--- title: "Inclusive Travel SaaS product" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-059d48" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-059d48" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-059d48.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-059d48.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2025-09-18" --- # Inclusive Travel SaaS product Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-059d48 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-059d48) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-059d48.json) ## Summary Essex County Council is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process for an "Inclusive Travel SaaS product." Located in Chelmsford, United Kingdom, the council aims to enhance its TravelEssex app by sourcing a Mobility-as-a-Service digital solution. This initiative, set within the IT services industry, requires a supplier to provide a software solution to support inclusive travel options around Greater Essex. The procurement process is presently at the preliminary market engagement stage, with a deadline for feedback submissions via Microsoft Form on the 30th of September, 2025. The expected contract period begins on 1st April 2026 and runs until 31st March 2030, highlighting the council's ongoing commitment to upgrading its transport infrastructure over this timeframe. This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in software development, consulting, Internet support, and IT services. With an estimated £100,000 value, companies with competencies in API integration, real-time data processing, and multi-lingual support are particularly suited to compete. The supplier must be capable of offering innovative solutions that align with the council's high-level requirements, such as smartphone-compatible wayfinding and scalable code deployment across infrastructure. Firms with strengths in accessibility enhancements and independent travel planning software will find this project aligns well with their service offerings, providing a platform for further business growth in the digitalisation of public transportation systems. ## Notice Essex County Council has contracted a supplier to provide a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) digital solution to upgrade its current TravelEssex app (CO0391 Modernising Passenger Transport), which is due to go live Spring 2026. To integrate with this, the Council is seeking a software solution to further support its ambitions to make travel as inclusive and easy as possible around Greater Essex. This is a preliminary market engagement exercise to help ECC understand the market capability and capacity, to identify potential software solutions that enables all users to access travel more inclusively and easily. ECC's high-level requirements for the software solution must include the ability to: * Deeply integrate with our TravelEssex digital platform, via an existing public API (Application Programming Interface), solution provided by the supplier offering live arrivals, disruptions, amenity status (e.g. lifts, escalators etc) across multiple modes of travel * Provide visual and audible wayfinding and real-time information to users, via their smartphone, initiated by scanning a high-density code that is applied to infrastructure (e.g. bus shelters, bus stop, train stations and similar). The real-time feed would be provided by ECC for the supplier to ingest, in Siri SM/VM/SX formats. * Feature parity is required between the standard and audio formats. Continuity between codes on a route must be seamless to the user and include options such as step-free access. * Guidance to users must be in precise distances (feet/inches, metres/centimetres) * The code must be capable of being read via a smartphone's in-built camera and optimised for instantaneous, long-distance scanning. * The code must not require framing or focussing to scan it, ensuring readability from varied distances and wide viewing angles. * If multiple codes are detected, the solution must ensure communication of all detected codes, allowing the user to make an informed selection. * Be able to offer unlimited numbers of unique codes, including full deployment across current bus infrastructure estate (circa 8,000 locations) and options to add further locations over time. * Application of the code needs to be durable, printable and easily integrated with current infrastructure. * Offer automatic translation into the top 20 languages present in the UK * Support cognitive accessibility by offering bold, large font readable text and visually augmented reality arrows and other design elements. * Be able to create specific and tailored journey plans for Independent Travel Training users, that can be stored and re-used, per user. * Real-time data reporting on usage and other relevant statistics. Reports to be configurable and self-serve. * The system architecture should ideally exclude reliance on GPS, Bluetooth, or electronic beacon mechanisms to ensure standalone operability. ### Planning Information Please complete the Microsoft Form by clicking on the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/tkHtV6rQLh ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/057762-2025 | | 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 | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 18 Sep 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 30 Sep 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2030 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £100,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | CHELMSFORD | | Post town | Chelmsford | | Postcode | CM1 1QH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLH East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLH3 Essex | | ITL 3 | TLH36 Heart of Essex | | Local authority | Chelmsford | | Electoral ward | Moulsham and Central | | Westminster constituency | Chelmsford | | Delivery location | TLH East (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ## Release History - 18 Sep 2025 at 13:49 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/057762-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/057762-2025 18th September 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://forms.office.com/e/tkHtV6rQLh - https://www.essex.gov.uk/ - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## 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-059d48. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-059d48.json.