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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

Turbostars Catering Services for CrossCountry Trains

XC TRAINS LIMITED · Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 30 Sept 2026, 05:30.

Opportunity overview

The provision of Turbostar Catering is an outsourced service which focuses on the end-to-end management (including staffing and logistical arrangements) to provide on-board catering (Retail for Standard Class only) for CrossCountry Trains Turbostar 170 fleet. Turbostar trains are the train type you will often find on regional journeys along the CrossCountry network, with two or three coaches per train. Journeys on CrossCountry's inter-regional routes: between Cardiff and Nottingham via Birmingham, and between Birmingham and Stansted Airport via Leicester. The service will include strategic routes of coverage (current route details below). Based out of XC Birmingham Service Centre (Birmingham New Street Station, Birmingham, United Kingdom) the supplier shall manage circa 41 colleagues to deliver the service on board. The supplier will be responsible for managing the following equipment and organizational requirements: • S-Lite Pump Pot Trolleys (repairs to be actioned by XC's supply chain, recharged to supplier). Quantity circa. 18 trolleys. • Staff to onboard and alight the trolley upon shift commencement and completion. • Supplier to maintain further equipment including Elia BFL Pump Pots (supplier shall maintain and replace accordingly). • Supplier shall retail XC's catering retail menu products. • Staff must wear XC branded uniform whilst providing services onboard (purchased through XC supply chain at cost). The supplier will be responsible for contract overheads, these may be as follows (this is not an exhaustive list): Contract Overheads: Contract Management and Administration Contract Administration NI Contract Management Expenses Computing Mobile/Broadband Office Stationery / Postage Other Overheads: Professional fees EPOS Costs EPOS Device Repair/Replacement Costs Office Travel fees Insurances Bank Charges Coverage routes by departure times, below is an overview of our current timetable: Route 1 Monday - Friday Nottingham - Cardiff 08:30, 09:30 (starts at Birmingham New Street) 09:07, 10:06, 11:07, 12:07, 12:07, 13:07, 14:07 (starts at Nottingham) Cardiff - Nottingham 07:08, 08:08, 09:09, 10:09, 11:09, 12:09 (starts at Birmingham New Street) 10:45, 11:45, 14:45 (Cardiff - Nottingham) 12:45, 13:45, 15:45, 16:45, 17:45 (Cardiff - Birmingham New Street only) Saturday Nottingham - Cardiff 07:30, 08:30, 09:30 (starts at Birmingham New Street) 09:06, 10:07, 11:07, 12:07, 13:07 (Nottingham - Cardiff) 13:41, 14:41, 15:41 (Nottingham to Birmingham New Street only) Cardiff - Nottingham 09:45, 10:45, 11:45 07:09, 08:09, 09:09, 10:09, 11:09 (starts at Birmingham New Street) Sunday Nottingham - Cardiff 10:12, 11:12, 12:30, 13:30 (starts at Birmingham New Street) 13:16, 14:16, 15:12 (Nottingham - Cardiff) 16:16, 17:16, 18:16 (Nottingham to Birmingham only) Cardiff - Nottingham 11:49, 12:49, 13:49 (Birmingham - Nottingham only) 12:45, 13:45, 14:45, (Cardiff - Nottingham) 15:45, 16:45, 17:45, 18:45 (Cardiff - Birmingham New Street only). Route 2 Monday - Friday Birmingham - Stansted Airport 06:22, 07:22, 07:52, 09:22, 10:22, 11:22 Stansted Airport - Birmingham New Street 10:27, 11:27, 12:27, 13:27, 14:27, 15:22 Saturday Birmingham - Stansted Airport 06:22, 07:22, 08:22, 09:22, 10:21, 11:22, 12:21 Stansted Airport - Birmingham New Street 10:27, 11:27, 12:27, 13:27, 14:27, 15:27, 16:27 Sunday Birmingham New Street - Stansted Airport 11:22, 12:22, 13:22 Stansted Airport - Birmingham New Street 15:27, 16:27, 17:27 Coverage is reviewed twice annually due to train timetable changes which take place in May and December each year. Business Requirements (high level for Preliminary Market Engagement Notice only): Along with the initial description, XC trains has a requirement for interested organizations to comply with the following • The supplier must provide services all-year round based on our timetable requirements (including UK Bank Holidays). • The supplier must have in place mechanisms for fraud detection, prevention and reporting • The supplier must provide weekly sales order reporting to the XC trains • The supplier must provide regular detailed management information to XC Trains on a weekly basis; this must include invoicing details. • The supplier must adhere to all applicable UK laws and regulation. For example, but not limited to, FCA, Security and GDPR. Food Safety: The Supplier must • Ensure the food stored, handled and sold from CrossCountry premises complies with The United Kingdom's Food Laws and the associated assimilated European Regulations • Have a documented Food Safety Management System based on the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) in place, which is being implemented and maintained. • Ensure food handlers are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activity. • Ensure the premises used to store, handle and sell food is kept clean and maintained in good repair and condition. • Ensure all articles, fittings and equipment with which food comes into contact are effectively cleaned and, where necessary, disinfected to avoid any risk of contamination. • Ensure food waste, non-edible by-products and other refuse are removed from rooms where food is present as quickly as possible, so as to avoid their accumulation. Health and Safety: The Supplier must • Comply with The United Kingdom's Health and Safety legislation. • Have a documented Health and Safety Policy. • Have a documented Health and Safety Management System in place, which is being implemented and maintained. • Ensure their employees have received suitable and sufficient training commensurate with their work activity. • Have suitable and sufficient risk assessments and associated safe methods of work in place, which are being implemented and being maintained. • Co-operate with CrossCountry so far as is necessary to enable all legal duties or requirements to be performed or complied with. Stages - Tender: This tender will take place under a Competitive Flexible Procedure. Further detail of the approach will be made available in the Tender Notice. • XC reserves the right to add or remove stages throughout the procurement process. • XC reserves the right to cancel this procurement in its entirety at any time without any liability. XC will require termination for convenience rights due to end of Franchise in October 2027.

Classification

  • CPV55522000 — Catering services for transport enterprises

Lots

  • Lot 1Value not stated

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
PA23 TCT
Status
planning
Above Threshold
Yes
Main Procurement Category
services

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Special regime

utilities

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
planning
Has Renewal
Yes

Suitability

Sme
Yes

Contract period

Ends
31 Mar 2029, 23:59
Starts
1 Apr 2026, 00:00
Max Extent Date
31 Mar 2031, 23:59

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKF
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 2
Region
UKG
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 3
Region
UKH
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 4
Region
UKK
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 5
Region
UKL
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Id
55522000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Catering services for transport enterprises

Planning and budget

Documents

Entry 1
Id
038352-2025
Format
text/html
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Published
8 Jul 2025, 16:19

Milestones

Entry 1
Id
engagement
Type
engagement
Status
scheduled
Due
22 Jul 2025, 23:59
Description
General Information: It is mandatory for any interested suppliers to register on the new Central Digital Platform which is part of the enhanced Find a Tender Service. This procurement will be progressed using the Competitive Flexible procedure utilizing Procurement Act 2023. The procurement will be based on streamlined delivery of the services to our onboard customers, and management of the contract. XC welcomes interest from suitable suppliers, including SMEs. XC requires a new agreement for the outsourced catering services onboard our Turbostar trains. The supplier must be based at Birmingham New Street Station to align with strategic route coverage across XC's inter-regional journeys (between Cardiff and Nottingham via Birmingham, and between Birmingham and Stansted Airport via Leicester). Stages - Market Engagement: 1) Interested suppliers must be registered on Central Digital Platform 2) Non-Disclosure Agreement/Mutual Confidentiality may apply 3) One to One supplier event via Teams. This preliminary market engagement notice will expire on 22.07.2025 at 17:00. We will engage in one to one teams meetings with interested organizations for the purpose of market engagement following this date.

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-COH-04402048
Name
XC TRAINS LIMITED

Roles

buyer

Address

Region
UKC23
Country
GB
Locality
Business Park
Postal Code
SR3 3XP
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
C/O Arriva Plc 1 Admiral Way

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
privateUtility
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Description
Private utility

Identifier

Id
04402048
Scheme
GB-COH

Contact

Name
Hardeep Virdi

Additional Identifiers

Entry 1
Id
PMZG-5533-GPWG
Scheme
GB-PPON

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Business Park · UKC23 · SR3 3XP · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKF · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKG · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKH · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKK · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKL · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-055b69-2025-07-08T16:19:09+01:00Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·