An overview of the procurement for upgrading the nationwide truck tolling system.
03 May 2022 (updated from the original article from 4 December 2020)
Slovakia initially launched the operation of its GNSS-based tolling system in 2010 using “plug and play” On Board Units (OBUs). This nationwide tolling scheme was particularly innovative since, for the first time:
– the tolled road network consisted of all major transit routes (not just the motorways);
– GNSS-based OBUs were mandatory and could be installed by the drivers themselves.
Skytoll was awarded the contract and implemented the system using the integrated OBU technology from Siemens that includes a GNSS receiver, a GSM module, and a microwave DSRC module. This windshield-mounted design introduced in Slovakia has become the de facto standard for the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS).
More about the man behind this innovation is described here. Skytoll’s operations contract is due to expire at the end of 2022, so the time has come for a technical upgrade to be procured.
NDS, the Slovak national motorway company (in Slovak Národná Diaľničná Spoločnosť) is procuring the new tolling system in three separate tenders:
1. Tolling Back Office, also referred to as the “central system,” which receives the tolling data from all the vehicles and processes the tolling fees. This tender was published on December 1st, 2020.
First results from the tender:
Three offers were made, the lowest price was submitted by CzechToll, which implemented the GNSS-based tolling solution in the Czech Republic and operates this system (which replaced the DSRC-based solution) since 2019. CzechToll is closely associated with SkyToll. It has been reported that some of the well-established toll system suppliers, such as Autostrade per l’Italia, T-Systems, and Kapsch, did not participate in the tender.
2. Toll Services, which includes the tolling technology itself, such as OBUs and map matching, and the distribution network (Point of Sales). This tender was originally published on April 6th, 2021, and was cancelled in April 2022.
3. The Toll Enforcement System, which includes enforcement equipment such as cameras equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), DSRC microwave transceivers to retrieve tolling data from the OBUs, and laser scanners to determine the vehicle category since heavier trucks must pay higher tolling fees. Both fixed enforcement gantries and mobile enforcement vehicles are deployed across Slovakia. This tender has been postponed.
All three tenders should be awarded, and contracts signed, in 2022. The implementation period is expected to be performed in 12 months.
The Tolling Back Office
The title of this tender is “The Construction of Electronic Toll System and provision of Technical Support Services” (in Slovak “Vybudovanie Elektronického mýtneho systému a poskytovanie Služieb technickej podpory“). It is the intention of NDS to purchase and operate the new tolling system, rather than contracting an operator like Skytoll to own and operate all system components on behalf of NDS, the Toll Charger in Slovakia.
The most important elements for the Tolling Back Office tender can be summarized as follows:
Deadline for submitting the offer: 31 January 2022 (originally 16 September 2021)
Anticipated volume of the contract: 42,000,000 EUR
Security deposit for the bidders: 500,000 EUR
Stage 1: system implementation from the signing of the Contract until 31 December 2022
Stage 2: technical support of operations from 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2027, i.e. for 5 years, with an option to prolong operations for an additional 5 years until 31 December 2032.
Selection criteria for the offers of the Tolling Back Office
1. The price is the first and most important selection criteria, given a weight factor of 60%.
2. The service level agreement (SLA) response for the operational support services is the second most important criteria, given a weight factor of 32%.
3. The compatibility of the new system with the existing back-office system is given a weight factor of 8%.
Key technical references required in the tender:
1. At least one reference consisting of the construction and operation of an electronic toll collection system based on open road tolling (multi-lane free flow) without the need for using a specific lane, reducing speed or stopping a vehicle in order to retrieve electronic data, using an electronic device installed in the vehicle (OBU), that has been in continuous operation for at least 24 months.
2. At least one reference consisting of the application and operation of algorithms for processing vehicle position data recorded by the OBU, based on satellite positioning in the form of toll transactions that identify the passage on specific toll sections.
The reference project(s) must :
a. consist of a tolled road network having at least 1,000 km;
b. have at least 100,000 vehicles equipped with OBUs;
c. include the levying and settling of toll payments.
For an overview of all the tender documents for Lot 1 (Tolling Back Office) and their English language equivalents, look here.
Toll Services
The title of this tender is “The Provision of Toll Services” (in Slovak “Poskytovanie mýtnych Služieb“).
The scope of the Tolling Front End tender can be summarized as follows:
a) trial operation of the customer services
b) customer services
- provided directly to the customers through individual customer services channels
- services of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) agenda
- payment infrastructure services
c) OBU logistics and OBU operations services
d) provision of service terminals for customer locations operated by the client
e) vehicle pre-registration services
f) services for making changes to the customer location network
g) termination of customer services.
There is also an additional scope that the Client can request on demand:
a) additional training of the Client’s employees
b) provision of technical assistance to the Client
c) Third Party OBU logistics services.
Deadline for submitting the offer: has been again delayed, depending on ongoing legal procedures that need to be resolved.
Anticipated volume of the contract: 196,175,000 EUR
– which includes 20,175,000 EUR as the maximum of the estimated transaction fees of fleet card issuers
Security deposit for the bidders: 500,000 EUR
Stage 1: system implementation from the signing of the Contract until 01 October 2022
Stage 2: technical support of operations from 01 October 2022 to 31 December 2027, i.e. 3 months for pre-registration, operations for 5 years, with an option to prolong operations for an additional 5 years until 31 December 2032.
Selection criteria for the offers of the Tolling Back Office
1. The price is the first and most important selection criteria, given a weight factor of 65%.
2. The time interval for sending toll declarations, where the maximum permissible time is 30 minutes, is given a weight factor of 20%.
3. The number of mobile distribution points needed for quick pre-registration during first three months prior to system operation, with a minimum requirement of 12 distribution points, is given a weight factor of 15%.
Key aspect of the tender: OBUs will not be purchased by the Client but shall be provided for through a leasing agreement based on customer demand. The deposit that customers are required to pay for the OBUs shall not exceed 80 EUR.
Key technical references required in the tender:
1. At least one reference consisting of the construction and operation of an electronic toll collection system based on open road tolling (multi-lane free flow) without the need for using a specific lane, reducing speed or stopping a vehicle in order to retrieve electronic data, using an electronic device installed in the vehicle (OBU), that has been in continuous operation for at least 24 months.
2. At least one reference consisting of the operation of at least 10,000 OBUs based on open road tolling (multi-lane free flow).
3. At least one reference consisting of the operation of customer services (points of sales, call center, internet applications and mobile applications) for at least 24 months.
For an overview of all the tender documents for Lot 2 (Tolling Services) and their English language equivalents, look here.
The original tender documentation in Slovak can be downloaded here: https://josephine.proebiz.com/cs/tender/11438/summary
If you would like to request a copy of the tender documentation translated to English, please contact Norbert Schindler: norbert@gnss-consulting.com
For a short insight of the translation, look here.