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218_26 Specialist Vehicle Contract Hire/Leasing

Leicestershire County Council, trading as ESPO

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

Award

30 Jul 2026 at 11:02

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

07 Jul 2026 at 16:52

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

15 Apr 2026 at 12:51

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

16 Dec 2025 at 16:36

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

22 May 2025 at 11:15

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Leicestershire County Council, trading as ESPO, has established a UK-wide framework for public-sector hire and leasing of specialist vehicles. It covers refuse collection vehicles, sweepers, winter-maintenance vehicles, gully emptiers, buses and minibuses, tippers, loaders, and other specialist vehicles such as mobile library vehicles, chassis cabs and hot boxes. Vehicles may use internal-combustion or alternative fuels and vary in weight and capacity. The ninth lot covers mixed specialist fleets combining the vehicle types in the other lots. The framework is intended for eligible public bodies across the UK, including local authorities, schools, central government, emergency services, NHS bodies, charities and registered social landlords. The procurement covers both vehicle supply and associated contract hire or leasing services.

This procurement is complete and has been awarded through an open procedure as a nine-lot framework. Each lot has an overall framework value of £50,000,000 gross (£41,666,667 net); these figures are repeated for each lot and must not be added together. The award date recorded for every lot is 2 July 2026, and contracts were signed on 20 July 2026. Each contract runs from 20 July 2026 to 19 July 2030. Lot 1 was awarded to 11 suppliers, Lot 2 to 13, Lot 3 to 11, Lot 4 to 9, Lot 5 to 11, Lot 6 to 11, Lot 7 to 8, Lot 8 to 5 and Lot 9 to 9. The framework permits call-offs with or without competition, with 1% of award value payable as a framework fee. Price counted for 20% and non-price quality for 80%.

This award demonstrates sustained public-sector demand for specialist vehicle hire and leasing across the UK, spanning municipal cleansing, winter maintenance, passenger transport, construction-related vehicles and bespoke fleet requirements. The successful supplier pool includes vehicle manufacturers, specialist body builders, fleet-hire companies, trailer providers and mixed-fleet operators, with both SMEs and larger businesses represented. A credible future competitor would need to provide reliable vehicles across the relevant specialist categories, including alternative-fuel options, and support varying weights, capacities, chassis and body configurations. It would also need national or regional delivery capability, the financial capacity to support framework call-offs, and evidence of technical competence in the chosen vehicle sectors. Quality capability mattered substantially more than price in evaluation, so service, fleet suitability and operational support are important differentiators.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

218_26 Specialist Vehicle Contract Hire/Leasing

Notice Description

ESPO is a public sector-owned professional buying organisation offering a comprehensive range of procurement services, including access to over 100 free-to-access framework solutions for the wider public sector. ESPO framework for the medium/long term hire/lease of specialist vehicles, including internal combustion engine and alternatively fuelled options. The Framework is divided into 9 lots. Note: The "Contract value" per lot as captured in this notice is for the overall framework (with this same overall value being captured per lot), as ESPO offers no guarantees or estimates of value that may pass through each individual lot (but the overall usage across all lots is not expected to exceed this overall framework value). For any additional details please also refer to https://www.espo.org/specialist-vehicle-contract-hire-leasing-218-26.html Note: Overall framework award was concluded on 23/07/2026, with this notice being published to follow on from this.

Lot Information

Lot 1. Refuse collection vehicles (RCV's)

This lot covers the contract hire/lease of ICE and alternatively fuelled refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) of varying weights/capacities comprising chassis and bodies/bin lifts including but not limited to: RCVs under 18t, RCV's 18t and above and RCVs for food waste collection to meet the requirements of eligible public sector bodies.

Lot 2. Sweepers

This lot covers the contract hire/lease of ICE and alternatively fuelled sweeper vehicles of varying weights/capacities to meet the requirements of eligible public sector bodies.

Lot 3. Winter maintenance vehicles

This lot covers the contract hire/lease of ICE and alternatively fuelled winter maintenance vehicles of varying weights/capacities comprising chassis and bodies/snowploughs to meet the requirements of eligible public sector bodies.

Lot 4. Gully emptiers

This lot covers the contract hire/lease of ICE and alternatively fuelled gully emptiers of varying weights/capacities comprising chassis and bodies to meet the requirements of eligible public sector bodies.

Lot 5. Buses and minibuses

This lot covers the contract hire/lease of ICE and alternatively fuelled buses and minibuses of varying weights/capacities comprising chassis and bodies to meet the requirements of eligible public sector bodies.

Lot 6. Tippers

This lot covers the contract hire/lease of ICE and alternatively fuelled tippers of varying weights/capacities comprising chassis and tipper bodies to meet the requirements of eligible public sector bodies.

Lot 7. Loaders

This lot covers the contract hire/lease of ICE and alternatively fuelled hook and skip loaders vehicles of varying weights/capacities comprising chassis and hook/skip loader units/bodies to meet the requirements of eligible public sector bodies.

Lot 8. Other specialist vehicles

This lot covers the contract hire/lease of ICE and alternatively fuelled other specialist vehicles (eg. mobile library vehicles, hot boxes, chassis cabs, etc) of varying weights/capacities to meet the requirements of eligible public sector bodies.

Lot 9. Mixed specialist vehicle fleet

This lot covers the contract hire/lease of ICE and alternatively fuelled mixed specialist vehicles (i.e., all vehicles referred to in lots 1- 8) of varying weights/capacities to meet the requirements of eligible public sector bodies. This is for tenderers to indicate if mixed fleet is something that they can offer.

Planning Information

Supplier engagement is to be undertaken, with the details to be covered broadly encompassing the following: a) the scope of the framework proposed for renewal b) the customer requirements proposed within, i.e., vehicle types, descriptions, hire periods, etc. c) changes/developments/risks in the marketplace to be accounted for, if any d) abilities to meet the renewed framework's requirements e) other feedback on the proposed procurement strategy f) other industry points of note/suggestions Engagement is being undertaken via a Request for Information (RFI) questionnaire hosted on the EastMidsTenders eProcurement Portal (www.eastmidstenders.org). The deadline for responding to the RFI is 17:00 (5pm) on 09 January 2026. Suppliers wishing to participate in the RFI MUST first express an interest as follows: (a) Go to https://www.eastmidstenders.org/; (b) Register (if not already registered on ProContract); (c) Search for opportunity '218_26' (via "View Opportunities" from the EastMidsTenders Portal); d) Express an interest. Suppliers can access and respond to the RFI questionnaire in the Messages section of the eProcurement Portal (via the Activity dashboard once an expression of interest has been registered). Any questions or clarifications should similarly be submitted to ESPO as a message on the eProcurement Portal.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-051d0c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072060-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

CPV Codes

34114400 - Minibuses

34121000 - Buses and coaches

34134000 - Flatbed and Tipper trucks

34139000 - Chassis

34142200 - Skip loaders

34143000 - Winter-maintenance vehicles

34144410 - Gully emptiers

34144431 - Suction-sweeper vehicles

34144440 - Gritter vehicles

34144510 - Vehicles for refuse

34144511 - Refuse-collection vehicles

34144512 - Refuse-compaction vehicles

34144710 - Wheeled loaders

34144760 - Mobile library vehicles

34223370 - Tipper trailers

34921100 - Road sweepers

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£41,666,667 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£41,666,667 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£41,666,667 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
£41,666,667 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
30 Jul 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
15 May 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
28 Nov 2025Expired
Award Date
2 Jul 20261 months ago
Contract Period
20 Jul 2026 - 19 Jul 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Leicestershire County Council, trading as ESPO
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LEICESTER
Postcode
LE19 1ES
Postcode Area
Leicester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF22 Leicestershire CC and Rutland
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Blaby
Electoral Ward
Enderby
Westminster Constituency
South Leicestershire

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
31
Supplier Names

AEBI SCHMIDT UK LIMITED (00557725)

BUNCE (ASHBURY) LIMITED (01008283)

CAR HIRE (DAY OF SWANSEA) LIMITED (00571025) - t/a Day's Fleet & Day's Rental

CMS HIRE LIMITED (04633375) - a wholly-owned subsidiary and operating division of Cooper Group UK Limited

DAWSONGROUP BUS AND COACH LIMITED (02434773)

DAWSONGROUP ENVIRONMENTAL MUNICIPAL CIVIL LIMITED (05881107)

ECON ENGINEERING LIMITED (00644062)

ELITE REFUSE LTD (13885598)

ENDURANCE VEHICLE SOLUTIONS LIMITED (11836655)

FAUN ZOELLER FLEET SERVICES LIMITED (02590166)

FIVEWAYS MUNICIPAL VEHICLE HIRE LIMITED (03513123)

FLEETEV LIMITED (13278694) - Previously FLEET-E LIMITED

HAKO MACHINES LIMITED (01414225)

HARRIS VEHICLE HIRE LTD (SC701028)

JAMES A. CUTHBERTSON, LIMITED (SC024322)

KARCHER (U.K.) LIMITED (01350233)

LEEDS COMMERCIAL LIMITED (00587618)

LIMESQUARE VEHICLE RENTAL LIMITED (04897613)

LONDON HIRE LIMITED (01773149)

MARKS TRANSPORT GROUP LTD (04567563)

MIDHIRE SELF DRIVE RENTALS LIMITED (02686202)

MISTRAL BUS & COACH PLC (02716967)

MULTEVO LIMITED (07308583)

MURDOCH MACKENZIE CONSTRUCTION LIMITED (SC056894)

N.D. BROWN LIMITED (01471913)

RIVERSIDE TRUCK RENTAL LIMITED (03190863)

ROMAQUIP UK (FC029368)

SCARAB SWEEPERS LIMITED (01823459)

SPECIALIST FLEET SERVICES LIMITED (02843547)

TIP TRAILER SERVICES UK LIMITED (08570225) - t/a TIP Group

TORTON BODIES LIMITED (00683438)

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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