Planning

Bus Shelter Operating Contract

SWALE BOROUGH COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

29 Oct 2025 at 16:05

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Swale Borough Council is planning a procurement process for a Bus Shelter Operating Contract in the Swale area, Kent. The council is seeking a supplier for the supply, operation, and maintenance of bus shelters, with potential installation of living roof shelters. The procurement is currently in the planning stage, with key engagement milestones set, including a market engagement notice published on 29th October 2025 and comments due by 19th November 2025. The proposed contract is expected to commence in April 2026 and will run for an initial period of five years, with an option to extend up to an additional five years. The procurement process aims to secure a supplier in line with Swale Borough Council's specifications and needs, meeting the operational and design requirements for the region.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in the provision and maintenance of transport infrastructure, particularly those with experience in bus shelters and similar installations. Companies capable of integrating advertising options and offering innovative design solutions, including eco-friendly features like living roofs, are well-placed to compete. There is potential for further revenue through advertising, either through traditional methods or digital formats, subject to location agreements. Given the competitive tendering process scheduled for 2025/26, businesses should be ready to showcase their capabilities in delivering timely maintenance services and any value-adding propositions they can offer, such as enhanced service response times and sustainable solutions. Interested suppliers are encouraged to engage with Swale Borough Council to shape the contract specifications and explore partnership opportunities.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Bus Shelter Operating Contract

Notice Description

Bus Shelter Operating Contract - Swale Borough Council Area This Notice provides information of a future opportunity to provide a bus shelter supply, operation and maintenance service for bus shelter locations and infrastructure in the Swale Borough area in Kent. Swale Borough Council (SBC) would like to engage with bus shelter providers in regard to supply, installation and maintenance of bus shelters, including some possible living roof shelters, for bus shelter infrastructure managed by SBC in the Swale area and to agree a preferred supplier and product as per SBC's specification. SBC requests that interested suppliers express an interest in this opportunity and share their thoughts and expertise to assist SBC to determine and shape the specification. The solution can be a new design or based on an existing design used elsewhere. Integrated advertising within the shelters can be traditional posters or, subject to location agreement, digital media screens. Providers that are interested but are not registered on the Delta eSourcing portal should register at the following address in the first instance: https://login.bipsolutions.com/casDelta/login?service=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kentbusinessportal.org.uk%2Fdelta%2Fj_spring_cas_security_check The Council intends to hold a competitive tendering process during 2025/26, to secure these new bus shelters. It is the Council's aim to make the procurement process as easy as possible for bidders to complete. It is anticipated that the initial contract of supply and maintenance will run for approximately 5 years with the provision for an extension of up to 5 years, and a commencement date of April 2026. We would be particularly interested to hear whether you think there is any potential for income generation for the Council through advertising, or whether there is scope to provide living roof shelters at particular locations. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Sittingbourne:-Bus-shelters./SC25RWNJ37 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/SC25RWNJ37

Planning Information

The proposed contract will commence in April 2026 and will runs for approximately 5 years with the provision for an extension of up to 5 years. Does the proposed 5 year term for the contract make this financially viable in terms of supplying and installing at least 33 new shelters, including electrical connections? If the new contract is not awarded to the current provider, the intention is for them to remove their existing assets within 3-4 months of the new contract commencing. The new shelters would need to be installed as the existing shelters are removed to minimise the period of time when bus stops will not have accompanying shelters. Does this timeline provide you with any issues in terms of delivery? The new contract will include a 4 hour response time to attend to any damage which occurs to your shelters, and a 3 hour response time for any broken glass within the shelter. Are these response times achievable for your company? The new contract would be looking at the existing Borough Council owned assets of around 43 shelters of varying specifications and condition to see whether the successful tenderer would offer to take over responsibility and maintenance for some or all of these shelters. Is this something you could offer, either in terms of taking over some of all of these shelters, possibly adding advertising subject to the necessary planning permission? The current contract does not incorporate a ban on adverts for foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS), but this may be something considered in the future. We will therefore request two options for the new contract, Option 1 with a ban on HFSS adverts and Option 2 without the ban. With national plans currently being discussed relating to Local Government Re-organisation, the new contract will include a novation clause allowing Swale Borough Council to be replaced by any successor authority. Do you have any comments on this ? Any other comments? Comments should be submitted via the Delta eSourcing portal (Access code: SC25RWNJ37) or to procurement@swale.gov.uk

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d697
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069513-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

44 - Construction structures and materials; auxiliary products to construction (except electric apparatus)

50 - Repair and maintenance services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

44212321 - Bus shelters

50000000 - Repair and maintenance services

50800000 - Miscellaneous repair and maintenance services

79341000 - Advertising services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Oct 20253 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
19 Nov 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
SWALE BOROUGH COUNCIL
Contact Name
Charlotte Knowles
Contact Email
procurement@swale.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
SITTINGBOURNE
Postcode
ME10 3HT
Post Town
Rochester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ4 Kent
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ43 Kent Thames Gateway
Delivery Location
TLJ4 Kent
Local Authority
Swale
Electoral Ward
Roman
Westminster Constituency
Sittingbourne and Sheppey

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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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