Notice Information
Notice Title
Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - School and Special Transport Open Framework
Notice Description
Bedford Borough Council has a statutory duty to provide free home to school travel for compulsory school-aged children who meet nationally prescribed eligibility criteria and for post-16 students who meet locally determined criteria. To fulfil this duty, the Council commissions transport services from external providers using a range of vehicle types to meet the diverse needs of routes and individual passengers. In addition, the School and Specialist Transport Team arranges transport for a range of Adult and Children's Social Care requirements, including contact sessions, day services, and respite provision. To support the efficient and compliant procurement of these services, the Council is establishing a new Open Framework to replace the existing Passenger Transport Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). Bedford Borough Council is undertaking Preliminary Market Engagement in relation to the establishment of this new Open Framework for the provision of Home to School, Specialist Transport, and related passenger transport services. The Framework will replace the Council's existing Passenger Transport Dynamic Purchasing System and will be used to procure transport services for eligible children, young people, adults and other service users as required. The Council is publishing this notice to inform the market of the proposed procurement, provide an overview of the service requirements, and invite interested providers to engage with the opportunity. The procurement process is expected to be conducted electronically through the ADAM eProcurement System, with approved providers being eligible to participate in future call-off opportunities under the Open Framework. Indicative timescales are: Publication of procurement documents: Early September 2026 Evaluation of applications: October 2026 Notification of framework admission outcomes: November 2026 Framework award and commencement: November/ December 2026 These dates are indicative only and may be subject to change. This notice does not commence the procurement process and is intended solely to support market awareness and engagement ahead of the formal tender opportunity. Interested providers are encouraged to register their interest and participate in the forthcoming procurement opportunity when advertised.
Planning Information
Providers currently operating under the existing Passenger Transport DPS have been informed of the Council's intention to re-procure these services. This UK2 Preliminary Market Engagement Notice constitutes the Council's market engagement activity and is published to raise awareness of the forthcoming opportunity and provide all interested suppliers with an opportunity to submit comments and clarification questions. No further market engagement events are planned. Suppliers may submit comments and clarification questions via email to ian.fraser@bedford.gov.uk by the deadline stated in this notice. Responses may be shared with all interested suppliers to ensure transparency and equal access to information. Participation in this engagement is voluntary and will not be a condition of participation in any subsequent procurement process. The Council may use feedback received to inform the procurement strategy and tender documentation and reserves the right to amend its requirements and procurement approach accordingly. Please see below clarification questions and responses received from providers after publication of this notice: 1. How can we participate in the preliminary market engagement process. The published UK2 Preliminary Market Engagement Notice constitutes the Council's market engagement activity. Interested suppliers may participate by reviewing the information provided in this notice and submitting any comments or clarification questions via email to ian.fraser@bedford.gov.uk by the engagement deadline of 27 August 2026. No further market engagement events are planned. Participation is voluntary and is not a requirement for participation in the subsequent procurement process. 2. Whether there is a supplier questionnaire, expression of interest form or supplier engagement event that we should complete or attend. No. However, your expression of interest has been noted, and you will receive a confirmation email once the tender has been published and is live. 3. When the formal procurement for the School and Special Transport Open Framework is expected to be published. As per the notice beginning of September 2026. 4. Which procurement portal will be used for the formal tender. As per the notice ADAM platform. 5. Whether suppliers who express an interest at this stage will be notified once the framework opens for applications. Yes. All suppliers who register their interest during this stage will be notified by email when the framework opens for applications and the tender notice is published. 6. Whether there are any specific licensing, vehicle, driver, passenger assistant, DBS, safeguarding or training requirements that prospective suppliers should begin preparing for in advance. Licensing requirements will vary depending on the vehicle type; however, all Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) Operator Licences and Hackney Carriage Driver Licences must be issued by Bedford Borough Council, while Public Service Vehicle (PSV) Licences must be issued within the East of England region. Passenger Assistants will be required to hold PATS training delivered by a Community Transport Association-approved provider. Safeguarding training must be completed through BlueLight. In addition, all drivers and Passenger Assistants will be required to obtain a Bedford Borough Council Transport Team badge, which involves providing the necessary documentation and successfully completing an English language assessment. 7. Will suppliers be required to already hold a valid Bedford Borough Council Private Hire Operator Licence at the point of submitting their tender/application to the framework, or would an operator licence application that is already in progress be acceptable pending approval? If you have a current operators licence you can upload and we have assurance from our Licensing team that an application has been submitted then we can accept that to join the framework, with the condition that a BBC licence would be in place before you could win/start any call-offs.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-06e9b8
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082023-2026
- Current Stage
- Planning
- All Stages
- Planning
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
- Procurement Type
- Dynamic, Framework
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Not Specified
- Procurement Method Details
- Not specified
- Tender Suitability
- SME, VCSE
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
-
- CPV Codes
34110000 - Passenger cars
60112000 - Public road transport services
60120000 - Taxi services
60130000 - Special-purpose road passenger-transport services
60140000 - Non-scheduled passenger transport
60171000 - Hire of passenger cars with driver
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 28 Aug 20264 days ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- 4 Sep 20262 days to go
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 1 Dec 2026 - 30 Nov 2029 3-4 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
- Bedford Borough 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
- BEDFORD
- Postcode
- MK42 9AP
- Postcode Area
- Milton Keynes
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLH East (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLH24 Bedford
- Delivery Location
- TLH24 Bedford
-
- Local Authority
- Bedford
- Electoral Ward
- Cauldwell
- Westminster Constituency
- Bedford
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082023-2026
28th August 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079984-2026
21st August 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
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.