Independent Assessor (AsBo, ApBo and DeBo) for the Cardiff Central Enhancement Programme (CCEP)

With a projected passenger growth of over 50% by 2043 means there is a need to upgrade the Cardiff Central railway station to meet the additional passenger demand whilst enhancing the passenger experience and integrating sustainable travel modes. Cardiff Central Enhancement Programme (CCEP), led by Transport for Wales (TfW) on behalf of the Welsh Government, proposes a series of enhancements at the station to address the following drivers for change:
- Alleviate congestion and improve capacity within the station.
- Improve user experience and facilities.
- Enhance interchange, connectivity, and resilience.
The aim of this contract notice is to procure an independent assessment and verification services for CCEP.

The scope of this contract is to provide independent assessment and verification services for the Cardiff Central Enhancements Programme (CCEP).
The CCEP project scope can be found in Annex 1.
The project is managed and delivered by TfW, which is a company set up by Welsh Government to manage the transport infrastructure on behalf of the Welsh Government. In the context of this project, TfW is a third-party developer on Network Rail infrastructure.
The project is governed through the TfW ‘Plan of Works’ (PoW) project lifecycle, which aligns with the Network Rail Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE) project lifecycle as shown below:
TfW Plan of Work (PoW)
Stage A – Develop Output Requirements and Options
Stage B – Options Development and Selection
Stage C – Preliminary Design
Stage D – Statutory Process
Stage E – Detailed Design
Stage F – Construct, Commission and Handover
Stage G - Closeout
Network Rail PACE
Phase 1 – Strategic Development & Project Selection
ES1
Phase 1 – Strategic Development & Project Selection
ES2
Phase 1 – Strategic Development & Project Selection
ES3
Phase 2 – Project Development & Design
ES4
Phase 2 – Project Development & Design
ES5
Phase 3 – Project Delivery
ES6
Phase 4 – Project Close
ES7
Phase 4 – Project Close
ES8
The proposed works will be carried out in accordance with the Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011 (as amended) (RIR) and the Common Safety Method for Risk Evaluation & Assessment (CSM-REA).
The Supplier shall provide the following roles for the project:
− Assessment Body (AsBo) to provide independent verification for compliance with CSM-REA;
− Approved Body (ApBo) to provide independent verification for interoperability in accordance with the applicable National Technical Specifications Notifications (NTSNs) under the RIR;
− Designated Body (DeBo) to provide independent verification for interoperability in accordance with the applicable National Technical Rules (NTRs) under the RIR.
The above roles shall be undertaken by suitably qualified and competent personnel with prior experience providing similar roles on multi-disciplinary rail projects. System Safety Assurance Qualifications or equivalent required.
The AsBo, ApBo, and DeBo shall support TfW in delivering the safety assessments and authorisation tasks to enable Entry into Service (EiS) and Authorisation for Placing into Service (APiS).
The required safety assessment and authorisation tasks are specified in TfW’s System Safety and Authorisation Strategy (document ref: TfW-ENG-PRO-ID00299).
The system safety and authorisation approach to be followed throughout the project lifecycle is specified in the Cardiff Central Enhancements Programme System Safety and Authorisation Plan (document ref: W001147-TFW-00-REP-ESS-000003).
The Tenderers will need to provide evidence on the following accreditation standards:
− Accreditation Standards UKAS ISO/IEC 17020 (AsBo: Product Conformity Certification)
− Accreditation Standards UKAS ISO/IEC 17065 (ApBo/DeBo: Inspection Body)
− Accreditation Standards ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems)
The Tenderers will need to:
− Work collaboratively with TfW to ensure a progressive assurance approach for all documents outlined in Volume 2
− Key dates
− Key milestones
− Working remotely as well as in person at the Pontypridd office or the Cardiff Central office (St. Patrick’s House) ad-hoc