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King's Buildings Shuttle Bus Service

University Of Edinburgh

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

10 Aug 2026 at 14:57

Award Notice
Tender

30 Apr 2026 at 11:20

Tender Notice
Planning

26 Nov 2025 at 09:58

Planning Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of Edinburgh procured a public road transport service to operate a shuttle bus between Bristo Square and the King’s Buildings Campus in Edinburgh. The service is intended for the university community and covers the full academic year, with demand reducing during December, April and May as student numbers fall. The existing operating model uses two double-decker buses running continuously throughout the day, with the same number of trips across the service period. This is a passenger transport services opportunity rather than a vehicle supply or general education contract. The university is the buyer and central purchasing body. Delivery is confined to the shuttle route between central Edinburgh and the King’s Buildings Campus.

The procurement is complete following an open procedure. The single lot was marked cancelled, but an active award and active contract were recorded for Lothian Buses Ltd. The contract was signed on 2 July 2026 for £1,098,240. Its stated duration is 1,440 days, with a potential four-year term arranged as four 12-month periods at the University’s discretion. Evaluation placed 70% weight on technical quality and 30% on price; variants were not allowed. Bids were due by 21 May 2026 at noon, with the bid validity period ending on 18 September 2026. One electronic bid was received, from a non-SME supplier. English was the submission language.

This outcome shows established demand from the University of Edinburgh for a high-capacity campus shuttle rather than occasional or ad hoc bus hire. A credible future competitor would need to provide two double-decker buses, maintain continuous daytime operations across the academic year and manage passenger demand that changes during holiday and study periods. Relevant capability includes scheduled public bus operations, route planning, fleet availability, driver and operational resilience, and the ability to serve a regular university passenger base. The tender required bidders to provide staff names and qualifications, so operators should be ready to evidence suitably qualified personnel. The service was awarded to a large bus operator after one bid, indicating that scale, fleet capacity and proven transport delivery are important competitive factors.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

King's Buildings Shuttle Bus Service

Notice Description

The University of Edinburgh requires the provision of a shuttle bus service operating between Bristo Square and the King's Buildings Campus.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The University of Edinburgh requires the provision of a shuttle bus service operating between the Bristo Square and the King's Buildings Campus. The current service operates two double-decker buses running continuously across the day throughout the entire academic year, from early September to late May. During this time, the number of trips remains the same, however usage of the service reduces in April, May and December as student numbers reduce due to Christmas holidays and completion of studies.

Renewal: The total potential length for this contract is four years. This will be broken into four 12 month periods (1+1+1+1), to be activated at the University's discretion.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05e8d7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075804-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
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
Not specified
Contracts Value
£1,098,240 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
21 May 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
2 Mar 2026Expired
Award Date
2 Jul 20261 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
University Of Edinburgh
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
EDINBURGH
Postcode
EH1 1HT
Postcode Area
Edinburgh
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM13 City of Edinburgh
Delivery Location
TLM75 City of Edinburgh
Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Electoral Ward
City Centre
Westminster Constituency
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Lothian Buses Ltd

Further Information

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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