Ticket Retailing & Validation Solutions

Northern Trains Limited has a requirement to replace its existing Ticket Retailing & Validation solution by December 2026 due to the incumbent supplier's withdrawal from the UK rail ticketing market. Northern are therefore looking to engage the supply market to understand the solutions available. Northern Trains Limited Invitation to Tender is for the provision of a technology solution that satisfies two main outcomes for Northern: •Suitable replacement of the on-train and ticket office solution to maintain and safeguard ticket retailing and validation provision •Deliver on NTL's dependency into the PAYG programme for EMV A successfully delivered solution must meet 11 significant requirements: 1)Complete Ticket Issuing System (TIS) for All Devices •Requirement: Solution must provide a fully operational TIS across ticket offices and onboard mobile devices. •Rationale: Protects the continuity of retailing & ticket validation for Northern. 2)Architecture Description of All Components •Requirement: Supplier must provide a clear architecture description, confirming deployment as Cloud or Supplierhosted only. •Rationale: Ensures transparency of system design and integration capability, supporting Northern's preference for modern hosting models and interoperability. 3)Full Range of Retailing Options Available Day One •Requirement: Must support issuance of all national ticket types and Northern-specific products from launch. •Rationale: Northern's customer base spans multiple fare types and channels; continuity and breadth of retail options are critical for customer service and revenue protection. 4)RDG Accreditation and Compliance •Requirement: Solution must hold full RDG accreditation and comply with all industry standards at tender. •Rationale: Accreditation guarantees interoperability and adherence to rail industry technical standards, safeguarding operational integrity and compliance. 5)Adherence to Project Delivery Timelines •Requirement: Fully operational solution by December 2026. •Rationale: Aligns with Fujitsu contract end date and Northern's strategic timeline for transition and staff training, avoiding service disruption. 6)Customer Payment Type Acceptance •Requirement: Must process all major payment types (cards, contactless, mobile wallets, cash, warrants) and support PCI DSS compliance. •Rationale: Reflects diverse customer payment preferences and ensures secure, industry-standard processing to prevent fraud and maintain trust. 7)Support for ITSO PAYG Smartcards •Requirement: Must support ITSO PAYG products (e.g., MCard, POP card) and integrate with ITSO HOPS for ISAM management. •Rationale: Enables interoperability with regional smart ticketing schemes, supporting Northern's multi-modal travel commitments. 8)TfGM cEMV PAYG Capability •Requirement: Must incorporate functionality for TfGM's contactless EMV PAYG scheme, ready for testing by July 2026. •Rationale: Future-proofs the solution for emerging PAYG initiatives, supporting Greater Manchester's integrated transport vision and Northern's strategic role in PAYG rollout. 9)Customer Travel Options and Fare Types •Requirement: Must present full range of national and Northern-specific fare options across all devices. •Rationale: Ensures customers can access correct fares and products consistently, enhancing service quality and revenue accuracy. 10)End-of-Shift Accounting Functionality •Requirement: Must provide robust end-of-shift accounting features for ticket sales and reconciliation. •Rationale: Critical for financial integrity, audit compliance, and operational efficiency in managing cash and card transactions. 11)Ticket Inspection and Validation Functionality •Requirement: Must enable inspection and validation of all ticket types (smartcards, barcodes, PAYG) on both ticket office and mobile devices. •Rationale: Supports revenue protection and customer trust by ensuring tickets are valid and correctly processed across all channels. Northern Trains Limited, is a Train Operating Company (TOC) that operates passenger rail services in the North of England. 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: a. under a franchise agreement with the Secretary of State within the meaning of section 23(3) of the Railways Act 1993 or b. under, or secured under, the Secretary of State's duty in section 30(1) of the Railways Act 1993; or c. 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 Limited 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 Limited expressly reserves the right: i. not to award any suppliers the contract referred to in this notice; and ii. in no circumstances will the customer be liable for any costs incurred by the suppliers.