UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

The purpose of this UK2 notice is to provide an update in relation to a previously published notice on the 20th October 2025. Original UK2 OCID Reference: ocds-h6vhtk-05cf71 1. Contracting parties The Welsh Ministers are the Franchising Authority for franchised bus services in Wales and contracts awarded under the QUDM will be entered into by the Welsh Ministers in this capacity. Transport for Wales will be responsible for administering and operating the QUDM and will manage procurement procedures and contract administration on behalf of both parties. 2. Progress on the Engagement Process Due to unforeseen delays with the delivery of the Bus Franchising programme, the market engagement activity described in this original notice has taken longer than envisaged. The authority will be providing feedback to operators who have already responded to the initial notice in order to conclude this stage of the engagement process. TfW would like to thank all operators who attended the Bus Franchising market engagement sessions held throughout 2025 and 2026, including operator 121 sessions, and for the feedback provided. TfW will be holding two virtual South West Wales market engagement sessions, taking place on Tuesday 22nd September 2026 and Thursday 24th September 2026 at 13:00-14:00, to share the revised franchise packages and provide an update on proposed changes to the Dynamic Market structure. The session will follow a "You Said, We Did" approach, showcasing the revised packages following consideration of feedback received through the previous engagement activity. This session is not a new stage of market engagement and is not intended to seek further feedback on the revised package design. It is an opportunity for TfW to share the revised packages with operators following the feedback received. This notice should not be construed as an invitation for new operators to engage as further notices will be published, enabling these opportunities. 3. Future Notices The contracting authorities will be placing future notices in relation to the further market engagement opportunities. It is recommended that operators continue to monitor the Sell2Wales website for future publications. Including potential additional UK2 notices to engage the market for a wider scope of input from operators, e.g; input into the draft terms and conditions, specification and service model. Further notices may also be placed to engage the market for the North Wales, South East Wales, and Mid Wales regions, for the purposes of onboarding onto the Qualifying Utilities Dynamic Market. Further instruction and operator engagement and support to onboard onto the QUDM will be included in the UK13 Dynamic Market Intention Notice, which we anticipate will be published shortly. TfW also intends to provide further engagement and supplier support during the subsequent tendering process to assist QUDM Members in understanding and responding to individual procurements.

Transport for Wales (TfW) is developing a new multi-lot framework agreement for the provision of infrastructure, maintenance, and enhancement works and services across the transport sector. The framework is intended to provide a compliant, flexible, and efficient route to market for a broad range of transport-related activities, supporting the ongoing maintenance, renewal, improvement, and enhancement of rail infrastructure and associated assets. The framework will be organised into a number of lots designed to reflect market specialisms, delivery capability, and the diverse requirements of transport infrastructure programmes and projects. The objective is to establish a framework that delivers high-quality outcomes, value for money, safety, innovation, sustainability, and social value while supporting efficient project delivery throughout. The framework is expected to support a diverse supplier base, including both large organisations and SMEs, and encourage healthy competition across a range of works and service requirements. The framework will also seek to support wider economic, social, and environmental benefits across Wales, creating value beyond the direct delivery of works and services. The proposed framework structure, scope, and lotting strategy are currently under development and will be informed through engagement with the market to ensure the final procurement aligns with industry capability, emerging trends, and customer needs. Transport for Wales intends to undertake a formal procurement exercise following completion of its market engagement activities.

A two stage tender process, consisting of Request to Participate (R2P) stage and Invitation to Tender Stage (ITT) for the Design & Build of Caerphilly Interchange. The Caerphilly Interchange Project comprises the procurement of a single Design and Build contractor to deliver the redevelopment of Caerphilly railway station and adjoining bus interchange into a modern, fully integrated multi‑modal transport hub. The works include demolition of existing infrastructure and construction of a new interchange facility incorporating rail, bus, taxi and active travel connectivity, alongside enhanced passenger amenities, retail space, and public realm improvements. The scheme forms a key component of wider regeneration ambitions and the South Wales Metro programme. The project will directly impact transport users, local residents, and businesses across Caerphilly and the wider Cardiff Capital Region, improving accessibility, passenger experience and sustainable travel options and is expected to support economic regeneration and modal shift.