Award

Demand Responsive Transport Service - Tees Flex Bus Service

TEES VALLEY COMBINED AUTHORITY

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

ContractTermination

07 Apr 2026 at 08:52

Award

25 Sep 2025 at 13:23

Award

01 Jul 2025 at 10:23

Award

01 Jul 2025 at 10:07

PlanningUpdate

17 Apr 2025 at 12:25

Planning

17 Apr 2025 at 12:22

Summary of the contracting process

The Tees Valley Combined Authority was involved in a procurement process for the provision of a Demand Responsive Transport Service, known as the Tees Flex Bus Service. This procurement fell under the industry category of public road transport services. The buying organisation is a public authority - sub-central government and is located at Teesside International Airport, Darlington, UK. The procurement process moved through various stages including planning, award, and ultimately contract termination. The contract, initially awarded to CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD., started on 25th August 2025 and was completed on 28th March 2026, with the contract subsequently being terminated on 7th April 2026. This was a direct award process in line with relevant transport and subsidy regulations.

This procurement provided opportunities for businesses specialising in public road transport services, particularly those able to offer on-demand transport solutions. The tender was structured to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs), ensuring a diverse range of businesses could compete. The opportunity was suited to enterprises with a strong capacity for flexible service provision across the Tees Valley region, leveraging around £897,000 in contract expenditure. This tender demonstrates the potential for growth through public sector contracts in transport services, particularly for businesses capable of delivering innovative and responsive transport solutions.

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Notice Title

Demand Responsive Transport Service - Tees Flex Bus Service

Notice Description

Tees Valley Combined Authority (the 'Contracting Authority'), part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority Group, have awarded a contract for the provision of Demand Responsive Transport Service - Tees Flex Bus Service. The contract start date was 25th August 2025 however there has been a delay with signing due to resource. The contract was signed on 15th September 2025. Award of De Minimis bus transport subsidy contract in line with the Transport Act and Service Subsidy Agreements (Tendering) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004. Local authorities or Passenger Transport Authorities/Executives with forecast expenditure on bus service subsidies in any one year of PS600,000 or more will be able to spend up to 25% of this on de minimis contracts; within this 25% there is no limit on the expenditure in any one year that may be incurred on an individual de minimis contract or the amount of de minimis contract expenditure in any year with any single operator.

Planning Information

Tees Flex is an on-demand bus service which was introduced to the TVCA local area in early 2020. The service is currently contracted until August 2025, and we are therefore engaging with the local market to understand operator capacity and interest moving forward. Covering various locations across the Tees Valley. Responses to this pre-tender market engagement opportunity can be submitted through Proactis at: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=ce67c92c-831b-f011-8136-005056b64545 Queries regarding this process and/or the content of this PTME should be submitted as clarification requests via the portal, no communication will be accepted via other means.

Procurement Information

Award of De Minimis bus transport subsidy contract in line with the Transport Act and Service Subsidy Agreements (Tendering) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004. Local authorities or Passenger Transport Authorities/Executives with forecast expenditure on bus service subsidies in any one year of PS600,000 or more will be able to spend up to 25% of this on de minimis contracts; within this 25% there is no limit on the expenditure in any one year that may be incurred on an individual de minimis contract or the amount of de minimis contract expenditure in any year with any single operator.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0504d4
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031282-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK11 - Contract Termination Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)


CPV Codes

60112000 - Public road transport services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£897,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
£897,000 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Apr 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
12 May 2025Expired
Award Date
30 Jun 20259 months ago
Contract Period
24 Aug 2025 - 28 Mar 2026 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Terminated

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
TEES VALLEY COMBINED AUTHORITY
Additional Buyers

MISSING

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
DARLINGTON
Postcode
DL2 1NJ
Post Town
Darlington
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC3 Tees Valley
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC33 Darlington
Delivery Location
TLC1 Tees Valley and Durham

Local Authority
Darlington
Electoral Ward
Sadberge & Middleton St George
Westminster Constituency
Stockton West

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

CLEVELAND TRANSIT

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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