Real-time passenger information system

Description

Transport for Wales (TfW) is seeking to engage with the market to discuss its proposals for delivering real time information (RTI) services to bus passengers in Wales. There is an aspiration to offer a consistent source of real time information to passengers, whether on their hand held devices or delivered to roadside RTI displays. The proposed architecture would rely on a single content management system, a single RTI prediction engine and multiple styles of roadside RTI displays to suit local requirements. It is anticipated that these RTI equipment and services will ultimately form part of a national bus data service which will be used, alongside information about other modes of travel, to provide passengers with a seamless journey planning resource. To assist with development of the requirement and to understand the market, TfW would like to invite potential suppliers to engagement sessions. This market testing exercise will help to inform the procurement strategy for these equipment and services. There is a recognition that access to real time information about their journeys is an important pre-requisite for building passengers’ confidence in the use of public transport. Following consultation with local authorities, Welsh Government and bus operators, agreement has been reached to investigate the option to develop a procurement vehicle for real time information. The objectives for such a procurement vehicle would be to: — reduce duplication of effort across 22 local authorities; — offer a choice of pre-approved options for roadside equipment and information services which meet branding and functionality requirements for all of Wales; — ensure interoperability between equipment purchased from different suppliers to allow a mix and match of choices in a locality or, if interoperability is not technically possible, to be clear about the constraints on the choices available to local authorities; — speed up the deployment of real time information services by removing the need for each local authority to run a separate procurement to meet their requirements; — obtain value for money for the purchase and ongoing maintenance of real time information equipment in Wales. TfW would like to engage the RTI market to identify suitable RTI system architecture, one that meets the individual needs of the LAs and their bus operators in Wales. The following system architecture components are being considered to be procured together as one lot or as separate procurements: — a choice of new displays from across the market with associated installation and maintenance, — content management system (CMS), — Upgrading and maintaining existing displays to operate via the CMS, — real time information prediction engine. The following items are also expected to be incorporated into the RTI system architecture: — Open APIs — SIRI data feeds — XML Gateway — 4G/ 5G Mobile Coms — RNIB React (or other accessibility enhancements). Transport for Wales would like to meet with suppliers on a one-to-one basis to understand the different ways in which the market could meet the need. Up to 1.5 hour slots will be allocated w/c 23 March 2020, to be held in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. This is an opportunity for suppliers to submit, by no later than 17.00 on Wednesday 18 March 2020, an expression of interest (EOI) of no more than a page of A4 (Arial font, min font size 10), summarising RTI experience, initial thoughts about the approach and specific subjects to discuss with TfW. Please note that places are limited and, if the number of suppliers exceeds the available meeting slots, TfW will select the suppliers to meet with, using the submitted expressions of interest as a guide.