Provision of Service Quality Regime (SQR) and Related Services

In order to deliver and manage the SQR, we are looking for a supplier to provide a Service Quality Management System (SQMS). The SQMS must be capable as a minimum of delivering: •An agnostic database capable of storing the data for the Service Quality Register (SQ Register), Inspections and Re-inspections (including internal evidencing) from multiple digital sources. •“Instant” fault reporting while carrying out inspections through being able to link the SQMS to other systems (e.g., fleet and facilities management systems) - Depending on the solution, this could be part of the SQMS or the Service Quality Inspections App/software (see Lot 3) • Comprehensive reporting functionality, either built-in or through exporting data, ideally capable of calculating our performance against a set calculation for each Service Quality Area/Indicator • The data is and remains the property of LNER and NTL and the data schema/definitions must be made available to LNER and NTL as part of this service provision. • LNER and NTL must be able to access the data at any time and frequency with the ability to extract and download the data in a flat file format.

The SQ Register will contain a detailed list of facilities and services for each SQ Area for every station and carriage type on trains (LNER do not require train carriage inspections). This is to be a live repository with the ability for NTL’s and LNER’s employees (or facilities contractors) to update assets therein in accordance with our respective asset management processes for updating, adding or removing assets. The SQ Register shall include as a minimum the following content:- • description, purpose and quantity of each facility or service • photographic evidence of each facility or service • details of the applicable Service Quality Indicators against which the facility or service will be measured and reported against

We require a piece of software with which the chosen Inspections provider will use to carry out the inspections. This must be capable of recording performance against all of the elements of the SQ Register to allow both inspections and re-inspections to be carried out. It is essential that this software allows the user carrying out an inspection to clearly mark 'pass', 'fail' or 'N/A' for Indicators/assets, and that changes can easily be made to the assessment criteria should these change in time. Depending on solution chosen, we may require this software to be capable of “Instant” fault reporting via data transfer from the SQMS to other systems (e.g., our fleet and facilities management systems) using API. If this functionality is not required under Lot 3, then it would be required as part of the SQMS functionality under Lot 1. We expect, as a minimum, the following functionality and at no additional cost to Northern or LNER:- • Access to a client portal with real time dashboards showing the data and trends outlined in this Specification. • Access to the raw data within a reasonable timeframe which should be in a downloadable format (i.e. Excel flat file). • Access to field maps/data schema. • To cooperate with any workshops that NTL and/or LNER may convene from time to time for the purposes of system design and integration. • Should be capable of being transferred to another provider if necessary (i.e. when the agreement comes to an end). • Accessibility to any online portals should have an uptime of not less than 98%.

There is a requirement to monitor the quality of our delivery with a programme of inspections across our network on stations, trains and for customer service elements at all times of the day and week to provide a representative measure of the experience our customers have. Users carrying out inspections will need to refer to and measure against the criteria set out in the Service Quality Schedules, but also taking account of the Supplementary Guidance that may be agreed between the DfT and NTL/LNER (and any other Operators) from time-to-time. Required volumes per period are distributed across the day and between the days of the week in proportion to typical passenger use of the relevant station across the day and the days of the week in each Reporting Period. Such Station Service Quality Inspections shall be reasonably apportioned so that subsequent Service Quality Inspections in respect of each relevant station are not unduly concentrated on a particular time of the day or day of the week.