Wheelchair Accessible Double Deck Coaches

Tender description

Translink operate a high quality inter-urban coach service throughout Northern Ireland under the Goldline brand. The Goldline Service was first set up in 1990 and currently operates 24 routes using 161 coaches. Of these, 24 are double deck coaches and the rest are single deck. The 24 double deck vehicles were purchased in 2006. These vehicles were unique in the UK at the time, in that they combined a coach specification with both a high seating capacity and a low-floor lower deck. Translink now wish to commence a phased replacement program for these wheel-chair accessible double deck coaches. It is anticipated that phase 1 will procure 12 vehicles to be paid for delivered no later than 31 December 2015, with options for phase 2 of another 12 vehicles in 2017/18. Options for capacity growth will also be included. This advertisement invites applications from manufacturers of appropriate RHD wheelchair accessible double deck coaches for the design, manufacture, delivery, commissioning and subsequent provision of aftermarket support for vehicles to operate in stage carriage express work in Northern Ireland. Vehicles must comply with all relevant legislation applicable in Northern Ireland at the time of supply, and must provide the key benefits of Translink’s existing double deck coaches mentioned above, with a focus on usability, reliability and passenger appeal. Parties interested in being involved in this project must submit their response to the advertisement using the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire format only and submitting same through esourcingni quoting the EU journal reference no later than 15.00 GMT on day 10th November 2014. Any questions on the project should be addressed via esourcingni to William Moore, Head of Procurement, Translink.