---
title: "Ticket Vending Machines (Retail Systems)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05ced9"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05ced9"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05ced9.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05ced9.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "THE CHILTERN RAILWAY COMPANY LIMITED"
published: "2025-10-17"
---

# Ticket Vending Machines (Retail Systems)

Buyer: THE CHILTERN RAILWAY COMPANY LIMITED  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05ced9

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## Summary

The Chiltern Railway Company Limited has completed a direct award contract for the maintenance of Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) under the title "Ticket Vending Machines (Retail Systems)." The procurement process falls under the industry category of railway transport services and transport tickets. The contract location covers several regions across the United Kingdom, including regions such as UKC, UKD, and UKK. The procurement stage is currently marked as complete with the contract period set to commence on the 1st of December 2025 and is expected to conclude by the 1st of December 2029, with the possibility of a two-year extension. This procurement method was implemented under the regime for private utilities, justified by the exclusive intellectual property rights held by the supplier, Flowbird Transport Limited, who also originally built and installed the TVMs.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses within the railway services and technological maintenance sectors, particularly those specialising in the provision and upkeep of ticket-issuing machines. The contract, with its value exceeding £2.9 million, is a lucrative opportunity for suppliers who can demonstrate capability in maintaining existing infrastructure. Companies similar in profile to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that can operate within the predefined service agreements and capex limitations, may find growth prospects in forming strategic partnerships or subcontracting arrangements under the purview of Flowbird Transport Limited or in similar future contracts. The maintenance of technical services in public transportation is an arena ripe for innovation and efficiency, inviting businesses that focus on maintaining and advancing mid-life technology infrastructure.

## Notice

Chiltern owns and operates 80 Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) across the stations it operates. This direct award agreement is with the existing supplier who built, installed and maintained the TVMs, and is for the continued maintenance only of the existing TVMs. In addition to the existing service level agreements, which we intend to keep as is, a number of additional requirements have been proposed.

### Procurement Information

The supplier is the only supplier who can maintain the TVMs as it holds the intellectual property rights which are required to be able to maintain the TVMs. The TVMs are mid-life (and not life expired) and therefore significant capex investment would be required in order to procure new TVMS which could be maintained by an alternative suppliers. As a result, there is no reasonable alternative available.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/066319-2025 |
| Notice type | UK5 - Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 17 Oct 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 17 Oct 2025 |
| Contract period | 1 Dec 2025 - 1 Dec 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £2,909,562 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Pending |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | THE CHILTERN RAILWAY COMPANY LIMITED |
| Locality | SUNDERLAND |
| Post town | Sunderland |
| Postcode | SR3 3XP |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear |
| ITL 3 | TLC44 Sunderland |
| Local authority | Sunderland |
| Electoral ward | Doxford |
| Westminster constituency | Houghton and Sunderland South |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | FLOWBIRD TRANSPORT |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages
- 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 30144200 - Ticket-issuing machines
- 34980000 - Transport tickets
- 60200000 - Railway transport services

## Release History

- 17 Oct 2025 at 12:39 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/066319-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/066319-2025
  17th October 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- 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-05ced9. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05ced9.json.