The Public Transport Authority’s (PTA) Operational Technology branch currently maintains a number of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) which provide monitoring capability of critical station and rail infrastructure across the Metropolitan area. These PLCs vary in both age and criticality with the most current device installed as part of the Mandurah Line Rail extension in 2007.

Aligning with PTA’s Key Result Area 3 to “improve system and service resilience through the strategic management of all critical assets”, this proposal aims to replace obsolete and out of support hardware, while leveraging enhanced functionality to meet evolving business needs for the monitoring of field assets.

Additionally, this initiative will provide a level of standardisation across the existing asset base by establishing consistent PLC design and software programming standards. This will also aid in future projects and offer a simplified path for subsequent upgrades.

Scope of Services

Through this procurement, the PTA seeks to establish a Panel arrangement to replace 36 PLCs and several sites across its metropolitan railway network. The work has been scoped into six (6) discrete work packages as per Table 1 below.

Table 1. Work Package breakdown.

Note to Respondents: The schedule may change at PTA’s discretion and PTA reserves the right to award the work in either packages or lump sum based on our preference.

At a high level, the Panel Contractors will be required to:

1. Undertake detailed design activities for each Package;
2. Procure the required hardware in accordance with the approved design and build the PLC solution;
3. Removal of legacy PLCs and installation of the built solution at the relevant site; and
4. Commission the solution into service and handover to the PTA Operations Team.

Each location will require the Contractor to provide a common set of deliverables with some tailoring required for the site specifics. This includes (but is not limited to):

1. Supply of new control pans as per PTA’s existing function specification 8880-700-642.
2. Supply of any station Human Machine Interface (HMI) panels where relevant.
3. Audit, design, and engineering deliverables as per PTA’s existing Engineering Management for Projects Procedure (Document Number: 8110-100-013).
4. Minimum of two levels of progressive detailed design development (50% and Issue for Construction (IFC)).
5. Development of Inspection and Test Plans (ITP) for Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and System Integration Testing (SIT).
6. Updates to existing drawings and repositories.
7. Installation of Control Cabling to Marshalling terminals.
8. Change procedures as per Operational Technology requirements.
9. Deployment and end-to-end testing of all functional and non-functional changes to PLC as per the Code of Practice Testing and Commissioning of Operational Technology Systems, including all testing phases (Document Number: 8990-250-001).

Refer to Book 4 Scope of Works for further details on the scope of works and specification.

Panel Information

The Respondent may offer a combination of both internal resources and external resources (subcontractors or JV partners) at its discretion. There is no preference towards the Respondent offering Personnel covering a range of the identified Roles as all proposed Personnel nominated as key personnel for and by the Respondent will be evaluated individually based on their capacity, capability and experience.

It is important to note that the contractual arrangement formed between the successful Respondent(s) and PTA will be with the Respondent directly and not nominated personnel. PTA will seek Quotations on an as required basis under the subsequent Panel Contract.

Where an Offer represents more than one commercial entity the submission must identify the single commercial entity which is making the Offer. Additionally, the Respondent must clearly show within its submission, the primary point of contact for the Contract and the party ultimately responsible for service delivery.

A panel of qualified contractors will be appointed, with a minimum three contractors selected for Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Modernisation Works Panel.

The PTA will review the Panel framework and composition annually or at other times determined appropriate by PTA in order to assess whether additional Contractors are required to satisfy the service requirements of the PTA. The PTA reserves the right to add Contractors to the Panel at its discretion at any time during the term of the Panel, through a public tendering process.

The PTA reserves the right at its absolute discretion to source services outside this Panel Arrangement if so determined by the PTA.

Panel Utilisation:

This Panel is being established to assist and meet the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Modernisation Works Project. However, this Panel Contract does not preclude other PTA Divisions obtaining services under this Panel Arrangement.

Panel Structure:

It is expected that this Panel will consist of sufficient members with suitable skills and experience are engaged to cover the requirements of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Modernisation Works. Additional Contractors may be added to the Panel at the PTA’s discretion as required depending on availability of Personnel and estimated workload over the life of the Contract.

A Panel Contract Manager will be appointed who will be the PTA person ultimately responsible for the management of the Panel processes and other general Panel related matters.  Public Transport Authority Contract Managers will be responsible for daily operational Panel usage / requirements. Panel members will be required to appoint a Contract Relationship Manager.

Term of the Panel:

The Panel will be in operation for an initial three (3) year term.  Two (2) one (1) year options will be available under the panel that the PTA may at its discretion extend as such that the total aggregated duration of the Panel Arrangement does not exceed five (5) years.

Panel Contract Distribution of Work:

The Panel is designed to streamline engagement for Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Modernisation Works, provide value and increased supply certainty to both the PTA and Panel Members.

Where more than one Contract is awarded for the Services, the work will be allocated between the Contractors based on:

1. The priority (urgency of the task);
2. The degree of difficulty (has the Contractor done similar tasks before);
3. Availability (does the Contractor have available local Personnel); and

Cost (what is the Contractor’s Schedule of Rates for this type of work).