--- title: "Bus Scheduling and Depot Allocation System" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05f9e1" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05f9e1" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f9e1.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f9e1.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "TRANSLINK" published: "2025-12-19" --- # Bus Scheduling and Depot Allocation System Buyer: TRANSLINK Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05f9e1 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05f9e1) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f9e1.json) ## Summary The public procurement process under discussion involves Translink, a public undertaking responsible for transport services in Northern Ireland, with their headquarters in Belfast. The current stage of the procurement is in the planning phase, as of 19th December 2025, with intentions to engage the market in February 2026. This procurement is focused on acquiring a Bus Scheduling and Depot Allocation System, categorised under industry-specific software packages, expected to support operations for the Ulsterbus and Metro Fleets in Northern Ireland and some cross-border services. The budgeted value for this procurement is £1,000,000 with an expected start date for the contract period set on 1st April 2028. This contract is under the special regime for utilities and follows the Procurement Act 2023 guidelines. The tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in developing scheduling and depot allocation systems with experience in handling large fleets—approximately 1,400 vehicles in this instance. Companies with the capability to provide cloud-based, integrative systems that enhance data flow between client systems and support with timely upgrades may find this an excellent opportunity for growth. This procurement requires solutions that facilitate bus route development, timetable management, and compliance with EU regulations, making it suitable for businesses with existing expertise in transport and logistical software solutions. The initiative also offers participation prospects for SMEs, encouraging diverse competition, and plans to commence the formal process in Q1 2027, following comprehensive market engagement. ## Notice Translink are looking to engage with suppliers capable of providing a scheduling and depot allocation system to support bus operations on Ulsterbus and Metro Fleet. The system would be expected to allow Translink operations to efficiently create route diagrams, timetables and duty allocation for the full network in Northern Ireland, and some cross-border services. Translink require the system to interface with wider bus systems, including the control room interface, therefore, a cloud-based, open data architecture is necessary, to ensure that the bus systems can integrate with other client systems, enhancing data flow and ensuring regular operations continue without interruption. The supplier will be required to maintain and support upgrades to the system to ensure Translink are able to take advantage of market developments. Before embarking on a tender process, Translink wishes to engage with the marketplace to gather information which will be used to inform the sourcing strategy for this contract and thus, the procurement process. We are therefore looking to engage with providers that are experienced in scheduling and depot allocation systems, which believe they are capable of fulfilling all requirements below. It is anticipated that this contract will commence in Q1 2027. Our requirements include, but are not limited to the following: * Facilitate bus route development. * Facilitate Timetable and staff rota development. * Provide reporting on bus mileage to allow Translink to reconcile fleet mileage. * Provide a method of storing and managing fleet details. * Support integration with a wide variety of third-party bus systems that are already in place. * Facilitate a bus stop asset database which contains information including, the NaPTAN location code, stop name, locality, and facilities (shelter/pole). * Allow for daily variation outside of the regular timetables and schedules during peak periods. * Flag errors or notifications between the scheduling system and wider bus systems. * Allow for the fleets (Ulsterbus and Metro) to be managed independently of each other, to facilitate their specific requirements. * Support data exports and imports in recognised formats such as TransXChange and CIF files. * Verify that all rotas are compliant with EU regulations relating to driver rest and compensation during allocated duties. * Verify that all duties are accounted for in the driver rotas. * Allow for operational changes, such as driver pay allocations to be manually updated by schedulers. * Include a dedicated analytics package that supports manual and automated performance and management reporting. * Support integration with current, and future bus systems. To advance to the next stage, suppliers must also be able to demonstrate that they have supplied a similar solution to customers with a similar fleet size (c. 1400 vehicles) within the last 3 years. ### Planning Information It is the intention of Translink to invite suitably interested Economic Operators to present during February 2026 (days, dates and times to be confirmed). Suppliers registering their interest in participating in this exercise should note that: 1. This Notice is to initiate a market engagement and information gathering exercise and does not indicate the start of a procurement exercise. It is instead intended to act as an informal market research document providing a brief synopsis of Translink's future requirements. This document is not intended to provide a definitive list of requirements 2. We intend to invite interested suppliers to present to a range of Translink personnel and discuss the scheduling solutions each can offer. 3. This document is not a tender specification nor request for quotation. Translink is merely investigating market opportunities at this stage without entering into any contractual or financial commitments. 4. Please note, progress in the project will be subject to the availability and timing of funding. If this requirement is given financial approval, it will be tendered under the Procurement Act 2023. Any documents, discussions, presentations, demonstrations, or clarifications submitted for this Market Research will not be considered as any part of the tender exercise. If Translink does decide to proceed with a competitive tender process, a separate detailed tender specification document will be produced as part of that process. 5. Nothing in this advertisement or any other documents or information provided by Translink or any of its advisers or agents is to be construed as implying a commitment by Translink to place any Contract, now or in the future with any participating supplier in respect of the requirement under consideration. 6. Translink takes no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken, costs incurred, or commitments made by interested parties in responding to this notice or by being involved in any subsequent discussions in this market engagement and information gathering exercise. 7. At this stage it is not possible to give an accurate timeframe for this requirement. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084702-2025 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Goods | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 19 Dec 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 1 Oct 2027 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2028 - 1 Apr 2033 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £1,000,000 | | 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 | TRANSLINK | | Locality | BELFAST | | Post town | Northern Ireland | | Postcode | BT2 7LX | | Country | Northern Ireland | | ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland | | ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland | | ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast | | Local authority | Belfast | | Electoral ward | Central | | Westminster constituency | Belfast South and Mid Down | | Delivery location | TLN Northern Ireland | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation - 48 - Software package and information systems ### Codes - 34121000 - Buses and coaches - 48100000 - Industry specific software package ## Release History - 19 Dec 2025 at 09:28 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084702-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084702-2025 19th December 2025 - Preliminary market engagement 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-05f9e1. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f9e1.json.