--- title: "Special Educational Needs Home to School Transport Service - Soft Market Testing" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-1ce9b317-3c5f-4e93-ad7e-5764816b7c7d" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-1ce9b317-3c5f-4e93-ad7e-5764816b7c7d" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1ce9b317-3c5f-4e93-ad7e-5764816b7c7d.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1ce9b317-3c5f-4e93-ad7e-5764816b7c7d.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "OLDHAM COUNCIL" published: "2021-10-18" --- # Special Educational Needs Home to School Transport Service - Soft Market Testing Buyer: OLDHAM COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-1ce9b317-3c5f-4e93-ad7e-5764816b7c7d [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-1ce9b317-3c5f-4e93-ad7e-5764816b7c7d) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1ce9b317-3c5f-4e93-ad7e-5764816b7c7d.json) ## Summary The procurement process involves Oldham Council as the buying organisation, seeking to engage suppliers for the "Special Educational Needs Home to School Transport Service" through a soft market testing initiative. This is part of the planning stage of procurement in the public road transport services industry, with an estimated contract value of £12,600,000. Key activities are scheduled to take place until the engagement end date on 8th November 2021. Services are set to be delivered in the England region, focusing on transporting approximately 800 pupils with special educational needs, disabilities, or mobility issues. This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in passenger transport services, particularly those that provide transport for individuals with special needs. Companies experienced in operating taxis, adapted vehicles, or multi-passenger minibuses would be particularly well-suited to compete. The contract is aimed at fostering inclusive transport solutions while ensuring cost-effectiveness and value for money, making it relevant for both small and medium-sized enterprises as well as voluntary, community, and social enterprises to engage with the council’s transport objectives. ## Notice The SEN Transport Team provides the current provision for Home to School Transport. The service currently transports approximately 800 pupils with either special educational needs, disabilities or because of their mobility issues, they cannot be expected to walk to school. This results in approximately 200 routes per day. The service operates over 190 school days as determined by the School Holidays Calendar, published by Oldham Family Information Service considering other occasional days determined by individual schools governing bodies. All pupils with SEN are provided with free travel assistance, in accordance with the Council's current Home to School Transport Policy (March 2018), IPSEA Legal guidance and the Education Act 1996. The provision of transport is determined by the needs of the individual pupil. Those with severe and complex health, physical or educational needs can be transported by either individual taxis or adapted vehicles. Children or young people with less severe needs ordinarily travel via a multi-passenger minibus. SEN Transport Policy aims are to ensure that all pupils who are eligible to access transport, will receive the appropriate provision which meets the identified needs of each individual child or young person. When assigning the appropriate provision to be provided, the Transport Moderation panel consistently applies the following principles: * The aim of the service is to support parents, not absolve them of their responsibility to ensure their child attends school on time with regular attendance. * The SEN Transport team ensures all arrangements put in place shall be cost-effective, so the Authority receives value for money. * Wherever possible, the provision provided will look to build and promote independence, to help prepare children and young people for later life. * The health, safety and well-being of the children and young people will remain paramount. 9 Organisations are also invited to a Supplier Engagement Event, more information can be found on the Chest portal (https://www.the-chest.org.uk/) under reference DN576811. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/61622284-8b51-40f8-bebf-9121b6d3e7a5 | | Notice type | Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 18 Oct 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 8 Nov 2021 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £12,600,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | OLDHAM COUNCIL | | Locality | OLDHAM | | Post town | Oldham | | Postcode | OL1 1UT | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLD3 Greater Manchester | | ITL 3 | TLD37 Greater Manchester North East | | Local authority | Oldham | | Electoral ward | Coldhurst | | Westminster constituency | Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton | | Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport) ### Codes - 60112000 - Public road transport services - 60130000 - Special-purpose road passenger-transport services - 60170000 - Hire of passenger transport vehicles with driver ## Release History - 18 Oct 2021 at 16:15 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/61622284-8b51-40f8-bebf-9121b6d3e7a5 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/61622284-8b51-40f8-bebf-9121b6d3e7a5 18th October 2021 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder ## Notice URLs - http://www.oldham.gov.uk/ - https://www.the-chest.org.uk/ ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-1ce9b317-3c5f-4e93-ad7e-5764816b7c7d. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1ce9b317-3c5f-4e93-ad7e-5764816b7c7d.json.