✓Tender information last checkedLast checked 13 Oct 2026, 16:31.
Opportunity overview
Northern Trains Ltd, is a Train Operating Company (TOC) that operates passenger rail services in the North of England. Northern Trains Ltd is publishing this notice to establish a contract for the designs at Heaton Train Care Centre for TRU.
This project requires the development of designs to accepted for construction (AFC) status for the proposed enhancements at Heaton TCC. The successful tenderer shall be appointed as the Principal Designer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (2015) and undertake all required duties of this role.
The appointed supplier will be responsible for producing and developing the design to AFC status for the scope of items included in this document and supporting tender package. This will include production of Inspection and Test Plans (ITP), Designer’s Risk Assessment (DRA), and Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA). For further details please see Heaton TRU Work scope within this tender package.
The nature of the arrangement is that new services will be supplied under a JCT Consultancy Agreement.
Where used throughout this notice, the meaning of Train Operating Companies includes all and any of those train operating companies who, currently or in the future, provide services for the carriage of passengers by railway:
under a franchise agreement with the Secretary of State within the meaning of section 23(3) of the Railways Act 1993 or under, or secured under, the Secretary of State’s duty in section 30(1) of the Railways Act 1993; or in accordance with legislation which supersedes or amends the powers referred to in a) and b), including where such powers are transferred from the Secretary of State to another body.
The list of current providers of services for the carriage of passengers by railway under these provisions can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-register-of-rail-passenger-contracts.
Novation or Assignment
The contract may be novated or assigned by Northern Trains Ltd to Train Operating Companies, or to DFT Operator Limited (company number: 07141122) or any successor parent company to a Train Operating Company, following a corporate restructuring or similar circumstance.
Other Information
Northern Trains Ltd expressly reserves the right:
not to award any suppliers the contract referred to in this notice; and in no circumstances will the customer be liable for any costs incurred by the suppliers.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the DELTA at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/446C6938M7
To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/446C6938M7
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
ocds-h6vhtk-0786c4
Status
active
Procurement Method
open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Main Procurement Category
services
Above Threshold
No
How to submit
To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/446C6938M7
Buyer location · York · UKE21 · YO1 6JT · United Kingdom
Delivery location · UKC2 · United Kingdom
Notice and amendment history
1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.
1 VERSION
1
096651-2026Tender notice on Find a Tender ·
PROCURAAXIS ANALYSIS
ProcuraAxis Analysis
Our approved analysis of the opportunity appears below the official tender information.
ANALYSIS PREVIEW
Opportunity intelligence at a glance
Northern Trains Ltd is seeking a supplier to develop accepted-for-construction (AFC) designs for proposed Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) enhancements at Heaton Train Care Centre. The successful tenderer will act as Principal Designer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and prepare supporting design assurance and assessment documents.
Who this may suit
Suitable for design consultancies with rail/infrastructure design capability and demonstrable capacity to perform Principal Designer duties under CDM 2015. No explicit certification, insurance, turnover, location, or company-size requirements are stated in the supplied notice.
Key points identified
Principal Designer roleSuccessful tenderer must be appointed as Principal Designer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and undertake the required duties.Evidence: “The successful tenderer shall be appointed as the Principal Designer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (2015) and undertake all required duties of this role.”
Design developmentProduce and develop design to accepted-for-construction (AFC) status for the defined scope.Evidence: “The appointed supplier will be responsible for producing and developing the design to AFC status...”
Design assurance documentationProduce ITP, DRA and EqIA documentation.Evidence: “This will include production of Inspection and Test Plans (ITP), Designer’s Risk Assessment (DRA), and Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA).”
96% approved-analysis confidence4 supplier criteria identified4 risks or unknowns
ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.
Northern Trains Ltd is seeking a supplier to develop accepted-for-construction (AFC) designs for proposed Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) enhancements at Heaton Train Care Centre. The successful tenderer will act as Principal Designer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and prepare supporting design assurance and assessment documents.
Who this may suit
Suitable for design consultancies with rail/infrastructure design capability and demonstrable capacity to perform Principal Designer duties under CDM 2015. No explicit certification, insurance, turnover, location, or company-size requirements are stated in the supplied notice.
Key deliverables
Develop designs to accepted-for-construction (AFC) status
Undertake Principal Designer duties under CDM Regulations 2015
Produce Inspection and Test Plans (ITP)
Produce a Designer’s Risk Assessment (DRA)
Produce an Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA)
Support the tender package and scope described in the Heaton TRU work scope
SUPPLIER REQUIREMENTS
4 criteria identified
Principal Designer role
99% confidence
Successful tenderer must be appointed as Principal Designer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and undertake the required duties.
View supporting evidence
“The successful tenderer shall be appointed as the Principal Designer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (2015) and undertake all required duties of this role.”
Design development
98% confidence
Produce and develop design to accepted-for-construction (AFC) status for the defined scope.
View supporting evidence
“The appointed supplier will be responsible for producing and developing the design to AFC status...”
Design assurance documentation
99% confidence
Produce ITP, DRA and EqIA documentation.
View supporting evidence
“This will include production of Inspection and Test Plans (ITP), Designer’s Risk Assessment (DRA), and Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA).”
Supplier eligibility criteria
93% confidence
Unknown; no explicit exclusion, financial standing, insurance, registration, or organisational eligibility requirements are provided in the supplied notice.
View supporting evidence
No such criteria are stated in the supplied opportunity data.
COMMERCIAL AND DELIVERY
Contract intelligence
Commercial
Estimated contract value
96% confidence
Up to £163,000 GBP.
View supporting evidence
Opportunity value_max is 163000 GBP; lot 1 value_amount is 163000 GBP.
Contract form
99% confidence
JCT Consultancy Agreement.
View supporting evidence
“The nature of the arrangement is that new services will be supplied under a JCT Consultancy Agreement.”
Award commitment
99% confidence
Northern Trains reserves the right not to award a contract and will not be liable for supplier bid costs.
View supporting evidence
“Northern Trains Ltd expressly reserves the right: not to award any suppliers the contract... [and] in no circumstances will the customer be liable for any costs incurred by the suppliers.”
Novation or assignment
98% confidence
Contract may be novated or assigned to Train Operating Companies, DFT Operator Limited, or a successor parent company following restructuring or similar circumstances.
View supporting evidence
“The contract may be novated or assigned by Northern Trains Ltd...”
Delivery
Delivery location
91% confidence
UKC2 region, United Kingdom.
View supporting evidence
Delivery location is recorded as region “UKC2”, country “United Kingdom”.
Site
98% confidence
Heaton Train Care Centre.
View supporting evidence
“proposed enhancements at Heaton TCC.”
Contract dates
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
contract_start_at and contract_end_at are not supplied.
PROCEDURE
How to respond
Opportunity status
99% confidence
Open tender.
View supporting evidence
display_status is “open”; stage is “tender”; source_status is “active”.
Procedure
98% confidence
Below-threshold open competition.
View supporting evidence
procurement_method is “open” and procurement_method_details is “Below threshold - open competition”.
Submission deadline
99% confidence
9 November 2026, 16:00 UTC.
View supporting evidence
submission_deadline is “2026-11-09T16:00:00+00:00”, also recorded for lot 1.
Response portal
98% confidence
DELTA eSourcing.
View supporting evidence
The notice directs suppliers to respond via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/446C6938M7.
RISKS AND UNKNOWNS
Points requiring attention
Detailed scope dependency
99% confidence
The full technical scope is referenced as being within the tender package rather than set out in the notice; suppliers should review that package before pricing or confirming delivery capability.
View supporting evidence
“For further details please see Heaton TRU Work scope within this tender package.”
Contractual transfer risk
98% confidence
The contract may be novated or assigned to other named rail-sector entities following restructuring or similar circumstances.
View supporting evidence
The notice expressly permits novation or assignment to Train Operating Companies, DFT Operator Limited, or successor parent companies.
No-award and bid-cost risk
99% confidence
Northern Trains may decide not to award, and suppliers bear their own tendering costs.
View supporting evidence
The notice reserves the right not to award and excludes customer liability for supplier costs.
Commercial terms detail
95% confidence
Detailed payment, pricing, liability, insurance and programme terms are unknown from the supplied notice.
View supporting evidence
The notice identifies a JCT Consultancy Agreement but does not provide the agreement schedule or detailed commercial clauses.
ProcuraAxis analysis supplements, but does not replace, the original notice and tender documents. Always verify eligibility, deadlines and commercial terms with the issuing authority.
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