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Below is a range of information dedicated to our existing supply chain to support access to our range of digital portals and systems, to information about key processes.

Supplier references

We will consider providing references to suppliers who may be bidding for overseas contracts or for an export opportunity. To find out more, please read through our supplier references document

If you have any queries relating to this, please contact [email protected]. Requests should be submitted to the Employer’s Representative.

Our standards

Learn about our standards by reading our supplier and supply chain standards.

Our People at Northern working togetherBuildings, architecture, and design guidance

If you are involved in the construction or civils at station or train care centre buildings, you can find a range of dedicated documents, resources and guidance by visiting our document library (link/documentation coming soon). 

Access and support to our systems and portals

We want to make it easier for you to access the information and systems needed when working with us. You’ll find links to all our key systems below and information on how to get support for them.

Suppliers’ certificates such as insurances and accreditations should either submitted via a COUPA information request which will be emailed to you or in the case you are contacted by NTL directly you should issue these to Procurement via [email protected].

Please note, we may opt to notify suppliers via COUPA to upload new certificates to the system, suppliers should follow the instructions given where you will be prompted to upload new documentation. 

Suppliers are responsible for ensuring that we are given active and live certificates, we may choose to suspend services from a supplier that does not keep its documentation active. 

If you have any queries, please contact [email protected]

Northern's Purchase to Pay (P2P) end to end system is COUPA, this system manages the instruct to commence services via Purchase Order and administers invoices and aids payment processes.

From time to time we may reach out to suppliers to request information for our P2P system, directly from COUPA as an ‘information request’, in the event that this occurs, this will be issue to the suppliers’ primary contact. 

Should a supplier need to amend or change any of their information held within our P2P system (COUPA), the supplier should self-serve in COUPA itself via the COUPA Supplier Portal via the information request held in the supplier profile. 

Should you wish Northern to assist you with the process you can email us at should you wish to amend [email protected] to request an information form to be submitted to you. 

Guides to utilise the Supplier Portal can be found here in the document library (link/documentation coming soon).

Northern uses Delta, to facilitate its e-tendering activities, this is the prime solution utilised to advertise opportunities and is supported by Contracts Finder and Find a Tender.

For those suppliers that are registered on the Coupa Supplier Portal invoices for goods, works or services can be uploaded directly via the CSP.  Please refer to the section on Coupa above for more detail on the CSP.

We strongly encourage suppliers to sign up to the CSP as there are many benefits – it gives a complete overview of all of your invoices and their current status, for example, if the Purchase Order is pending a goods receipt or if the invoice is approved and ready to pay.  You can also resolve any invoicing queries via the Supplier Portal thereby reducing any necessity to email queries through to the Accounts Payable team.

For those suppliers not registered on the CSP please email all invoices to: [email protected]

For any queries please email [email protected]  Any invoices sent to this email address may not be processed.

Invoices must meet the following criteria:

  • the Purchase Order reference MUST be clearly stated on the invoice, failure to do so will result in no payment being made.  We operate a strict no Purchase Order, no Payment policy
  • readable PDF documents (computer generated PDF documents as opposed to documents that are scanned and then emailed) are the preferred document type and will lead to speedy invoice processing and payment
  • a separate PDF must be created for each invoice
  • no blank pages or attachments should be included when submitting your invoice
  • the invoice should reflect the format of the Purchase Order to avoid unnecessary queries and/or delays, for example, if there are 2 line items on the Purchase Order the invoice should also be split across 2 lines.

Purchase orders will be issued as a PDF to the e-mail address you provided for COUPA. 

Should you have any queries related to the Purchase Order you should contact the ‘point of contact’ shown on the Purchase Order, which is detailed as a contact in the content listed in the top right of the order.

RISQS is an enhanced audit service, providing the industry with supplier assurance fit for the future. RISQS remains central to the safe and cost-effective procurement of railway products and services, providing assurance for 110-plus buyers including Northern and Network Rail.

Payment issues for sub-contractors Colleagues at Northern working together

If you are a supplier to a supplier of Northern and feel you are not being treated fairly by our primary contractors in terms of payment, please let us know and we’ll endeavour to help.

Further support for existing suppliers

We are always keen to hear from our supply chain as to how we can make things easier or simpler to enable us to deliver a better operation. If you would like to make suggestions or need assistance, please email us at [email protected].

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Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.