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Bus Franchising - North West Greater Manchester Small Franchises - 2 Lots

Transport for Greater Manchester

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

22 Jul 2026 at 15:28

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

21 Jul 2025 at 18:07

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

04 Jul 2025 at 13:42

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Transport for Greater Manchester, on behalf of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, procured public road transport services for two small bus franchises in North West Greater Manchester. Lot 1 covers Bolton, Bury and Farnworth and includes one service, Service 521. Lot 2 covers Leigh and Atherton and includes one service, Service 553. The requirement is for operators to provide franchised bus services, including the operational delivery needed for each service. The work is delivered across the named Greater Manchester locations. The procurement is categorised as services and is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. It is relevant to established bus operators and other organisations with the resources, operating capability and regulatory competence to run local public passenger transport services.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded, with Go North West Limited selected for both lots. For Lot 1, the awarded value is £36,968,000 excluding VAT (£44,361,600 including VAT). For Lot 2, the awarded value is £27,031,000 excluding VAT (£32,437,200 including VAT). Both awards were dated 22 July 2026. Each contract is scheduled to run from 7 March 2027 to 18 August 2030, with extensions permitted in multiple periods totalling up to 24 months. The procedure was a selective competitive flexible procedure. Evaluation weighted technical quality at 60% and price at 40%. Six final bids were received for Lot 1 and seven for Lot 2; the award status is pending signature, with signature scheduled for 4 August 2026.

This award demonstrates demand from Transport for Greater Manchester for operators able to deliver franchised local bus services across multiple Greater Manchester areas. A credible future competitor would need proven public passenger transport operations, sufficient vehicles, staff and management capacity for services with estimated peak vehicle requirements of 32 vehicles for Bolton, Bury and Farnworth and 22 for Leigh and Atherton. The procurement also indicates that suppliers must be able to satisfy economic and technical participation requirements through a Procurement Specific Questionnaire. Relevant capability includes service mobilisation, financial planning, health and safety management, delivery planning and social value commitments. Strong technical quality was more important than price in evaluation, so operators would need robust operational proposals as well as competitive commercial arrangements.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Bus Franchising - North West Greater Manchester Small Franchises - 2 Lots

Notice Description

Bus Franchising - North West Greater Manchester Small Franchises - 2 Lots Description: Following the implementation of Bus Franchising across Greater Manchester. Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) on behalf of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority is seeking Operators to provide bus services for these Small Franchises from March 2027, consisting of the following two lots: Lot 1. Bolton, Bury and Farnworth Small Franchise, estimated Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR amended to 32) one service, i.e. Service 521 will start 19th September 2027. Lot 2. Leigh and Atherton Small Franchise, estimated (PVR amended to 22) one service, i.e., Service 553 will start operation on 19th September 2027.

Lot Information

Bolton, Bury, Farnworth Small Franchise

Renewal: TfGM reserve the right to extend this contract in multiple periods of up to 24 months (total).

Leigh and Atherton Small Franchise

Renewal: TfGM reserve the right to extend this contract in multiple periods of up to 24 months (total).

Planning Information

Operators will be sent a questionnaire to provide feedback on the request, please ensure all feedback is received by the 11th July 2025. All feedback should be sent via the messaging facility with ProContract. TfGM intends to send the Tender notice w/c 21st July 2025. There will be a supplier Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) process in which a potential bidder must successfully complete and pass in order to get through to final tender submission.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05592c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069281-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
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
£90,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£90,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£63,999,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
11 Aug 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
21 Jul 2025Expired
Award Date
22 Jul 20261 months ago
Contract Period
7 Mar 2027 - 18 Aug 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
2030-08-18

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Transport for Greater Manchester
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MANCHESTER
Postcode
M1 3BG
Postcode Area
Manchester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD33 Manchester
Delivery Location
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Local Authority
Manchester
Electoral Ward
Piccadilly
Westminster Constituency
Manchester Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

GO NORTH WEST LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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