Provision of Station Handheld Radios

Provision of handheld radio communications equipment and associated network coverage services across stations and depots within the South Western Railway (SWR) network. The requirement supports secure and reliable operational communications across the railway, including communications required for operational safety, security and the effective day-to-day management of stations and depot activities. Following SWR's transition into public ownership, a below-threshold direct award was approved for the period 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026, with an initial contract value of £184,000. The agreement included provision for two further one-year extensions, with pricing held on the basis agreed under the original arrangement. At the time of the original award, the contract was below the applicable procurement threshold and no tender notice or transparency notice was published. The proposed continuation now takes the cumulative contractual arrangement above the applicable threshold. The notice is therefore being published retrospectively to provide transparency regarding the original award and the contractual history leading to the proposed continuation, and to ensure that the procurement record accurately reflects the basis on which the arrangement was established. The retrospective publication does not alter the scope or commercial basis of the original agreement. The requirement remains for the continued provision and maintenance of the existing radio communications infrastructure and handheld radio equipment supporting SWR stations and operational locations.