Planning

CN250575 - Concessionary Travel Management

KENT COUNTY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

19 Dec 2025 at 12:05

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

10 Dec 2025 at 16:05

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Kent County Council has initiated a procurement process titled "CN250575 - Concessionary Travel Management," focusing on services related to transport systems consultancy. The main objective is to seek commercial market responses to enhance management functions and services regarding concessionary travel schemes like the English National Concessionary scheme (ENCTS) and others such as the Kent Travel Saver. This planning stage, detailed in a market engagement notice, targets the region of Maidstone, UKJ4, with the contract period starting from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030, with possible extensions to 2032. The total project value is estimated at £720,000. The deadline for responding to the engagement notice is scheduled for 14 January 2026.

This procurement process provides a lucrative opportunity for enterprises specialising in transport systems consultancy services. Businesses with expertise in managing travel schemes, analysing data from transport operators, and interpreting complex transport-related legislation can significantly benefit from this tender. Companies adept at engaging with local authorities to provide cost-effective transport solutions, particularly those familiar with the handling of reimbursement systems and budget monitoring for public transport schemes, stand a good chance of competing successfully. The engagement involves managing a significant user base, including around 250,000 passholders and interactions with over 40 bus operators, offering extensive growth prospects for the right service providers.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

CN250575 - Concessionary Travel Management

Notice Description

Kent County Council is seeking responses from the commercial market to help shape the management functions and services in relation to administering its concessionary travel schemes; the English National Concessionary scheme (ENCTS) also known as the older persons and disabled persons bus pass, and other concessionary schemes, the Kent Travel Saver and 16+ Travel saver. Kent has traditionally engaged with the market, and commissioned contracts to deliver and support our operations of managing concessionary fare schemes. Key components provided by the commissioned supplier is to manage information obtained from bus operators to supplement forecasting concessionary passenger journeys but also includes capturing operator fare chart information and make use of the Department for Transport's (DFT) reimbursement calculator that informs budget setting and budget monitoring procedures. Additionally, our requirements are for the commissioned supplier to provide expert analysis and interpretation of complex legislation to respond to bus operator disputes and/ or challenges regarding the administration of specific concessionary schemes such as ENCTS. ENCTS: The ENCTS scheme is a devolved statutory scheme that is administered locally by concessionary travel authorities and local authorities. The requirement to deliver the scheme is underpinned by primary legislation within the Transport Act 1985 and within the Bus Concessionary Travel Act 2007. The purpose of the scheme is to provide free bus travel to those who reach pensionable age, and for eligible disabled users. Should users meet the relevant entry requirements determined by the Local Authority, they will be issued with a travel pass that can be used between specified times on bus services throughout the week. As part of the devolved responsibilities on Local Authorities, it is incumbent on them to make suitable arrangements for transport operators providing bus services to facilitate the ENCTS to be reimbursed in accordance with the formulas defined by national government. Local Authorities are required by law to reimburse bus operators for carrying concessionary passengers. In respect of the mandatory concession, Local Authorities must reimburse bus operators for all concessionary journeys starting within their boundaries on a 'no better and no worse off' basis, regardless of where the concessionary passholder making the journey is resident. Typically, Kent has circa 250,000 passholders that equates to circa 11mil journeys each year. Kent Travel Saver and 16+ Travel Saver: Kent offers concessionary travel schemes that support children and young people by providing a subsidised bus pass that can be used to enable access to their educational placement or for specific cohorts of service uses the opportunity to access work placements. The scheme requirements and definitions are determined by the Local Authority. For the Travel Saver scheme, it will support students in year groups 7-11 (secondary school provision), Monday to Friday between 6am and 7pm. Any journeys undertaken outside of the scheme days and times are not supported under the terms of the scheme. The 16+ Travel Saver scheme operates in a similar fashion to the Travel Saver scheme but provides unlimited travel to those young people aged between 16- 19. Each Travel Saver scheme has different contributions to be made by the service users subject to age and further concessions due to families on low-incomes or those within the care category. Further options are available for users that wish to pay for the scheme using direct debit facilities. The Travel Saver schemes have a combined total of more than 27,000 service users. As articulated above, Kent County Council has a large and diverse group of service users making use of the concessionary schemes and similarly engages and manages more than 40 bus operators delivering vital services around the county. To view this notice, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=1002524032

Planning Information

Kent County Council is seeking responses from the commercial market to help shape the management functions and services in relation to administering its concessionary travel schemes; the English National Concessionary scheme (ENCTS) also known as the older persons and disabled persons bus pass, and other concessionary schemes, the Kent Travel Saver and 16+ Travel saver. Kent has traditionally engaged with the market, and commissioned contracts to deliver and support our operations of managing concessionary fare schemes. Key components provided by the commissioned supplier is to manage information obtained from bus operators to supplement forecasting concessionary passenger journeys but also includes capturing operator fare chart information and make use of the Department for Transport’s (DFT) reimbursement calculator that informs budget setting and budget monitoring procedures. Additionally, our requirements are for the commissioned supplier to provide expert analysis and interpretation of complex legislation to respond to bus operator disputes and/ or challenges regarding the administration of specific concessionary schemes such as ENCTS.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f31b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084849-2025
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

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

71311200 - Transport systems consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£600,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Dec 20251 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
14 Jan 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Sep 2026 - 30 Sep 2030 4-5 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
KENT COUNTY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Cameron Croucher
Contact Email
cameron.croucher@kent.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
MAIDSTONE
Postcode
ME14 1XQ
Post Town
Rochester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ4 Kent
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ45 Mid Kent
Delivery Location
TLJ4 Kent
Local Authority
Maidstone
Electoral Ward
Penenden Heath
Westminster Constituency
Maidstone and Malling

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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