Transport for Wales (TfW) is carrying out a procurement advertised in the FTS, via Sell2 Wales, under the Open Procedure of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 to procure ‘Consultancy Panels 2’ services.

TfW is a not for profit company, wholly owned by the Welsh Government. TfW exists to drive forward the Welsh Government’s vision of a high quality, safe, integrated, affordable and accessible transport network that the people of Wales are proud of. It will also help to change the way we understand, plan, use and invest in transport in Wales.

TfW are looking to put in place Consultancy Panels 2 Framework, comprising of 7 Lots across a number of specialisms providing TfW access to specialist consultancy services as per the below areas.

Lot 1 – Stakeholder Management

Lot 2 – Monitoring and Evaluation

Lot 3 – Transport Data Collection

Lot 4 – Fleet Decarbonisation Technical Support

Lot 5 – Green Infrastructure

Lot 6 – Active Travel

Lot 7 – Architectural Services

Each lot will include the provision of direct award of commissions to suppliers on a rotational basis under the value of GBP25,000, with requirements above this threshold awarded via the mini competition process.

Each Lot will have no more than 5 successful suppliers, with each supplier being limited to submit a bid for up to 3 Lots.

Estimated value for the framework will be up to GBP250,000 per lot per annum depending on requirements (anticipated commissions will range between GBP10,000 - GBP60,000), and all commissions will be subject to remit. Please note that TfW is not committed to spend up to this value and that our spend is subject to annual funding cycles.

The duration of the contract will be for an initial period of two (2) years with an option to extend, at TfW’s discretion, for up to two (2) period(s) of 12 months each.

The Scope of the Stakeholder Management Work will typically include but not be limited to the following:

Development and delivery of strategic engagement programmes;

Co-ordination and facilitation of project meetings and regional workshops;

Political engagement and communications strategy development;

Preparation of communications materials and briefings to stakeholders including TfW, Welsh Government, Network Rail, Bus Operators and other external key project level stakeholders.

The main components that will feed into Lot 1 Stakeholder Management will be made of the following in cooperation with the relevant TfW communications lead, and will also feed into feasibility studies and strategic outline business cases:

Preparation and management of stakeholder communication plans;

Organising and facilitating stakeholder events and meetings. Including liaising with local authorities;

Appraise stakeholders of economic analysis and update them on progress;

To reach out to a wider cohort of stakeholders to convey the high level challenges faced;

To develop a consensus to underpin and increase stakeholder engagement and buy in; and to ensure significant stakeholders are involved in the planning, financing and delivery of transport related projects;

Arrange briefings for Members of the Senedd and Members of Parliament and using all-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPG). This will involve both liaising with APPGs, meeting the APPG Chairs and relevant Members of the Senedd and Members of Parliament and liaising with TfW on progress and logistical details;

Carrying out underpinning activities to facilitate the success of the briefings;

Producing briefings for UK national newspapers and setting up and attending exclusive in-depth interview with the Ministers, in cooperation with TfW communications team;

Producing briefings, drafting press releases and securing attendance of trade media at briefings.

The Scope of the monitoring and evaluation work will typically include but not be limited to the following:

Identifying suitable metrics for assessing performance against the objectives of an intervention;

Preparing Monitoring & Evaluation Plans / Benefits Realisation Plans in line with the Magenta Book (or other relevant guidance depending on the intervention) for inclusion in transport business cases. These Plans will need to be proportionate to the scale of investment;

Commissioning (or undertaking) data collection to support reporting in line with the Monitoring & Evaluation Plan;

Data collation and analysis, including preparing data dashboards aligned with monitoring frameworks;

Preparing WelTAG Stage 5 Monitoring & Evaluation Reports, or similar. Depending on the scale of the intervention, these reports may need to include a systematic assessment of the design, implementation and outcomes of an intervention, to understand its effects and what can be improved as well as identifying lessons learned.

The scope of the transport data collection work will typically include but not be limited to the following:

Specifying transport data collection programmes, including method statements / risk assessments;

Planning and delivering:

Interview surveys at rail/bus stations or on-street, such as origin-destination / user perception;

Classified traffic speed and volume counts including turning counts, using tube/radar devices or cameras;

Public transport passenger counts – boarding/alighting/on-board/footfall – using cameras and/or counting devices;

Active travel (walking and cycling) volume counts.

Ability to arrange access permits / traffic management for the above surveys as required;

Analysing raw data to provide summary/dashboard style data to TfW.

Technical support and advice in the field of zero emission fleet decarbonisation, along with supporting infrastructure and energy considerations. This will include independent expert technical support and advice in relation to:

Assessment of size and characteristics of fleet/vehicles – current and future;

Vehicle operational locations aligned with consideration of current and future bus corridors;

Bus fleet requirements and performance to meet the needs of service routes – including topography, route and network lengths, suitability of different fueled vehicles;

New and emerging energy provision;

Cost, energy and carbon profiles;

End of life recycle/retirement or repurposing;

Infrastructure and procurement support;

Other technical support and advice that may be identified in relation to decarbonisation of the bus fleet and other associated vehicles;

End-user research: identifying optimal locations for EV charging infrastructure (car parks, on-street, stations, etc.) considering a range of factors (cost, feasibility, demand, socio-economic / environmental goals).

Technical support and advice, modelling and design of zero and low emission vehicle depots, outstations, opportunity charging points and other associated infrastructure including public charging points.

Design, modelling and coordination of connections to the electrical distribution network, along with other power and fuel sources.

Design, modelling and coordination of highway access and egress, including any zero emission vehicle priority measures.

Specialist green infrastructure contractors to support upcoming and future work for numerous teams at TfW.

Services required would need to cover a wide variety of GI including green roofs, biosolar roofs, living walls and rain gardens;

Services would require both practical and auditing elements including planning, design, installation and maintenance along with the ability to work closely with multi contractors to ensure cost values and functionality are maintained;

Experience of delivering GI projects in the transport sector would be an advantage due to the unique challenges (e.g. consents) this entails.

The scope of the active travel work will typically include but not be limited to the following:

Technical expertise on active travel including safety, sustainability and risk considerations;

Scheme design/scheme design review. The ability to procure review of designs will likely be more appropriate to support TfW when capacity pressures exist, particularly in relation to the review of design drawings etc. If LAs are unable to access existing consultancy frameworks for design work then there could be a potential opportunity through this framework;

Active travel strategic development and advice;

Active Travel Network planning and development.

The scope of the architectural services work will typically include but not be limited to the following:

Early interior and exterior concept design for estate and infrastructure changes;

Placemaking input;

Area master planning;

Artistic impressions/images.

The stage of involvement will typically correspond to RIBA stages 1 and 2.