Supplier information

This page provides information for current and potential suppliers to c2c

Notice to economic operators of use by Trenitalia c2c Limited (c2c) of The Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS) and transition into Public Ownership

The railway industry is undergoing a period of change, and the procurement regime is also expected to change in February 2025. This page has three important notices which suppliers and potential suppliers should carefully read in relation to c2c’s procurement activity:

1. Notice to economic operators of use by Trenitalia c2c Limited (c2c) of The Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS): this section relates to procurements undertaken by c2c which are consistent with the requirements of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (the UCRs 2016). The UCRs 2016 are expected to apply until they are replaced by the Procurement Act 2023 (which is expected to come into effect on 24 February 2025) (the PA 2023). The UCRs 2016 will continue to govern contracts which were awarded by c2c under the UCRs and to all procurements commenced prior to the PA 2023 coming into effect.
2. Notice to economic operators of the government’s programme to transition c2c’s rail passenger services into public ownership: this section relates to the government’s announcement to transition rail passengers into public ownership, with that transition currently expected to occur in relation to the Essex Thameside business currently operated by c2c in July 2025. It explains how procurement activity undertaken by c2c prior to the date of transfer may be for the benefit of a successor operator, and how procurements commenced by c2c prior to the date of transfer may be concluded by the successor operator.
3. Notice to economic operators on how c2c currently intends to revise its procurement activity in line with the PA 2023: this section relates to how c2c currently expects to alter its procurement approach in line with the PA 2023 which is expected to come into effect in February 2025. Suppliers and potential suppliers should regularly check back for updates as c2c is continuing to develop its approach.

1. Notice to economic operators of use by c2c of The Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS)

This notice relates to any above threshold procurements that are subject to the requirements of the UCRs 2016. It also sets out how forthcoming changes introduced by the PA 2023 are currently expected to be applied.

RISQS is a qualification system under the UCRs 2016, which c2c considers meets its requirements as a qualification system for procuring certain goods, works or services under certain Railway Industry Commodity Classification List (RICCL) codes, which may or may not be safety critical RICCL codes. c2c is a registered buyer with RISQS, enabling it to use this as a qualification system.

This notice is therefore a communication to interested economic operators, in order to meet the requirements relating to using another body’s qualification system under the UCRs 2016, that c2c intends to use RISQS as a qualification system for certain above threshold procurements relating to goods, works or services under certain RICCL codes.

As a result, c2c may choose to use RISQS to select participants directly from the qualification system without placing a further ‘Find a Tender’ service call for competition. However, please note that c2c also reserves the right to use other procurement processes from time to time at its discretion, including procuring under an existing public sector framework agreement or carrying out another UCRs 2016 compliant process.

If you are an economic operator that is interested in supplying goods, works or services under RICCL codes to c2c, in order to be eligible for selection as a participant in procurements c2c choose to run using RISQS as a qualification system, you should register on RISQS to become a qualified supplier with audited or verified status under the relevant RICCL codes.

Please note that, although c2c intends to use RISQS for the qualitative selection stage of certain procurements, c2c intends to use a separate procurement system, rather than the RISQS system, to manage the remainder of the procurement process and communicate with suppliers via that system.

The UCRs 2016 are expected to apply until they are replaced by the PA 2023 (which is expected to come into effect on 24 February 2025) and will continue to govern procurements commenced prior to the PA 2023 coming into effect. Once the PA 2023 has come into effect, RISQS is expected to become a Qualifying Utilities Dynamic Market under that act. c2c currently expects to continue to use RISQS as a dynamic market once the PA 2023 has come into effect and the notice above should also be construed to be a notice on the use of RISQS as a utilities dynamic market under the PA 2023. c2c will continue to reserve the right to use other procurement processes from time to time at its discretion, as contemplated above.

2. Notice to economic operators of the government’s programme to transition c2c’s rail passenger services into public ownership in July 2025

This notice explains how any ongoing or future procurements will operate in the context of the government’s programme to transition the rail passenger transport services in respect of Essex Thameside into public ownership. This includes (but is not limited to) procurements undertaken by c2c using RISQS as the qualification system (as described in section 1 above) and the communication to interested economic operators set out above should be construed accordingly. It will also include (but will not be limited to) procurements undertaken by c2c using RISQS as a dynamic market under the PA 2023 in due course.

Any ongoing or future procurements will be advertised and run by c2c on its own behalf and on behalf of the successor operator of the rail passenger transport services in respect of Essex Thameside. That successor operator will be a public sector company, is expected to be a wholly owned subsidiary of DfT Operator Limited (formerly known as DfT OLR Holdings Limited) and will be ultimately owned by the Secretary of State for Transport. The date for transfer of the current operations to the successor operator is not yet confirmed but is expected to be on or around 20 July 2025.

Where the transfer is completed before contract award under a procurement process, the successor operator may elect (but will not be obliged) to carry on with the procurement process in place of c2c, by taking on the role of contracting entity from the date of completion of the transfer (with this notice and all procurement documents to be interpreted accordingly). Where the transfer is not yet completed by the time of contract award, contractual rights may be included in the contractual arrangements to enable transfer to the successor operator. Bidders should note that any procurement process (if ongoing), or any awarded contract, may be included in a transfer scheme made by the Secretary of State under section 12 of the Railways Act 2005, or the transfer may be effected outside of, or separate from, such a scheme.

3. Notice to economic operators on how c2c currently intends to revise its procurement activity in line with the PA 2023

This notice explains to economic operators c2c’s current intentions in relation to the implementation of the PA 2023. The UCRs 2016 will continue to govern contracts which were awarded by c2c under the UCRs and to all procurements commenced prior to the PA 2023 coming into effect. The PA 2023 will apply to procurements which c2c commences on or after the date on which the PA 2023 comes into effect (currently expected to be 24 February 2025). Suppliers and potential suppliers should come back to this page as c2c may provide further updates as more information becomes known.

As noted in section 1 above, c2c’s current intention is that for selected procurements, it will continue to use RISQS as a dynamic market under the PA 2023. Please see section 1 above for more information and for the qualifying utilities dynamic market notice, noting that c2c expects to continue to use other procurement processes from time to time at its discretion. This may include, but is not limited to, the competitive flexible procedure under the PA 2023.

As part of the PA 2023, c2c currently expects to align contracts being procured under the PA 2023 with the requirements of that act (for example, the information disclosure and excludable supplier requirements).