{ "tag": [ "compiled" ], "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-066347-2026-03-05T15:11:12Z", "date": "2026-03-05T15:11:12Z", "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-066347", "initiationType": "tender", "parties": [ { "id": "GB-PPON-PGMD-1353-PZVX", "name": "West Midlands Combined Authority", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PGMD-1353-PZVX" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "16 Summer Lane", "locality": "Birmingham", "postalCode": "B19 3SD", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKG31" }, "contactPoint": { "name": "Procurement Team", "email": "Procurement.team@wmca.org.uk", "telephone": "+44 0" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "url": "https://www.wmca.org.uk/", "classifications": [ { "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PGMD-1353-PZVX", "name": "West Midlands Combined Authority" }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": "engagement", "description": "WMCA will be hosting an in-person Bus Operator Market Engagement event on Wednesday 15th April 2026, in the Birmingham City Centre region. The purpose of the day will be to: * Provide advance visibility of our proposed franchising programme and associated procurement timelines * Share initial information on our contract structure, service scope and delivery expectations * Gather feedback from the market to help inform and refine our procurement approach * Understand operator appetite, capacity and potential barriers to participation The event is open to Bus Operators and a maximum of 2 individuals per Operator organisation will be allowed to attend the PME event. Interested Operators should confirm their attendance to busreform@tfwm.org.uk and Emily.scott@wmca.org.uk by no later than 5pm on Friday 13th March, following which they will be sent an invitation with all the key details of the Market Engagement event shortly after. This notice does not constitute a call for competition. Transport operators will not be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to this notice and a response to this notice does not guarantee any invitation to participate in this event or any future procurement. Transport operators shall be responsible for their own costs incurred in connection with this market engagement exercise. The Bus Operator Market Engagement Day is not intended for consultancies, equipment suppliers or providers of supporting technical services.", "dueDate": "2026-04-15T23:59:59+01:00", "status": "scheduled" } ], "documents": [ { "id": "020016-2026", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020016-2026", "datePublished": "2026-03-05T15:11:12Z", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "tender": { "id": "DN807544", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "The West Midlands Franchising Scheme for Buses", "description": "In May 2025, the West Midlands Combined Authority (\"WMCA\") Board approved a transition to Bus Franchising Operating Model, following public consultation that saw 75% support for bringing buses back under public control. The objective of the Bus Franchising Programme is to move the West Midlands bus network from a deregulated system into public control. Successful transition will create the foundations for wider improvements to bus services and full integration with other modes of transport as set out in the Full Franchising Assessment (FFA) and detailed further in the Bus Franchising Prospectus. These support the overall vision for improving public transport in West Midlands. Under the future Franchising Operating Model, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) will design routes, specify hours of operation, set service standards and award Operator contracts following competitive procurements. The procurement of franchise contracts will be governed by the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23). The recommended route to market within the Bus Franchising Case is a 'Utilities Dynamic Market' (UDM). The UDM will allow the WMCA to pre-qualify prospective Operators. This will enable a prospective operator to submit a single pre-qualification response and, if successful, to remain pre-qualified for the remainder of the Franchising programme, entitling it to bid in all of the Tranches, reducing the need for WMCA to go back out to market each time. For the bidding phase, a competitive flexible procedure will be undertaken due to the flexibility it provides the WMCA, including being able to include a negotiation stage to the process. The key dates for each Tranche operations are below: * Tranche 1 - Autumn 2027 * Tranche 2 - Summer 2028 * Tranche 3 - Spring 2029 For the procurement process, there will be a mix of large and small franchises for Operators to be involved in. This information will be discussed on the Bus Operator Market Engagement Day.", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "60000000", "description": "Transport services (excl. Waste transport)" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "34000000", "description": "Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKG3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "value": { "amountGross": 1800000000, "amount": 1500000000, "currency": "GBP" }, "mainProcurementCategory": "services", "specialRegime": [ "utilities" ], "aboveThreshold": true, "techniques": { "hasDynamicPurchasingSystem": true }, "lots": [ { "id": "1", "suitability": { "sme": true, "vcse": true }, "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2027-10-24T00:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2032-03-24T23:59:59+00:00", "maxExtentDate": "2034-03-24T23:59:59+00:00" }, "hasRenewal": true, "status": "planning" } ], "communication": { "futureNoticeDate": "2026-06-29T23:59:59+01:00" }, "status": "planning" }, "language": "en" }