Bicycles

Tender description

TfGM is seeking to appoint a service provider to design, implement, develop and operate a bike hire scheme across Greater Manchester. The scheme will include, but not be limited to: (a) assets (mechanical and electric bikes, physical docking infrastructure and geo-fencing/virtual docking); (b) an ICT solution; (c) provision of services to operate the scheme (for example cleaning and maintenance, customer services, finance and administration services etc); and (d) the provision of consultancy on the development of the scheme. The contract term is 5 years (following an agreed implementation period) with potential to extend by up to 2 further years in two separate 12-month extensions at TfGM’s discretion. The procurement will be conducted using the competitive procedure with negotiation pursuant to Regulation 29 of the PCR 2015. Further details of this procurement and the procurement process are contained in sections II.2.4) and II.2.4)/VI.3) of this notice. TfGM's vision is to deliver a successful public cycle hire scheme that integrates with the wider Greater Manchester public transport offer (in terms of proximity to bus, train and tram locations). TfGM is therefore seeking a service provider to design implement, develop and operate a bike hire scheme across Greater Manchester. TfGM's mission for the project is to provide a bike hire scheme that: (a) is an accessible and affordable transport option; (b) is easy to use by Greater Manchester’s target bike hire market; (c) is safe and secure; (d) is respected and valued by Greater Manchester’s communities; and (e) promotes cycling and facilitates a long term ‘modal shift’ in the region. The initial phase of the project will likely involve the initial installation and operation of the docks and bikes within certain Greater Manchester districts (Phase 1). Subsequent phases will be dependent upon the success of phase 1 and the provision of funding but will likely involve: 1) increasing the numbers of bikes and docks in the phase 1 Greater Manchester districts; and/or 2) the development and expansion of phase 1 networks to other districts across Greater Manchester; and/or 3) introducing bikes and docks into Greater Manchester districts which are not necessarily connected to the phase 1 networks. The procurement documents will set out full details of the scheme and TfGM's specification but key details are as follows 1) TfGM expects the scheme will initially require a minimum of 500 bikes for the commencement of phase 1 (with a combination of mechanical bikes, e-bikes, e-bike derivatives and other equivalent transport). The contract will provide a mechanism for the introduction of additional bikes (or equivalent transport assets) in subsequent phases depending on the success of the scheme and TfGM securing funding. 2) In addition to the bikes, the supplier will provide the necessary ICT infrastructure including telecommunications and operational systems including assets management, permissions register and customer ‘front-end’ (this might include an app and interfaces to TfGM business systems) needed to operate the scheme efficiently and effectively for TfGM. 3) A services agreement between TfGM and the bike hire supplier. 4) TfGM will invite the supplier to bring forward innovative proposals in relation to the cycle, docking station and network design, particularly in relation to the use of ICT systems, data management, as well as ticket pricing and payment methods. 5) TfGM's preference is that the bikes be predominantly physically ‘docked’, whether through stands, traditional physical docking infrastructure or integration with existing street furniture. TfGM also wishes to explore a supplementary capability to provide virtual docking through ‘geo-fencing’. 6) The intention is that the scheme will integrate with the existing public transport payment system to offer a seamless transition between different modes of public transport in Greater Manchester but this integration will not be required from commencement of the contract and requires that the proposed IS systems can accommodate this as TfGM's requirements develop. And 7) TfGM will pay for the scheme development (design, procure, build and commission), infrastructure (bikes, docks, systems, etc.) as well as the operational service provision and expects a risk-sharing approach with the successful supplier, which will be incentivised to create a commercially viable scheme that delivers TfGM's vision and mission. Contract commencement expected to begin in Q4 2020 for an initial term of 5 years (from scheme operation after the implementation goes live) with potential for the scheme to be extended by up to two years in two separate 12-month extensions at TfGM's discretion subject to the supplier's achievement of key milestones, the success of the scheme and TfGM securing funding.