--- title: "Operations processing system (TOPS & POIS)" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-059fe0" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-059fe0" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-059fe0.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-059fe0.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LTD" published: "2025-09-23" --- # Operations processing system (TOPS & POIS) Buyer: NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LTD Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-059fe0 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-059fe0) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-059fe0.json) ## Summary Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd has announced the planning stage for the procurement of its "Operations Processing System (TOPS & POIS)" project, aimed at industry-specific software development services, with an anticipated procurement and implementation value of £16,000,000. The project seeks to replace existing applications with modern technologies to enhance operational efficiency, mitigate risks, and avoid extended support agreements. Key activities will take place primarily within the UK, with a future notice date already passed on 21st August 2025. The formal Invitation to Tender (ITT) is expected to be issued in Q1/Q2 of 2026 under a competitive flexible procedure. This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in software development and information technology services, particularly those experienced in providing industry-specific solutions aligned with modern technology adoption. Companies that can innovate and manage mission-critical systems should consider competing, given the project’s emphasis on modernisation and technological advancements. The tender also presents potential growth opportunities for businesses that can address the logistics and railway sectors' evolving operational needs. Engaging in this procurement process could greatly enhance a firm's market presence within high-value and strategically important public sectors. ## Notice The TOPS and POIS Replacement Project is required to deliver a solution to replace in-use functionality of the existing application under the adoption of modern technologies, thus avoiding innovation limitation, technical debt, operational risk and extended support agreements for these two mission critical services. TOPS is a mainframe system procured by British Rail (BR) from Southern Pacific in the early 1970s. It is a complex, command-driven system, originally designed for the management and control of freight vehicles and trains to provide real-time information of the whereabouts, loading, consignee, condition, etc. of freight vehicles. Since the introduction of TOPS to BR, the system has been expanded to handle locomotive activities and information about loco-hauled passenger operations, via a sub-system named POIS. The average freight traffic is currently 500 trains per day but may increase going forward. ### Lot Information Lot 1 The TOPS and POIS Replacement Project is required to deliver a solution to replace in-use functionality of the existing application under the adoption of modern technologies, thus avoiding innovation limitation, technical debt, operational risk and extended support agreements for these two mission critical services. TOPS is a mainframe system procured by British Rail (BR) from Southern Pacific in the early 1970s. It is a complex, command-driven system, originally designed for the management and control of freight vehicles and trains to provide real-time information of the whereabouts, loading, consignee, condition, etc. of freight vehicles. Since the introduction of TOPS to BR, the system has been expanded to handle locomotive activities and information about loco-hauled passenger operations, via a sub-system named POIS. The average freight traffic is currently 500 trains per day but may increase going forward. Additional information: Network Rail are planning to issue an ITT via the competitive Flexible Procedure Q1/Q2 of 2026. This is a prior notice of our intent to issue the ITT. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/058785-2025 | | Notice type | Planning 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 | 23 Sep 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 20 Aug 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £16,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LTD | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | South East London | | Postcode | SE1 8SW | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East | | ITL 3 | TLI45 Lambeth | | Local authority | Lambeth | | Electoral ward | Waterloo & South Bank | | Westminster constituency | Vauxhall and Camberwell Green | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 48 - Software package and information systems - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 48000000 - Software package and information systems - 48100000 - Industry specific software package - 72212100 - Industry specific software development services - 72222300 - Information technology services ## Release History - 23 Sep 2025 at 09:37 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/058785-2025 ## Notice URLs - http://www.networkrail.co.uk - https://networkrail.bravosolution.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-059fe0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-059fe0.json.