Designed to help the candidates appearing the Appendix 3, LDCE, 70% etc of Railway Accounts
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Monday, October 3, 2022
Co-branding of Railway Stations - part of NFR Non Fare Revenue
Co-branding of Railway Stations
By Nageswara Rao 9492432160
- Part of NFR - Non Fare Revenue 
- Objects: 
- Generate NFR 
- Allowing co-branding / station branding / semi-naming rights at stations or prefixing / suffixing of brand names / logos to the names of Railway Stations 
- Eligible: Government organizations and reputed business houses 
- Not eligible: Advertising agencies 
- Activity should be a form of advertisement only, not tantamount to change in the name of the Railway station. 
- All the above activities denoted as co-branding of Railway station. 
Salient features:
- Brand name should not exceed two words. 
- Purely a form of advertisement 
- Does not tantamount to change in the name of the Railway Station 
- Shall not be permitted on the Railway Tickets, PRS, Websites, route maps, in announcements through PA (Public Address) systems on the RDN (Railway Display Network) 
- The name of the Railway Station shall be its original name only. 
- Zonal Railways may consider clubbing of Railway Stations for bidding in clusters. 
Permitted Locations:
- All places wherever the name of the Railway Station is displayed. 
- Subject to the availability of space 
- Subject to the conditions of OOH (Out Of Home) 
- The quantum / location of space to be allotted in Circulating area - decided by Zonal Railways / Divisions 
- Do not conflict with spaces already awarded under the provisions of the existing NFR policy. 
- Does not adversely impact clear visibility of the Station name that is essential for train operations. 
Not permitted Locations - Negative List
- Heritage buildings 
- Railway Stations named after eminent personalities, national leaders, martyrs etc. 
- Surrogate advertisements 
- Advertisements of drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco items etc. 
- Prohibited items advertisement. 
- Threatens the public image of Indian Railways / Central / State Government 
- Negative list as per local Outdoor advertisement policy 
- Branding by Political parties, religious institutions, outfits and individual personalities. 
- Advertisements banned by the Advertising Council of India or by Law 
Other aspects of Policy:
- The prefix or suffix - in different font / color and small in size compared to Station Name and IR logo. 
- Either Brand Name or Logo. Not permitted both. 
- Brand name should not be more than two words. In case, Brand name has more than two words, only Logo should be used. 
- The Licensee should pay the requisite advertising tax if any by the Local Government authorities. 
Contract terms & conditions:
- Awarded through EOI (Expression Of Interest) / Open Bidding 
- RP (Reserve Price) - Arrived duly considering relevant parameters such as prevailing circle rates, practice followed in other NFR Contracts. 
- Brand name / logo - would be approved by PCCM. 
- Sub-letting shall not be permitted. 
- Tenure: Minimum period - 1 year. Maximum period - 3 years. 
- Delegation of Powers - as per MSOP - Model Schedule Of Powers. 
- EMD - 2 % of Tender Value. 
- License Fees - Half yearly basis - paid in advance. 
- Licensee shall be liable to pay applicable GST under RCM (Reverse Charge Mechanism) to the Tax authorities. 
- The Station would be handed over for co-branding activities on “as is where is basis” 
- Security arrangements responsibility by the Licensor i.e., Indian Railways 
- SBD - Standard Bid Document 
Other features:
- Tender / Bid should be open for a period of 45 days from the date fixed for opening of the same. 
- Security Deposit: Within 30 days from the date of issue of LOA - Letter Of Acceptance. 
- Purely License basis 
- If work is not commenced within 45 days from the date of issue of LOA, IR shall be forfeit the EMD 
- Open to Central & State Government institutions, PSUs, reputed private companies, Banks, Financial entities, excluding Advertising agencies. 
- Breach of conditions if any, the Licensee would be liable to pay the damages @ 5 % of his License Fees subject to minimum of Rs. 5,000 per irregularity along with legal actions as per Agreement. 
- Conditional offer by the Tenderers - out rightly be rejected and EMD is forfeited. 
- EMD of the successful tenderer - converted into SD with the issue of LOA. 
- EMD of unsuccessful tenders shall be refunded within 30 days from the date of LOA without any interest. 
- SD - equivalent to 6 months License fee calculated for the final year of the Contract - in the form of irrecoverable PBG - Performance Bank Guarantee from a commercial Scheduled Bank within 21 days from the date of LOA. 
- Extension of submission of SD - Beyond 21 days and up to to 60 days from the date of issue of LOA. But penal interest 18% per annum beyond 21 days. 
- If contractor fails to submit the PBG even after 60 days from the date of LOA, the consequences are: 
- The Contract is terminated. 
- Forfeiting the EMD and other dues if any paid to the Contractor. 
- The failed Contractor shall be debarred from participating in re-tender for that work. 
- Validity of PBG - Should cover the license tenure plus 180 days. 
- PBG shall be released subject to: 
- After successful completion of the License period 
- Issue of No Claim Certificate by the Licensee 
- Appeal for release of PBG - shall be submitted within 6 months of the completion of the Contract 
- PBG - should be sent to Indian Railways directly by the issuing Bank under Registered Post with Acknowledgement Due. 
- First installment of License fees - 6 Months one - have to be paid in advance within 10 days of the issue of LOA. 
- Termination of License - IR reserves the right to terminate without assigning any reason by giving 30 days’ notice 
- The date of commencement of the License - 30 days from the date of issue of LOA. 
Penalty:
The Licensee shall be liable to pay @5% of the Annual License Fee subject to a minimum of Rs.5,000/- for violation of each of the following acts and omissions in addition to legal action.
- Not following the instructions by the Indian Railways 
- Any staff of licensee found in drunken condition/indulging in improper conduct; 
- For any staff of the licensee found creating nuisance on duty; 
- Any other violation as decided by the competent authority. 
Material for MCQ
- NFR stands for Non Fare Revenue 
- Co-branding of Railway Stations - part of NFR 
- Advertisement Agencies are not eligible for Co-branding of Stations. 
- Brand name should not exceed two words 
- OOH stands for Out Of Home (part of NFR) 
- PA System stands for Public Address System 
- Permitted either Brand name or Logo. Not permitted Both. 
- Brand Name - Approval of PCCM is required 
- EOI stands for Expression Of Interest 
- RP stands for Reserve Price 
- Sub letting shall not be permitted 
- Contract Minimum and Maximum period - 1 Year and 3 Years respectively. 
- EMD - 2% of Tender Value 
- License fees - payable half years (in advance) 
- SBD stands for Standard Bid Document. Modifications can be done by GM to suit local conditions 
- Tender / Bid should be open for a period of 45 days from the date of opening the Tender / Bid. 
- SD - within 30 days from the date of LOA 
- Purely License Basis. Not on Lease basis Click here for differences between Lease and License 
- EMD forfeit - If work is not commenced within 45 days from LOA 
- LOA stands for Letter Of Acceptance / Award 
- Breach of conditions - @5% of License fees subject to a minimum of Rs.5,000/- per each irregularity 
- If a conditional offer is received, outrightly be rejected and EMD is forfeited. 
- EMD of successful Tenderer converted into SD. 
- EMD of unsuccessful Tenderers - Returned within 30 days from the date of LOA 
- SD - 6 Months License Fees of Final year 
- SD - form of irrecoverable PBG from a commercial Scheduled Bank -within 21 days from the date of LOA. Beyond 21 days and up to 60 days extension is permitted with penal interest of 18% per annum. 
- Contractor fails to submit PBG even after 60 days from the date of LOA, the consequences are 
- Contract is terminated 
- Forfeit of EMD & other dues if any 
- Failed contractor debarred from participating in re-tender for that work. 
- Validity of PBG - License tenure period plus 180 days. 
- PBG stands for Performance Based Guarantee 
- First installment of License fees - 6 Months one - have to be paid in advance within 10 days of the issue of LOA. 
- Termination of the Licensee by IR - Notice period is 30 days 
- Penalty - @5% of License Fees subject to a minimum of Rs.5000 for each act 
—-end—-
