Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Diamond 4 De Minimis Contract

Leicestershire County Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

24 Aug 2026 at 12:23

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

14 Aug 2026 at 15:01

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Leicestershire County Council procured public road transport services for the Diamond 4 bus service between Ashby and Burton. The requirement concerns operation of a local bus service, with funding split equally between Leicestershire County Council and the East Midlands Combined County Authority. Delivery is in Leicestershire and supports public passenger transport provision along the Ashby–Burton route. The buying organisation is Leicestershire County Council, a sub-central public authority. The service falls within the transport services category and is suited to small and medium-sized enterprises. The selected operator, Diamond Bus (East Midlands) Ltd, is a bus company based in Oldbury. The procurement relates to a single service requirement rather than separately described goods, construction works or multiple service lots.

The procurement has been awarded and the tender is complete. Leicestershire County Council made a direct award to DIAMOND BUS (EAST MIDLANDS) LTD on 17 August 2026. The award value is £230,000 gross, in pounds sterling. The awarded contract period runs from 4 September 2026 to 19 August 2027. A signature milestone was scheduled for 4 September 2026. The council used a direct-award procedure under the de minimis arrangements for bus service subsidies, relying on the Transport Act and related 2004 regulations. The stated rationale permits local authorities to use de minimis contracts within the applicable subsidy limits. The contract is associated with a framework agreement, although the award was made directly. One completed lot was awarded, with public road transport services as the classified requirement.

This award shows a defined requirement for an established bus operator able to run a local public passenger transport service between Ashby and Burton. A credible future competitor would need operational capacity for scheduled bus services, suitable vehicles, qualified driving and maintenance arrangements, and the systems needed to manage reliable day-to-day delivery. Experience of publicly supported bus routes and working with local authorities would be directly relevant, particularly where service performance, continuity and coordination with public funding arrangements matter. The buyer accepted an SME supplier, so the opportunity is not limited to the largest transport groups. Suppliers should also understand de minimis subsidy arrangements and direct-award routes in the bus sector, as well as the council’s use of framework-based procurement mechanisms for transport requirements.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Diamond 4 De Minimis Contract

Notice Description

Diamond 4 De Minimis Contract Ashby- Burton. 50-50 funding split between Leicestershire County council and EMCCA

Procurement Information

This contract is exempt from the Procurement Act 2023 regulations as they are awarded on a De Minimis basis as provided for under the Transport Act and Service Subsidy Agreements (Tendering) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004. Local authorities or Passenger Transport Authorities/Executives with forecast expenditure on bus service subsidies in any one year of PS600,000 or more will be able to spend up to 25% of this on de minimis contracts; within this 25% there is no limit on the expenditure in any year with any single operator.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e4cf
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080297-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

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
£230,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Aug 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
14 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
4 Sep 2026 - 19 Aug 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Leicestershire County 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
LEICESTER
Postcode
LE3 8RA
Postcode Area
Leicester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF22 Leicestershire CC and Rutland
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Blaby
Electoral Ward
Glenfield Faire
Westminster Constituency
Mid Leicestershire

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

DIAMOND BUS (EAST MIDLANDS) LTD

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...