South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority - Mass Transit Track Work Contracts

Description

1. This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to advise prospective contractors to the upcoming market engagement for the Supertram trackwork improvement framework and to invite them to participate in a pre-tender market consultation exercise. The aim of the exercise is to provide early information and gain feedback to help inform the proposed procurement and contracting strategy. 2. The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is a formal partnership of councils that shapes policy and leads on decision-making. Formed in 2014, the constituent members of the Mayoral Combined Authority are Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster councils. SYMCA own the South Yorkshire Supertram System, which commenced operation in 1994. SYMCA is now embarking on wide ranging renewal programme of Supertram that will see significant investment and improvement across all aspects of the system over the coming years. The initial renewal activity is focussed on trackwork improvements including rail replacement, with works required to commence on site in early 2024. 3. Market Engagement Event This document and subsequent market engagement event is published in advance of any procurement competition with the aim of: • Informing the market of the current system status, the proposed works, scope and durations. • to gain insights into the wider market for rail replacement, specifically within the light rail sector and understand the appetite for the quantum of work proposed • to understand challenges and concerns within the industry that may allow SYMCA to shape work packages to suit the market. • to help develop an output-based specification that maximises competition in the marketplace • To gauge market appetite for the intended scope of services • to gain an understanding of how suppliers prefer to work within a framework environment. The event will consist of a supplier presentation and site visit, with the option of short duration individual Q&A sessions, as requested. The event will take place on the 11th and/or 12th July 2023 depending on the level interest received. Further details will be provided upon registering interest. Please register your interest for the event by sending a message via the ProContract messaging platform including the name and contact details for the proposed attendees (max 2 per organisation). 4. Important Information Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or failure to attend the market engagement event and response to this notice does not guarantee any invitation to participate in any future public procurement process that SYMCA may conduct At this stage, this is purely a market engagement exercise. Any subsequent procurement will be advertised separately and all organisations wishing to participate will need to respond to the contract notice advertising the procurement when this is published. The responses received during the market analysis exercise will not be considered as part of any future bid response The procurement remains subject to approval. This notice does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services for SYMCA and SYMCA is not bound to accept any proposals offered. SYMCA is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party participating in the market engagement event. Any procurement of any services by SYMCA in due course will be carried out strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. SYMCA does not intend to be bound by any information at this stage and makes no commitment to incorporate any recommendations or suggestions within the final procurement documents. Lot 1: Core tasks The following activities are the anticipated core tasks within the contract required to be undertaken by the Supplier(s), and are likely to form the bulk of the suppliers' activities: • Embedded rail replacement • Embedded special track replacement (Switches, crossings, diamonds etc.) • Ballasted track replacement • Ballasted special track replacement Rail replacement shall include, but not limited to, the following activities: • Method statements, pre-installation surveys, rail and special trackwork preparatory and pre-precoating works, procurement, and storage of materials, transport and storage of rails, pre-curving of rails, installation, testing and post installation commissioning. • Programme management, stakeholder engagement and constraints management. • Local authority licencing and access permits, • Traffic, environmental and waste management. Lot 2: Ad-hoc and supporting tasks The following activities are additional activities that may be procured from the supplier(s) under the contract. Such tasks will be relatively small in nature but would be within the capabilities of a competent track contractor: • Polymer works: patch repairs and sealing of polymer in areas of the network not associated with the supplier's core works. • Drainage works: specifically related to issues associated with track and track related drainage. • Track & infrastructure inspections: including the procurement of external parties to provide specialist survey and investigative services. • Localised track slab repairs • Minor civil works: including track bed, infrastructure and highway repairs and enhancements associated with the track and route corridor. • Ballast cleaning & replacement, sleeper replacement, tamping, lining and rail grinding • Vegetation management Lot 3: Emergency Works The Client envisages situations where the supplier will need to be called upon to provide undefined emergency or support works to the track and lineside assets as and when required, including but not limited to: • Safety critical works to the track and associated lineside infrastructure • Operationally critical works to the track and associated lineside infrastructure • Rail breaks • Special trackwork failures • Derailment support It is anticipated that an open competition tender opportunity for the framework will be advertised within Q3 of 2023 with a planned award date by Q2 of 2024.