialisation of the GCRE opportunity. The Strategic Investor could be a single investor or a consortium of investors, who will acquire a majority shareholding in and control of GCRE Ltd (being a minimum of 51%). The GCRE team will be holding an event in London on Wednesday 7 December 2022 to discuss the opportunity ahead in more detail with potential Strategic Investors. Those wishing to register for the event can do so here: https://directory.railbusinessdaily.com/gcre/
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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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