---
title: "NoWcard Concessionary Travel System (Managed Service)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05a385"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05a385"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05a385.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05a385.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2026-05-07"
---

# NoWcard Concessionary Travel System (Managed Service)

Buyer: LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05a385

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## Summary

The Lancashire County Council is conducting a tender for the NoWcard Concessionary Travel System (Managed Service) in collaboration with other local councils, including Blackpool, Blackburn With Darwen, Cumberland, and Westmorland & Furness. This contract involves providing a managed service for an ITSO-compliant NoWcard system across various administrative areas. The procurement method being used is an open, competitive flexible procedure. The procurement process is currently in the tender stage, with submissions due by 12th June 2026. The tender's main category is goods, specifically focused on software packages and information systems. This opportunity has a maximum contract value of £1,200,000 and includes a provision for additional services and goods related to the system. Key dates include an enquiry period up to 2nd June 2026 and an award period ending on 4th September 2026.

This procurement creates significant opportunities for businesses involved in IT service management and smart card systems. The project is particularly suitable for companies capable of providing and maintaining comprehensive asset management and cardholder system solutions. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to participate, with flexibility for additional purchases and extensions over the initial three-year managed service period and possible extension up to seven years and six months total. The evaluation process places substantial weight on quality (60%), price (30%), and social value (10%), inviting enterprises that excel in delivering reliable, value-driven services to contribute meaningfully to local community mobility and transport infrastructure.

## Notice

NoWcard is a transport smart card pass, most commonly for the elderly or disabled, available for use in Cumberland, Westmorland & Furness, Lancashire County Council (LCC), Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool administrative areas. It is administered by LCC on behalf of all NoWcard members with the smart card recording journey details and verifies eligibility for the concessionary travel. LCC wish to engage a managed service provider to supply and maintain an ITSO (Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation) compliant NoWcard system, which is composed of the following components; 1. Asset Management System - Host Operator Processing System (AMS - HOPS) 2. ITSO Secure Application Module (ISAM) management 3. Cardholder and Card Management System (CMS) - English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) and Commercial Schemes 4. On-line application (web portal) - integration of ENCTS and existing commercial CMS 5. Print and Dispatch

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: The Authority may purchase additional managed services and associated goods and services related to the future concessionary system. Refer to Appendix B - Statement of Requirements and Appendix D - Schedule of Pricing for further details on scope of optional goods and services.

Renewal: The initial Contract period will be up to six (6) months for implementation and three (3) years for annual managed services. After such time the Authority may extend the Contract by any number of defined periods stipulated by the Authority pursuant to the Contract, provided that the total duration of the Contract Term does not exceed seven (7) years and six (6) months.

### Planning Information

The early market engagement process is detailed within the Request for Information (RFI). Copies of the RFI documentation will be available at https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/tenders-and-procurement/tenders/. Interested bidders are recommended to revisit this link regularly for updates on questions and answers that LCC have received.
Interested parties should complete the RFI returnable form and send to digitalprocurement@lancashire.gov.uk on or before the 30th October 2025.
Lancashire County Council (LCC) intend to run the early market engagement via a desktop review, however LCC reserves the right to invited interest parties to a follow-up discussion to better understand their RFI response.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/042091-2026 |
| Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Competitive flexible procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning, Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 7 May 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 12 Jun 2026 |
| Future notice date | 5 Jan 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 30 Sep 2026 - 30 Sep 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £1,200,000 |
| Lots value | £1,200,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Active |
| Lots status | Active |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL |
| Additional buyers | BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN BOROUGH COUNCIL; BLACKPOOL COUNCIL; CUMBERLAND COUNCIL; CUMBRIA COMBINED AUTHORITY; LANCASHIRE COMBINED COUNTY AUTHORITY; SOCIAL VALUE PORTAL LTD; WESTMORLAND AND FURNESS COUNCIL |
| Locality | PRESTON |
| Post town | Preston |
| Postcode | PR1 0LD |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD1 Cumbria |
| ITL 3 | TLD14 Westmorland and Furness |
| Local authority | Westmorland and Furness |
| Electoral ward | Greystoke and Ullswater |
| Westminster constituency | Westmorland and Lonsdale |
| Delivery location | TLD North West (England), TLD1 Cumbria, TLD4 Lancashire |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems

### Codes

- 48000000 - Software package and information systems

## Release History

- 7 May 2026 at 14:56 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/042091-2026
- 3 Oct 2025 at 07:36 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/061964-2025
- 26 Sep 2025 at 15:18 - Planning - UK1 - Pipeline Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/060285-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/042091-2026
  7th May 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/061964-2025
  3rd October 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/060285-2025
  26th September 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/isupplier/

## Notice URLs

- http://www.blackburn.gov.uk
- https://www.blackpool.gov.uk
- https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/
- https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/tenders-and-procurement/tenders/
- https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/fusion-supplier-portal/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.socialvalueportal.com/

## 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-05a385. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05a385.json.