Supply of Railway Tickets and Associated Products and Services

Description

Continued manufacture, production and supply of accredited magnetic-stripe paper railway ticket stock required by UK Rail Operators. The non-exclusive arrangement will allow Operators to purchase the required ticket stock directly against an agreed volume-based price schedule. The contract will run for an initial three-year period, with the option to extend for two further periods of one year (3+1+1). The arrangement will maintain continuity of supply and compatibility with existing railway ticket issuing and validation equipment while the industry transitions towards digital and alternative ticketing solutions.

Key facts

Procedure

Direct award

Lots

1

Contact

procurement@raildeliverygroup.co.uk

Contract period

1 Jan 2027 → 31 Dec 2029

Value incl. VAT

£26m

Category

goods

Awarded suppliers

• Bemrose Booth Paragon Limited · GB-PPON-PJRX-6282-VQNM · UKE11, GB

Ground given for limiting competition

The buyer’s own stated reason for awarding without open competition, as published. Their assertion, not a finding.

The Direct Award is justified on the basis that changing supplier would result in Operators potentially receiving ticket stock that is different from or incompatible with existing industry ticketing infrastructure, including Ticket Issuing Systems, ticket gates and validation equipment. Introducing an alternative supplier would require significant technical assurance, compatibility testing and operational validation, resulting in disproportionate technical and operational difficulties. Although alternative manufacturers may exist within the wider market, no alternative supplier has been identified that can immediately provide the full range of accredited magnetic-stripe ticket stock required across the industry while maintaining proven compatibility with existing equipment. Furthermore, the requirement is in managed decline as the rail industry transitions towards digital and alternative ticketing methods. A competitive procurement and transition to an alternative supplier would introduce additional costs, risks and operational disruption for a product with a reducing demand profile. The Direct Award will therefore maintain continuity of supply, ensure compatibility with existing industry infrastructure and support an orderly transition away from magnetic-stripe ticketing. The proposed 3+1+1-year structure also provides opportunities to review demand and assess the need for the optional extensions.