Skip to content
Tenderpatch
This is an early-stage notice (pipeline, market engagement or planned procurement). It is not yet open for bids. Find open tenders

Trackside Acoustic Detection System (TADS)

CHILTERN RAIL LIMITED

Planned

Key facts

Closing date
Not stated by the buyer
Buyer's estimated value
£1,200,000 (excl. VAT) The buyer's own estimate, not income to you.
Contract period
1 May 2027 to 30 Apr 2037
Procedure
Not stated
Notice type
Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
Suitable for SMEs (per buyer)
Yes

Decision brief

Taken from the buyer's published notice (shown as written, shortened where long). Tenderpatch has not added to or interpreted it. Always read the official documents before bidding.

How bids will be scored
Not stated in the notice.
Conditions of participation (what you must show)
None published in the notice. They may be in the tender documents.
Contract length and extensions
1 May 2027 to 30 Apr 2037.
How to submit
Not stated in the notice.
Tender documents
No document links in the notice. Use the official notice link.
New to public tenders? Plain-English guide to this page
Framework
An agreement that sets terms for work the buyer may order later, often from several suppliers. The value shown usually covers the whole agreement, not one job.
Open for bids / closing date
You must submit by the closing date and time, normally through the buyer's own online portal. Late bids are normally refused.
Clarification questions
A deadline for asking the buyer questions about the tender. It is earlier than the closing date.
Conditions of participation
What the buyer asks suppliers to show before they can be considered, such as experience, insurance or accreditations.
Bids are scored on
How the buyer will compare bids, usually a split between price and quality. A 60/40 split in favour of quality means the cheapest bid will not necessarily win.
Lots
A tender can be split into parts. You can often bid for only the lots that suit you.
Area (ITL)
The buyer names an official statistical area for where the work is, not a street address. Check the tender documents for the actual sites.
UK4 and other notice codes
Official codes for the type of notice. A "tender notice" means bids are being invited.

General explanations written by Tenderpatch, not part of this notice.

Description

Chiltern Rail Limited (Chiltern) is undertaking preliminary market engagement to support the planned replacement of its existing Trackside Acoustic Detection System (TADS). TADS has been used by Chiltern since 2015 to monitor the health and condition of axle bearings and other bogie mounted rotating components. TADS is a wayside system developed by “Transportation Technology Centre Inc” (TTCI) for the purpose of detecting defective railroad bearing prior to failure. This system uses microphone-based technology to collect the acoustic signature of each bearing on a passing train. This data is processed thorough a collection of algorithms to identify defective bearings. The resulting information is used to drive critical safety, business and operational decisions. TADS is becoming unreliable and has suffered several outages more recently therefore Chiltern is seeking information from the market regarding potential solutions and delivery approaches for its replacement. The scope of requirement may include: • System design and Network Rail approval. • Decommissioning existing equipment and making the site safe. • Civil engineering where required for the new equipment. • Instillation of new equipment. • User interface/software package. • Ongoing maintenance and support. Further requirements are detailed within the draft specifications included within the documents provided. The purpose of this RFI is to: • Understand the solutions and delivery models currently available in the market; • Determine whether the requirement is best delivered through lots or separate procurements; • Test and refine the draft functional and non-functional requirements; • Understand implementation; • Obtain indicative pricing and commercial information; • Identify likely implementation timescales, dependencies and risks. The estimated contract value, contract duration and final procurement structure have not yet been determined. Suppliers are therefore being asked to provide information on available commercial models, indicative pricing, implementation timescales and the main factors affecting cost. This is preliminary market engagement only and does not constitute an invitation to tender or a commitment by Chiltern Railways to commence a future procurement. The purpose is to help Chiltern understand market capability and develop its requirements, commercial approach and procurement strategy, which is consistent with the intended function of preliminary market engagement under the Procurement Act 2023.