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Mass Transit Framework

West of England Combined Authority

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

04 Sep 2026 at 08:43

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The West of England Combined Authority is developing a proposed Mass Transit Framework to support its Mass Transit Programme across the West of England. The procurement is for transport services, covering future work associated with the programme and its anticipated pipeline. The framework is intended to support delivery at the scale, pace and complexity required by the programme, with suppliers contributing to emerging delivery arrangements. Work is expected to be delivered across the West of England, with the authority based in Bristol. The programme may involve collaboration across different parts of the supply chain, including the integration and sharing of information and designs. This is a public-sector transport services requirement for organisations able to support a major regional mass-transit programme.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the authority is undertaking preliminary market engagement and has not issued an invitation to tender. It is considering a framework agreement, with the future contract period currently planned from 1 June 2027 to 1 July 2030. The programme is supported by a £150 million Transport for City Regions allocation for mass transit; this is programme funding rather than a stated contract value. An in-person Industry Engagement Day is planned for 21 September 2026, from 09:30 to 11:30, at 70 Redcliff Street, Redcliffe, Bristol. Suppliers interested in attending are asked to register by 9 September 2026, providing attendee names and job titles. Further one-to-one supplier engagement is planned after the event. Participation will not affect later evaluation or selection.

The developing framework is likely to suit transport operators, infrastructure and programme delivery specialists, engineering and design businesses, project and programme managers, and firms with relevant mass-transit supply-chain expertise. WECA is seeking evidence of capacity and capability to support a substantial future pipeline, including the ability to manage resource and capacity constraints. Suppliers with experience of collaborative delivery models, subcontracting, consortia and coordinated supply chains should be well placed to contribute. The authority also wants practical views on working alongside other suppliers and sharing or integrating information and designs across programme elements. Businesses able to advise a public-sector client on effective framework structures, attractive future opportunities, delivery barriers and lessons learned may find the engagement particularly relevant.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Mass Transit Framework

Notice Description

The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is undertaking preliminary market engagement to support the development of its proposed Mass Transit Framework. As the Mass Transit Programme continues to develop, WECA is seeking to engage with the market at an early stage to better understand supplier capacity, capability and views on how the market can effectively support the scale, pace and complexity of the programme ahead. The programme is supported by a PS150 million Transport for City Regions (TCR) allocation for Mass Transit, reflecting the scale of investment and delivery ambition over the coming years. As part of this preliminary market engagement, WECA will hold an in-person Industry Engagement Day on 21 September 2026. Event details Date: 21 September 2026 Format: In person Venue: Ground Floor, 70 Redcliff Street, Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6AL Time: 09:30-11:30 WECA's preference is for suppliers to attend the event in person to support an open and collaborative discussion. However, where reasonable adjustments are required to enable participation, WECA will consider arrangements for hybrid attendance. Suppliers should identify any such requirements when registering their interest. The event will provide an opportunity for WECA to share further context on the Mass Transit Programme, emerging requirements and anticipated future pipeline of work, while also hearing directly from the market about how the proposed framework and future delivery arrangements can be structured as effectively as possible. In particular, WECA is interested in exploring: * The market's capacity and capability to support the Mass Transit Programme and its anticipated pipeline; * Current and emerging resource and capacity constraints, and how these could be addressed; * Opportunities for greater collaboration across the supply chain, including approaches to subcontracting, consortia and other delivery models; * How suppliers can work effectively alongside one another, including the sharing and integration of information and designs across different elements of the programme; * What the West of England Combined Authority can do as a client to make the proposed framework and future opportunities attractive and effective for the supply chain; and * Any other barriers, opportunities or lessons learned that should inform WECA's approach. The Industry Engagement Day will be designed as an open and collaborative discussion and will include a roundtable session, giving participants the opportunity to provide feedback and help inform WECA's developing approach. Further supplier engagement Following the Industry Engagement Day, WECA will undertake further one-to-one engagement with suppliers to explore relevant themes arising from the event in greater detail. There will be opportunity to book-in these further one-to-one sessions on the day. Details of any further engagement, including how suppliers can express an interest in participating and how sessions will be managed if demand exceeds available capacity, will be communicated following the Industry Engagement Day. Participation in this preliminary market engagement, including attendance at the Industry Engagement Day or any subsequent engagement, will not form part of any future procurement evaluation or supplier selection process and will not provide any supplier with an advantage in any subsequent procurement. Registering interest Suppliers interested in attending the Industry Engagement Day should respond through this notice by Wednesday 9 September 2026, providing the names and job titles of the proposed attendees. We see this as an important opportunity to have an open conversation for this major programme of work about how we can work better together and ensure that the Mass Transit Programme is positioned to draw on the capacity, capability and expertise available across the market. We look forward to seeing you on 21 September.

Planning Information

Please refer to the above engagement information

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f1c5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083699-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

CPV Codes

60000000 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Jun 2027 - 1 Jul 2030 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
West of England 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
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS1 6AL
Postcode Area
Bristol
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK51 Bristol, City of
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Bristol, City of
Electoral Ward
Central
Westminster Constituency
Bristol Central

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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