---
title: "Operation of RIDC Melton"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05e8be"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05e8be"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05e8be.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05e8be.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED"
published: "2025-11-26"
---

# Operation of RIDC Melton

Buyer: NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05e8be

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05e8be)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05e8be.json)

## Summary

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited is currently in the planning stage of a public procurement process related to the operation of the Rail Innovation and Delivery Centre (RIDC) at Melton, recently renamed Test Track Melton Mowbray. This initiative, categorised under the support services industry for railway transport, is aimed at managing the test track, depot facilities, and customer rail traffic movements. The procurement is initiated as a tender and is open for market engagement to gather expressions of interest and feedback on the draft specifications. Interested parties need to respond to a questionnaire available until 23rd December 2025 via Network Rail's Bravo tendering service. The procurement covers services above the threshold with an anticipated contract period starting on 1st April 2027 and extending potentially until 31st March 2035, contingent on renewal options. The procurement is directed from Network Rail's Waterloo General Office in London, UK.

This tender offers significant business growth opportunities, notably for SMEs, given the substantial contract value of up to £31,920,000. Companies providing railway support services, especially those experienced in large-scale operational management, will find this opportunity well-suited to their expertise. Additionally, businesses looking to establish long-term relationships in the transportation infrastructure sector may benefit from the framework agreement structure and Network Rail's central government affiliation. To participate, businesses should ensure they are registered on Bravo and respond to the market engagement promptly to maximise their prospects of being considered for this lucrative and strategically important contract.

## Notice

This is a preliminary market engagement exercise at this stage only to receive expressions of interest and feedback on Network Rail's requirement via a questionnaire. The requirement relates to the operation of Rail Innovation and Delivery Centre (RIDC) - Melton. This site has been renamed as Test Track Melton Mowbray recently. Its operation includes the management of the test track, depot management, managing supporting facilities and customer rail traffic movements. A full draft specification can be found alongside the market engagement questionnaire. Access details are described within this notice. Access: https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60540 The required event to respond to the questionnaire is pqq_3826. Those who have not used Bravo before will need to create an account. The homepage for this can be found here: https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html

### Planning Information

A market questionnaire has been published alongside this notice within Bravo, Network Rail's tendering service. Parties interested in expressing interest are encouraged to access this via the details linked below and respond. Network Rail seeks to establish market interest and solicit feedback on our draft specification to understand how clear and deliverable our requirements are. A draft specification has been provided alongside this to assist in answering the questionnaire. Questionnaire responses are requested by 23/12/2025. Extension requests for responses may be submitted, but Network Rail cannot guarantee any can be granted. Any extensions made will be granted equally to all participating parties who have expressed interest via Bravo at the time of it being granted.
This requirement is currently not being tendered, this is market engagement activity only to assess interest and feasibility. 
Unless there are issues accessing Bravo, all queries are to be directed to Network Rail using the messaging function within the service. If you are experiencing access issues, please notify Tom.Hedges@networkrail.co.uk in the first instance.
Access: https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60540
The required event to respond to the questionnaire is pqq_3826. Those who have not used Bravo before will need to create an account. The homepage for this can be found here: https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077294-2025 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 26 Nov 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 1 Apr 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2031 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £26,600,000 |
| 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 LIMITED |
| 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

- 63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services

### Codes

- 63711000 - Support services for railway transport

## Release History

- 26 Nov 2025 at 14:09 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077294-2025
- 25 Nov 2025 at 17:37 - Planning - UK1 - Pipeline Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077042-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077294-2025
  26th November 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077042-2025
  25th November 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60540
- https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.networkrail.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-05e8be. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05e8be.json.