Advantage Business Group - Systems Engineering Management Services for the Railway Industry

Established for over 30 years, Advantage is one of the UK’s leading technical consultancies. Based in Farnham, Surrey, our rail team supports customers including TFL (overground and LUL Engineering Directorate), Tube Lines, signalling system suppliers, TOCs, Network Rail, the RSSB and the RAIB. Our rail specialist expertise is supported by a range of leading-edge processes and tools, and is based on our clear understanding of systems engineering.

The concept of whole life systems management has presented a number of challenges to the rail industry. Organisations previously involved in the delivery of products are now expected to consider systems support issues into operation and in some cases disposal. Conversely, organisations previously tasked with operating and maintaining a service within an ageing infrastructure are increasingly involved with the design, acquisition and integration of new products and services as part of major upgrade programmes.

Within this changing business environment, systems engineering is a core competency, integrating people, processes, tools and technology to create improved business solutions and products. Advantage Technical Consulting offers a one-stop shop for systems engineering management services, bringing together the full portfolio of interrelated technical and management skills required to support projects through their whole life, and is providing specialist support on many large-scale signature projects.

RAIL SYSTEMS WHOLE-LIFE PROCESSES

Advantage has worked to, and provided assurance against, many of the generic and industry-specific systems and software engineering standards. A number of its engineers are actively involved in the authoring and reviewing of international standards. Advantage also supports the development and implementation of business processes, supported by our proprietary process toolset QMAP®.

RAIL SYSTEMS REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING

Advantage has used state-of-the-art requirements engineering techniques and tools within industries where their use is considered as standard practice. Advantage has also undertaken technology insertion and capability development in rolling-out requirements engineering techniques and tools within major infrastructure projects.

‘SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS’ CONCEPTS

Advantage offers wide-ranging experience of addressing difficult real-world ‘system of systems’ issues at the strategic, programmatic and implementation levels. Our expertise covers integration architectures, coherence management, governance and issue resolution.

RAIL SYSTEMS WHOLE-LIFE COSTING

Advantage has a long track-record in the cost analysis and estimating fields having undertaken cost estimating assignments in both the public and private sectors. Leveraging its expertise in operational analysis, cost forecasting and risk management, Advantage can provide strategic input to cost critical programmes.

SYSTEMS INTEGRITY

Advantage is renowned for its wide range of safety and reliability services, from design analysis and HAZOPS / HAZID to full safety and reliability case development. The application and integration of these activities across the whole systems lifecycle, including operations, is of critical importance to many of our clients.

RAIL SYSTEMS’ MODELLING

Advantage has many years of experience in systems modelling, simulation, and operational analysis and has developed several tools and methodologies for the assessment of performance, availability, vulnerability, cost, risk, safety and asset management. These tools are commonly used across the railway industry.

SYSTEMS PROCUREMENT

Advantage is able to support complex procurement activities within technical and regulatory environments. Leveraging our expertise in requirements engineering, Advantage can provide independent support for the development of pre-qualification questionnaires, capability-based questionnaires, Invitations To Tender (ITTs), tender assessment schemes and tools. Advantage is also able to support contract negotiation and due diligence activities.

SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT AND ASSURANCE

Advantage adopts a systematic and structured approach to developing and assuring the delivery of projects and programmes focused upon systems requirements and stakeholder needs, combining our skills and domain knowledge with that of our clients.

SYSTEMS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE

Advantage has specialist expertise in critical areas such as asset management, operational performance measurement and improvement and obsolescence management.