Rail Replacement Service - Bus and Coach Operators- Release 2

What the buyer is asking for

Transport for Wales Rail (TfWRL) are in-housing the co-ordination and management of Rail Replacement Service (RRS) across Wales and Border routes operated by TfWRL within Wales and between Wales and England. Or any such route operated by TfW as may arise in future. This means that all pre-planned and emergency rail replacement services currently provided by coach and bus operators through an aggregator agreement, will be contracted for as services, directly by TfWRL. This procurement also includes the requirement for adhoc travel services to be commissioned via this framework as they arise. Based upon 25/26 Financial year data, approximately 6,000 emergency duties and 21,000 planned duties were delivered by circa 110 different operators. It is currently intended the Open Framework will run for the maximum 8 year term. This procurement relates to the second opening of the Rail Replacement Services Open Framework and provides an opportunity for additional operators to apply for the framework and current operators to update their submissions. Full information of how to do so is included in the ITT pack.

How this is scored

Published by the buyer. A winning response is written to these weightings, not to the question.

• qualityTechnicalAs described in the ITT pack.

What you must already have

Conditions of participation. These are pass or fail, so check them before writing anything.

• economic

  As described in the ITT pack.

• technical

  As described in the ITT pack.

3 lots

You can usually bid for one lot without bidding for all of them.

• Part 1 Lot 1: Emergency (up to 48 hours)£28m

  Duties to be offered with up to 48 Hours Notice.

• Parts 2 & 3 Lot 2: Pre-Planned£41m

  Part 2 Lot 2: Pre-Planned (48 hours to 14 days) Part 3 Lot 2: Pre-Planned (over 14 days)

• Part 4 Lot 3: Mini-Competition (over 14 days) £12m

  Larger groups of duties/blockades over a longer period of time. Each variable, dependant upon the specific need for rail replacement services at the time.

How contested is this?

Buyers publish how many bids they received. Across 23 comparable procurements we can tell you the typical field size, how often one of these goes uncontested, and whether the buyer awards on price or on quality.

Timeline

4 published dates · Europe/London

1. Tender notice publishedyesterday

   2 Oct 2026, 15:14 BST
2. Clarification questions byin 20 days

   22 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST
3. Submission deadlinein 24 days

   27 Oct 2026, 12:00 GMT
4. Award decision expected byin 66 days

   7 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT

Commercial outcome and contract awards

Nothing awarded yet

Notice history

5 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender

1. Pipeline or early engagement notice16 Sept 2026, 15:54 BST087908-2026
2. Notice published21 Sept 2026, 11:54 BST089069-2026
3. Notice published23 Sept 2026, 08:59 BST089902-2026
4. Pipeline or early engagement notice23 Sept 2026, 08:59 BST089903-2026
5. Tender notice2 Oct 2026, 15:14 BST093451-2026

Payment terms

30 Days for traditional PO invoice payment and 14 days if automated billing processes are adopted.

Documents

• All documents will be released at the same time the tender notice is published. If additional documents are identified as being needed, these will be made available via the nominated e-procurement portal - Atamis.
• As described in the ITT pack.
• Tender notice on Find a Tender