T-1161 - Supply and Maintenance of ITS Traffic Control Equipment

Overview

1. INTRODUCTION

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) is the sole road authority in Northern Ireland responsible for over 26,000km of public roads, 9,700km of footways, 5,800 bridges, 290,000 streetlights and 1,240 traffic signal installations.

DfI TRAM operates as four client Divisions, Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western. It also has an internal consultancy and direct labour organisation. Traffic Information & Control Centre (TICC) operates as a Centre of Excellence for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) related matters and manages a range of contracts associated with the safe and effective management of the road network.

TICC is currently preparing to initiate a procurement process to establish a contract to provide a term contract for the supply and maintenance of traffic control equipment associated with ITS.  The equipment is to be provided across all of Northern Ireland and as such the potential scale and scope of this contract is such that it offers a significant opportunity to bidders. 

2. BACKGROUND

Currently there are separate contracts for the supply and maintenance elements of a variety of ITS related equipment. These are due to expire in September 2026 and August 2026 respectively.

This equipment contributes directly to several DfI strategies including the Road Safety Strategy and the Regional Development Strategy amongst others.

3. SCALE, SCOPE AND NATURE OF REQUIREMENT

High Level Requirements

This is a contract for the supply and maintenance of:

• Traffic signals
• Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras
• Flashing school warning signs
• Vehicle activated signs
• Permanent traffic counting equipment
• Automatic rising bollards

While not included in the remit of the proposed contract the Department may wish to include elements of the following within the contract in the future:

• Urban Traffic Control
• Motorway Emergency Response Telephone network
• Motorway Incident Detection and Automatic Signalling (MIDAS)
• CCTV and associated equipment
• Permanent Variable Message Signs (VMS)

The duration of the contract is expected to be eight years based on an initial three-year contract period with an option to extend for a further three periods of two years + two years + one year. Average annual spend is anticipated to be in excess of £7.5m.

Security

Cybersecurity as well as physical security is a fundamental requirement for this contract. All the equipment provided must be physically robust and have appropriate access controls to ensure that it will be accessed only by legitimate users and must have security controls commensurate with the standards stated. 

Infrastructure

Existing infrastructure consists of:

• 533 signal-controlled junctions
• 707 controlled pedestrian crossings including Puffin, Pelican and Toucan crossings
• 1397 Safer Routes to School signs (flashing school warning signs)
• 54 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras
• 90 permanent traffic counting sites
• 17 vehicle activated signs
• 9 automatic rising bollards

Key deliverables for the proposed solution must include:

• The supply and installation of ITS equipment to the required standard and within specified timescales. Equipment supplied must integrate with existing systems and must not be related in any way to entities on the UK Sanctions List:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list

or on the US Entity List:

https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/policy-guidance/lists-of-parties-of-concern/entity-list

• The provision of a planned maintenance regime
• The provision of reactive maintenance within the timescales specified
• The provision of remote monitoring systems as specified
• Cybersecurity protection of all equipment and systems provided to national Government standards
• A Northern Ireland based maintenance depot to meet the response times required
• An experienced and highly trained local workforce capable of maintaining both new and existing infrastructure
• All data hosting and processing must be done within in the UK
• User training for approx. 100 -150 client staff for all software provided under the contract, including system administrator training for approx. 10-15 client staff
• Support and maintenance of a 24/7 service desk
• The flexibility to provide additional services / personnel as required.

Timescales

The high-level deliverables and indicative timings are as follows:

Objectives of the Market Engagement Exercise

The objectives of this exercise are to:

• gain initial supplier awareness, engagement and opinion.
• provide confidence around viability of concept.
• gain insight to the market possibilities and potential innovative solutions.
• understand risks and issues not previously considered.
• inform the Business Case.
• inform the Procurement Strategy; and
• prevent the Department from advertising an unachievable project.

Approach to the Market Engagement Assessment

As part of the preparation, the Department for Infrastructure is running a Pre-Market Engagement exercise and is inviting suitably qualified and experienced bidders who may have an interest in this project to assist the Department gain a better understanding of the feasibility of their requirements, the most appropriate approach, the capacity of the market to deliver and any possible risks or issues that may not have previously been considered.

In responding, you should understand that detailed and lengthy submissions are not necessary at this stage. Nonetheless, we welcome any pertinent information on your company’s capability and views on an approach to the provision of a range of required services.

Respondents’ views or submissions will not be individually identified or revealed to third parties.  All information provided in this exercise will be treated in confidence and will NOT be considered in any future tender evaluation exercise.  Information gathered will be used in the development of a business case / tender on the most suitable approach to meeting the operational and management needs of the Department.

Any information provided in response to this pre-market engagement exercise marked as commercially sensitive will be treated as such. Participants are asked to identify any of the information supplied during this exercise which should not be disclosed because of its sensitivity. In doing so participants must specify the reasons for its sensitivity and specify the period for which the information will remain sensitive.

The Department for Infrastructure will endeavour to consult with a concerned participant about sensitive information before deciding on any Freedom of Information requests received. The final decision on any Freedom of Information request rests with the relevant public body, subject to applicable law.

Participants should seek their own legal advice on the application of Freedom of Information legislation. The Department for Infrastructure will consider statements of confidentiality and commercial sensitivity that are provided by participants.

This document sets out the objectives of the exercise, provides background information and outlines the scope of services to be provided by prospective suppliers. Any submission received in response to this exercise will not constitute any contractual agreement between the respondent and the Department for Infrastructure.

Interested parties shall bear their own costs of participation in this pre-market engagement exercise of whatever nature. The Department for Infrastructure shall not be liable for the costs, expenses or losses howsoever arising (including, without limitation, any loss of profit or other economic loss incurred) regardless of the outcome of the pre-market engagement exercise.

The next stage in the process will be to initiate the procurement through the CCS Framework which is anticipated to commence February 2026, subject to Department business case approval and funding availability.

Meetings

In addition, depending on the volume of responses, the Department may wish to follow up the questionnaire with a meeting with respondents.

Each meeting will provide an opportunity for further mutual understanding of any potential issues around this procurement including any risks or issues that may not have previously been considered.

Please advise if your organisation would wish to take up the opportunity of a meeting, each meeting would be scheduled for a period of up to two hours (e.g. 10am to 12pm or 2pm to 4pm). Whilst we will attempt to accommodate respondent’s preferences, meetings will be scheduled on a first come basis. Such meetings will be online, although face-to-face meetings can be accommodated, if desired, at the Traffic Information & Control Centre at 1b Airport Road, Belfast BT3 9DY.

It would be helpful in advance of this meeting if you could send us any questions that you would like to discuss at the meeting or any specific issues that you would like to raise. The session will be strictly restricted to six attendees (per session) to allow maximum interaction and discussion. The Department will have key personnel in attendance.

If the Department cannot accommodate the volume of individual meeting requests, the Department reserves the right to make a random selection against the times and dates scheduled.

DECLARATION

Please check carefully before returning this completed questionnaire that the information is correct.

By sending this completed questionnaire to the Department for Infrastructure you are undertaking that you are authorised by the under mentioned organisation to supply the information given above, and that you understand and agree that:

• Participation in this Pre-Market Engagement will not affect or preclude any organisation from participating in any future procurement exercise.
• No information provided in the response to the Pre-Market Engagement will be used in any evaluation of any subsequent response to a procurement exercise.
• The outcomes of the Pre-Market Engagement will be summarised and included in any subsequent procurement process and may be released in the public domain (albeit without attributing responses to specific organisations).
• The outcomes of the Pre-Market Engagement will become the sole property of the Department for Infrastructure.