BISHKEK PUBLIC TRANSPORT
E-TICKETING DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Project
Kyrgyz Republic TCS 32974
Bishkek Public Transport
E-Ticketing Design and Implementation
MARKET SOUNDING EXERCISE
Berlin, August – September 2015
BISHKEK PUBLIC TRANSPORT
E-TICKETING DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
1. MARKET SOUNDING EXERCISE
1.1.
Background
1.1.1. Bishkek, with a population of around 1.2 million, is the capital and the largest city in the
Kyrgyz Republic. The public transport services are being rendered by municipally owned
trolleybus and bus companies (around 300 vehicles) and a large number of privately
owned minibus operators rendering services with over 3000 vehicles.
1.1.2. Bus, trolley bus and minibus traffic is strongly regulated by the authorities of the City of
Bishkek. The route network is characterized by point-to-point connections, with lots of
routes running in parallel in the inner city.
1.1.3. The tariff structure is simple: passengers pay a fixed fare of 8-10 Som (around 13-15 US
cents) for each trip in cash to the driver. There are neither tariff zones nor changeover
tariffs. At the moment, it is not planned to make changes in the route net structure or in
the tariff structure. The increase the fare is expected in this year.
1.1.4. Municipal midi buses and trolleybuses are used by around 60 million passengers each
year. A significant number of people, like pupils or retired people, are concessionary
users with reduced tariffs or use the municipal buses for free. Privately operated mini
buses are used by around 220 million passengers each year and pupils and retired
people pay a discounted fare of 5 Som (around 8 US cents) for a trip.
1.1.5. The City of Bishkek has decided to introduce an electronic ticketing system in Bishkek
and to substantially move away from cash based payment for municipally owned public
transportation and private bus operators.
1.1.6. The new fare collection system shall be based on smartcards and allow to identify
concessionary passengers like retired people and pupils, provide more transparency in
payments, increase the revenues and simplify the use of public transport in Bishkek.
1.1.7. In advance of the implementation the AFC system, the City of Bishkek wishes to engage
with potential operators and suppliers to understand their interest and capability to
supply, implement, maintain and operate such a system through a market sounding
exercise, which is the subject of this notice.
1.2.
AFC System
1.2.1. The AFC system scope is expected to include:
1. Equipment of Vehicles


On Midi buses and trolleybuses: 300 fixed mounted validators
On mini buses: 3.200 mobile / handheld validators
2. Ticket distribution and retailing


Equipment for ticket sales and topping up at 300-500 retail POS kiosks *)
Supply of 300.000 smart cards for personalised and non-personalised use at start-up
phase and additionally 300.000 smart cards at following phases
BISHKEK PUBLIC TRANSPORT
E-TICKETING DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION


Equipment for 2 to 3 smart card issue/front office retail centres (10-15 counters in
total)
Web-based customer portal and personal operated call center
3. Ticket inspection:


Approximately 40 hand-held devices for ticket inspectors
Supporting central systems
4. Communication


Fixed line network to serve retail centres
Mobile communications to serve on vehicle, inspection and POS kiosk equipment
5. Back office accounting and handling system, capable to process several independent
clients




server and relevant databases;
back office IT equipment;
customer account system and web-based systems
all necessary software, including interfaces for ticket distribution by mobile phones
and self-service kiosk systems*) and according application of business rules, hot
listing, card updates and enforcement.
Remarks:
*)
1.3.
Prepaid cards for cellphones are widely used in Bishkek and some infrastructure
(self service kiosks) exists for charging phone cards in the town. Using this
existing infrastructure for the new ticketing system might be possible, which
would fortunately reduce the need for a dedicated distribution infrastructure for
the e-Ticketing system.
Market Sounding Exercise
1.3.1. The intention of this notice is to engage in a market sounding exercise, in order to
ensure that the process being undertaken and the options ultimately developed for any
subsequent procurement, is properly informed/set-up.
1.3.2. The City of Bishkek targets to develop a procurement package structure which will
ensure open market competition and guarantees best value.
1.3.3. Therefore the City wishes to engage with parties which are interested

Package 1 (preferable):
to realize and operate the AFC system under a public service contract
according to a Design – Build – Finance – Operate – Transfer (“DBFOT”)
model

Package 2:
to supply, install and maintain an AFC system and assist the city by operate it
for a start-up period of 2 /3 years
BISHKEK PUBLIC TRANSPORT
E-TICKETING DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
1.3.4. At this time the City of Bishkek is only seeking parties to express their interest in one or
both of these packages.
1.3.5. The expression of interest shall be complemented by respective references of
comparable or similar projects carried out within the previous five years. The references
shall include at least the name of the city, a brief description of the system and its main
components, the costs of investment, as well as revenues / year and number of
passengers / year. Each reference shall not exceed two pages.
1.3.6. The expression of interest shall further provide a general budget information based on
the data to the project in Bishkek (the project data will be provided upon request by the
contact mentioned below) as follows:

For package 1:
price range per year assuming 230 million passengers / year for a contract period of
eight years

For package 2:
o
Range for system price including installation, two years warranty and five years
second level maintenance
o
Price range per year for system operation during start-up period of 2/3 years
including ticket distribution, fare collection, customer service, ticket inspection
and first level maintenance assuming 230 million passengers / year
1.3.7. For additional information a request by email in English or Russian languages can be
submitted to the contact person named below.
1.3.8. Participation in the market sounding phase will not in any way limit companies’ rights to
participate in a formal tender under this project.
1.3.9. Interested suppliers and contractors shall express their interest and explain their
capabilities by electronic mail in English or Russian languages to
BLIC GmbH
attn. Mr. Gustav Thiesing
Rheinstr. 45
D-12161 Berlin
Germany
email: thi(at)blic.de
1.3.10. The expressions of interest received until 16.10.2015 will then be reviewed. The City of
Bishkek will consider whether further clarification should be carried out to develop the
views of the market more specifically and parties having expressed their interest might
be requested to provide additional information.
1.3.11. The City of Bishkek is under no obligation to follow up this market sounding in any way
or with any interested parties. This notice is issued solely for the purpose of conducting a
BISHKEK PUBLIC TRANSPORT
E-TICKETING DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
market sounding exercise and does not constitute any commitment by the City of
Bishkek or any of its stakeholders to undertake any public procurement or service
exercise in the future.
1.3.12. Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to the
market sounding exercise and a response does not guarantee any invitation to
participate in any future tender process that the City of Bishkek may conduct.
1.3.13. The City of Bishkek is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party
participating in the market sounding exercise.