Supporting our client to secure one of the largest automatic fare collection contracts
The Next Generation Ticketing project will deliver the long-awaited upgraded ticketing system to facilitate a variety of payment methods, reducing delays at stops associated with cash payment. We supported our client throughout the long competitive dialogue process by providing bid writing support and review and challenge.
The opportunity
In 2022, the NTA in Ireland went out to the market to procure the best organisation to deliver its Next Generation Ticketing project. The project is designed to deliver an upgraded ticketing system, enabling a variety of payment methods to reduce delays at stops associated with cash payment. The project encompasses the entire public transport network in Ireland and includes managing the fare collection system for the trams, buses, the national rail network and the future Dublin MetroLink. It will improve on the success of the existing closed-loop smart ticketing scheme.
The procurement process included several rounds of competitive dialogue to develop the best new ticketing solutions for the bidders to tender for.
EiB approach and involvement
Led by a Strategic Bid Consultant, our team of bid writers provided flexible and highly responsive support through numerous tender stages and iterations of the responses between May 2022 and October 2023, with the final submission being 3000 pages. Working with a global team, we:
- acted as a ‘critical friend’ to the client bid director throughout the procurement period including drafting sensitive tender clarification questions, helping to interpret unclear requirements from the NTA and advising during the competitive dialogue phase
- wrote and proofread substantial and complex drafts submissions, with an emphasis on improving language, grammar and sentence construction to strengthen the overall impact of the responses, weaving in the technical content from the subject matter experts
- undertook strategic review and challenge across drafts for all 57 requirements at key stages in the bid programme, ensuring all question and evaluation criteria were addressed
- developed a ‘style guide’ and ‘consistency log’ as the submissions increased in size and complexity due to multiple client inputs which our bid writers used to improve the responses
- undertook a comprehensive ‘one-voice’ edit of the final drafts in a very restricted timescale to ensure consistency in terms of language, tone, phraseology and style.
Success and outcomes
Our team worked efficiently and effectively to review, challenge and proofread lengthy, technical submissions which, towards the end of the competitive dialogue process, often exceeded 100 pages. We worked collaboratively with the client bid director and bid manager to ensure consistency and quality over the extensive and deadline challenging tender period. Despite the magnitude and complexity of the work, we produced quick turnarounds which enabled us to keep to tight deadlines.
The NTA selected awarded the ten year, €1.2-2.8 billion Next Generation Ticketing contract to our client within a single supplier Framework Agreement. Our client succeeded against a strong competition to secure the biggest ‘ticketing’ contract awarded to date worth hundreds of millions of euros, positioning it as the primary ticketing technology solutions provider in Ireland.
As a result of this win, our client will manage one of the world’s most important automatic fare collection projects, cementing the client’s global position after winning major contracts in the US, UK and Australia in recent years. Its technological solution incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as the use of a bank card, mobile phone or smartwatch (EMV) to access and pay for transportation, and an account-based ticketing management system to guarantee the best fares and discounts.
This will drive sustainable and accessible mobility in Ireland, focusing on constantly improving the passenger experience, reducing waiting times, promoting the use of public transport and increasing confidence in the transport system.