Supply of 24/7 Controller Chairs

This market engagement has been developed by Network Rail (NR) in advance of procuring a solution for the provision of Supply of 24/7 Controller Chairs.

Network Rail requests information in connection with the topics detailed below.

In line with NR’s procurement principles, NR is committed to becoming an ‘informed’ client with excellent visibility and understanding of the market and the supply chains and customers operating within them.

At this stage, pre-procurement, NR are committed to engaging with the industry to inform and refine the overall sourcing strategy.

The purpose of this market engagement testing is to:

Understand the markets capacity and capability to deliver 24/7 Controller Chairs and to further develop the procurement strategy,

Provide potential suppliers the opportunity to give feedback to help inform the refinement of NR’s approach,

Obtain information from the market to understand the market perspective.

Requirement: Network Rail intends to appoint a single national supplier to provide an end-to-end solution for:

Supply of 24/7 rated ergonomic chairs via a managed core catalogue

National delivery across England, Wales and Scotland

Installation and assembly (free of charge on larger orders)

Asset management including: Annual Maintenance, Repair under supplier warranty and beyond.

Removal and responsible reuse or recycling of redundant chairs

Catalogue access via Network Rail Oracle iProcurement

Ongoing account management, reporting and continuous improvement. Shape

Chair Range

Suppliers will be expected to offer a limited core (max 4) and standardised range, including:

Core 24/7 chair (s) meeting all mandatory requirements

An enhanced chair exceeding mandatory requirements

A chair suitable for users with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD)

Where appropriate, a single chair model may satisfy more than one category and if appropriate two chairs or variants may be offered for the core 24/7 chair.

A bariatric chair where all elements accommodate weight and size (anticipated to be non-core and low volume) will need to be offered.

Technical & Ergonomic Requirements

Chairs must be suitable for continuous 24h our use and comply with relevant standards, including BS 54592 (or ISO equivalent) and have FIRA FS 055 certification or demonstrated equivalence.

Key requirements include:

Accommodate users from 5th percentile female to 95th percentile male for stature, weight, shoulder width and seated leg length and height. Bariatric users where possible should be accommodated in the Core selection.

High durability, intuitive controls and ease of adjustment

Minimum 5 year 24/7 manufacturer or supplier warranty

Samples to be made available for product trials as part of evaluation

Sustainability & Ethical Sourcing

Suppliers will be expected to demonstrate:

Ethical sourcing and Modern Slavery Act compliance

Traceability and auditability of manufacturing sources

Environmental management systems (e.g. ISO 14001 or equivalent)

Strong circular economy practices (reuse, refurbishment, recycling, zero landfill)

Contract Model (Indicative)

Anticipated start: March 2027

Initial term: 4 years, with optional extensions

Form: NR1 (MT) Goods and NonConstruction Services Framework

Calloffs via NR01(S) Purchase Orders

Fixed pricing for an initial period, with controlled indexation thereafter

The core catalogue is expected to meet approximately 95% of demand, with limited non-catalogue provision by exception.