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Electrification Works at Bradford Depot

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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21 Aug 2026 at 18:26

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

West Yorkshire Combined Authority procured depot electrification works at Bradford Depot as part of introducing the Weaver Network and operating electric buses on local services under the West Yorkshire bus franchising scheme. The works are intended to provide the electrical infrastructure needed for electric bus operations at the depot. The requirement covers electrical installation, electrical wiring and fitting, electrical engineering installation, and electricity supply installations. Delivery is at Bradford Depot in West Yorkshire. Although the Combined Authority is funding the works, it treated the arrangement as a works contract because the electrification will ultimately benefit the authority. The procurement concerns one strategic depot and is linked to the authority’s wider bus franchising and air-quality objectives.

The procurement is complete and was awarded by direct award to First West Yorkshire Limited. The award is recorded as pending, with a gross and net value of £16,628,081. The contract period runs from 14 September 2026 to 25 June 2027, and the planned signature date is 14 September 2026. The Combined Authority justified the direct award on the basis that First has exclusive rights to occupy and access Bradford Depot, either as owner or through rights needed to operate bus services before franchising. It concluded that no other supplier could deliver the works at that site and that alternative locations were not viable. The procurement is above the applicable threshold and uses a single lot. The award is under a concession special regime.

This outcome indicates demand for substantial electrical infrastructure at bus depots supporting fleet electrification and franchised public transport. A credible future competitor for this buyer would need capability across electrical installation, wiring and fitting, electrical engineering, and electricity supply infrastructure, with the capacity to deliver a major depot-based works package. Relevant experience would include designing and installing infrastructure for electric buses or similarly high-demand vehicle charging environments, coordinating works within an operational depot, and delivering to a strategic transport programme. Suppliers would also need to assess site-access and occupation constraints carefully: the direct award was driven by the incumbent operator’s exclusive rights at Bradford Depot. This makes depot control, operator relationships and delivery in restricted operational environments commercially important.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Electrification Works at Bradford Depot

Notice Description

As part of the introduction of the Weaver Network in West Yorkshire, the Combined Authority intends that electric buses will operate from the Bradford Depot for the purposes of providing local services under the West Yorkshire bus franchising scheme. The Combined Authority is currently negotiating purchase of depots, but the Operator is likely to have exclusive access to the depot prior to franchised services commencing and the Combined Authority requires that the Operator procure the electrification works at the Depot to be in place prior to that. As a result, the Combined Authority intends to fund the electrification of the depot from the Joint Air Quality Unit and West Yorkshire Transport Fund. Whilst the Combined Authority has agreed to grant fund this electrification, it acknowledges that, as the works will ultimately benefit the Combined Authority the funding agreement could be viewed as a Works contract, and therefore the Combined Authority has chosen to comply with the Procurement Act 2023 in procuring the funding and delivery of these Works. The works consist of Electrification works.

Procurement Information

At the point of award and commencement of works, First will have exclusive rights in respect of access to the depot, either as owner of the depot, or, where First has sold the depot to the Combined Authority, through its rights of quiet enjoyment to deliver its bus services prior to the introduction of franchising. As a result, the Combined Authority is unable to procure the Works at the depot from any other party, due to First's exclusive rights of occupation. Whilst the Combined Authority has considered whether the Works can be delivered at other locations this will not achieve the overall franchising strategy of the Combined Authority which requires certain strategic depots to be electrified. Delaying the works until the Combined Authority has greater control over the depot would mean that electrification was not delivered by the time franchised services commenced and would therefore fail to deliver the Combined Authority's policy objectives for the procurement. As a result, the Combined Authority therefore intend to direct award in accordance with paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 Procurement Act 2023 on the basis that First's exclusive rights mean that they are the only party that can deliver the Works, and there are not viable alternatives to deliver of the Works at this site.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06ea01
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080109-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Works
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work

CPV Codes

45310000 - Electrical installation work

45311000 - Electrical wiring and fitting work

45315100 - Electrical engineering installation works

45315300 - Electricity supply installations

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£16,628,081 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Aug 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
21 Aug 20265 days ago
Contract Period
14 Sep 2026 - 25 Jun 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LEEDS
Postcode
LS1 2DE
Postcode Area
Leeds
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE4 West Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE42 Leeds
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Leeds
Electoral Ward
Little London & Woodhouse
Westminster Constituency
Leeds Central and Headingley

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

First West Yorkshire Limited

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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