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Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority - Bus Feasibility Programme

Cheshire West and Chester Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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03 Sep 2026 at 09:29

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Cheshire West and Chester Council procured client-side advisory services for the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority’s bus reform feasibility programme. The work supports the shaping, management and oversight of feasibility studies across the sub-region, ensuring that the work is properly scoped, delivered consistently and produces a robust evidence base for future mayoral decision-making. The supplier is expected to advise on the overall commissioning approach, including whether to commission separate studies for Cheshire East and Warrington, procure two studies through one process and provider using a common methodology and reporting framework, or undertake one Cheshire and Warrington-wide study with local analysis. This is transport systems consultancy, covering Cheshire and Warrington in the North West of England.

The procurement is complete and was awarded directly without competition as a below-threshold contract. One lot was awarded to Purcell Advisory Limited. The award is active and dated 1 September 2026. The contract was signed on 1 September 2026 and runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 May 2027. Its value is £52,000 excluding VAT and £62,400 including VAT. The requirement covers one combined programme of client-side support and transport consultancy services for bus feasibility work. The selected supplier is an SME. The procurement used a direct route rather than an open or competitive tender, so the published outcome reflects a single-supplier award rather than a comparison of competing bids.

This procurement indicates demand from Cheshire West and Chester Council for specialist advisers who can support public-sector bus reform and feasibility programmes from definition through oversight. A credible future supplier would need transport systems consultancy experience, particularly in bus networks, transport reform, feasibility studies and evidence-led options appraisal. It would need to help public bodies choose and manage an appropriate delivery model, coordinate work across more than one local authority area, establish consistent methodologies and reporting, and turn technical studies into clear evidence for senior or mayoral decisions. Useful capability would include client-side programme management, commissioning strategy, stakeholder coordination and the ability to compare separate, shared and sub-regional study models. The opportunity also shows that an SME-scale consultancy can meet this type of requirement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority - Bus Feasibility Programme

Notice Description

Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority has secured DfT funding to undertake bus reform feasibility work across the sub-region. We are now looking for some client-side support to help shape, manage and oversee this programme of work on behalf of the Combined Authority. The role would be more than simply project management. We are looking for support to help ensure that the work is properly scoped, delivered in a consistent way and ultimately provides a robust evidence base to inform future mayoral decision-making. One of the key areas where we'd welcome advice is on the overall approach to commissioning the feasibility work. At this stage, we have not reached a final view on the delivery model and would welcome recommendations on the relative merits of: * Commissioning separate studies for Cheshire East and Warrington, with mechanisms to ensure strong alignment between them. * Procuring two separate studies but through a single procurement process and provider, using a common methodology and reporting framework. * Undertaking a single Cheshire and Warrington-wide feasibility study with localised analysis for each area.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f0e2
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083293-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

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
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£52,000 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 31 May 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Cheshire West and Chester 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
ELLESMERE PORT
Postcode
CH65 0BA
Postcode Area
Chester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD6 Cheshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD63 Cheshire West and Chester
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Cheshire West and Chester
Electoral Ward
Central & Grange
Westminster Constituency
Ellesmere Port and Bromborough

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

PURCELL ADVISORY LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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