---
title: "Upgrade of Payment Validators (Pvals), associated software and integration services."
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05557e"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05557e"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05557e.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05557e.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED"
published: "2025-08-05"
---

# Upgrade of Payment Validators (Pvals), associated software and integration services.

Buyer: NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05557e

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## Summary

This contracting process, initiated by Northern Trains Limited, pertains to the upgrade of payment validators, associated software, and integration services into the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Bee Network. It falls under the industry category of goods, specifically targeting ticket-validation machines. The procurement method was limited, due to technical reasons and exclusive intellectual property rights, and did not require prior publication of a call for competition. The contract, awarded on 5th August 2025, involves work across multiple regions including UKC, UKD, UKE, and UKF, with the focus on integrating payment systems compatible with EMV transactions into the existing infrastructure, thereby facilitating account-based ticketing for Northern Trains Limited, TransPenine Trains Limited, and First Trenitalia West Coast Rail Limited.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in industry-specific software development and integration services, as well as those capable of providing technical solutions for transport systems. Companies with expertise in EMV-compatible transactions, software commissioning, and intellectual property management are particularly well-suited to compete, given the nature of the technical requirements and the emphasis on exclusive rights. The involvement of major rail services providers and utilities in Northern England indicates a robust demand for innovative technologies and integration solutions, fostering potential expansion and positioning in the transport sector.

## Notice

Upgrade of Payment Validators (Pvals), associated software and integration into the into the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Bee Network (Phase 1). The contract will upgrade existing Pval equipment and software to allow payment transactions to integrate into the TfGM Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) scheme.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Upgrade of Payment Validators (PVals) and associated software to allow EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) transactions. This will integrate into the into the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Bee Network (Phase 1). The contract will upgrade existing ATG equipment and software to allow payment transactions to integrate into the TfGM Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) scheme. The activities will include as minimum: * Software development. * Upgrade of PVals to accept contactless EMV physical and virtual cards on devices alongside existing fare media * Deployment of a supplier middle office. * Integration from the supplier middle office to the TfGM Secure Middle Office (SMO). * PCI certification. * Commissioning of devices for use at various stations on the operating network of Northern Trains Limited 'NTL', TransPenine Trains Limited 'TPT', and First Trenitalia West Coast Rail Limited 'Avanti'

### Procurement Information

Award a contract directly as this approach is allowed under the UCR's where restrictions on the use of IPR do not trigger a requirement to conduct a new OJEU-compliant tender process. We believe in this circumstance the following is applicable: There are grounds where NTL as public body could award a subsequent contract to a third party using the exemptions in Regulation 50 of the UCR. This exemption is provided for under the UCR Regulation 50(1)(c) which allows Utilities to award a contract where the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier because competition is absent for technical reasons and where no reasonable alternative or substitute exists. The supplier owns copyright and the IPR in all the software. The absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046170-2025 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 5 Aug 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 26 Jun 2025 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED |
| Locality | YORK |
| Post town | York |
| Postcode | YO1 6JT |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |
| ITL 2 | TLE2 North Yorkshire |
| ITL 3 | TLE21 York |
| Local authority | York |
| Electoral ward | Micklegate |
| Westminster constituency | York Central |
| Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | VIX TECHNOLOGY |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages
- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

### Codes

- 30123100 - Ticket-validation machines
- 72212100 - Industry specific software development services

## Release History

- 5 Aug 2025 at 13:28 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046170-2025
- 28 Jun 2025 at 15:48 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035932-2025

## Notice URLs

- http://www.northernrailway.co.uk

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05557e. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05557e.json.