Award

Bus Route 33/X33

MILTON KEYNES CITY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

21 Apr 2026 at 12:16

Tender

02 Feb 2026 at 09:46

Summary of the contracting process

Milton Keynes City Council is conducting a public procurement process to award a contract for operating the Bus Route 33/X33, which connects Milton Keynes and Northampton. As of April 2026, the procurement has progressed to the award and contract stage with the process having been initiated through an open procedure tender. The council did not engage the market prior to tender submission due to having developed a thorough service specification. The successful bidder will begin the contract on 1st June 2026, with the initial term lasting one year, and the possibility of two additional one-year extensions subject to funding confirmation. The procurement is within the scope of public road transport services, with a regulation requiring the provider to hold a valid operator licence. The standstill period concludes at the end of April 2026.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in transport services, specifically those with expertise and licences in public road transport, to expand their operations within the UK. With an overall contract budget exceeding £1 million, there is ample scope for growth and sustainable operation. Companies experienced in offering competitive pricing combined with high-quality service provision will be in a favourable position to succeed. Additionally, businesses that are capable of easily navigating open tenders and can adhere to Milton Keynes City Council's tendering requirements will find this opportunity lucrative. Given the initial one-year term with potential extensions, this contract offers solid growth prospects for operators ready to engage with local government transport needs.

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How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Bus Route 33/X33

Notice Description

The Council is seeking an Operator for the replacement service Milton Keynes-Northampton 33/X33 Bus Route. The operator is required to comply with the detail as laid put in the service specification . The contract will be for an initial term of 1 year with an option to extend for a two extensions of 12 month each with the successful tenderer The Council has not engaged with the market prior to issuing the ITT as it has already developed the most appropriate specification for the works they require to be procured. The market is regulated and the provider must hold a current valid operator license

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: option for the Council to extend for two extensions of 12 month each

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0613c7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036070-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award 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
£1,400,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,400,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£1,037,610 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Apr 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
27 Feb 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
1 Apr 20263 weeks ago
Contract Period
31 May 2026 - 31 May 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
2028-11-01

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
MILTON KEYNES CITY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MILTON KEYNES
Postcode
MK9 3EJ
Post Town
Milton Keynes
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ12 Milton Keynes
Delivery Location
TLJ12 Milton Keynes

Local Authority
Milton Keynes
Electoral Ward
Central Milton Keynes
Westminster Constituency
Milton Keynes Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ARRIVA THE SHIRES

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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