TfN is a sub-national transport body working in partnership with transport operators, local transport authorities (LTAs) and the Department of Transport (DfT) on its Integrated and Smart Travel (IST) Programme to deliver a multi-operator, multi-modal account-based ticketing solution. Central to the programme’s proposition is the Account-Based Back Office for Travel (ABBOT), the shared ‘back office’ to be used by third party operators. ABBOT will collect information on all trips (across multiple operators and modes initially in the North with potential of a national scope exc. London), reconstruct journeys, charge the best price for the completed journeys and disburse revenue appropriately to Transport Operators / LTAs.

This Contract Notice covers the procurement of 2 lots to deliver the ABBOT managed services which include the design, build and run of the service and a pre-paid account solution.

II.2.4) Description of the procurement:

The scope of ABBOT includes:

— Integration with existing Operator front office devices (e.g. readers) via middle offices,

— Data collection — gather or receive the ‘taps’ generated each time a customer presents their contactless bankcard or alternative customer media to a front office device e.g. rail gate or bus ticket machine,

— Customer journey reconstruction — determining the journeys a customer has made from those taps received,

— Fare determination — identifying the single leg journey fare for each constructed journey,

— Delivering the programme’s ‘Fair Price Promise’, including capping and multi-operator products. This is identifying the best value cap, product or combination of products to charge a customer,

— Settlement — seeking funds from a customer’s bank account,

— Revenue apportionment — determining the revenue due to each operator for customer journeys made,

— Revenue inspection – following the generation of taps from revenue inspection devices determining if a customer has tapped correctly in the course of their journey and if the customer should be charged an inspection charge and / or be prevented from further travel,

— Providing a central source of Customer data to Operator contact centres to facilitate customer support.

It is TfN’s intent that the two ABBOT contracts (Lot 1 and 2) will be let for an initial period of 6 years (with a break clause after 3 years) with options to extend for a further 6 (3+3).

The scope of this Lot includes the design, build and ongoing management of a prepaid account solution for the unbanked or those not wishing to use a bank card, providing a provision of appropriate transit token for customers to use and a means of managing the funding on those accounts.

It is TfN’s intent that the 2 ABBOT contracts (Lot 1 and 2) will be let for an initial period of 6 years (with a break clause after 3 years) with options to extend for a further 6 (3+3).