---
title: "Pre-Tender Market Engagement - Rural Bus Network"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-418b2101-7dc7-492d-93de-bc5216da33e5"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-418b2101-7dc7-492d-93de-bc5216da33e5"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-418b2101-7dc7-492d-93de-bc5216da33e5.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-418b2101-7dc7-492d-93de-bc5216da33e5.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "BEDFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL"
published: "2021-11-12"
---

# Pre-Tender Market Engagement - Rural Bus Network

Buyer: BEDFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-418b2101-7dc7-492d-93de-bc5216da33e5

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## Summary

The Bedford Borough Council is initiating a pre-tender market engagement process for the Rural Bus Network, classified under the CPV code 60170000, which encompasses the hire of passenger transport vehicles with drivers. The engagement session will occur virtually on 23rd November 2021, with an engagement end date set for 19th November 2021. This initiative aims to gather insights from bus operators and better understand risks and interests within the industry to inform the forthcoming tender, ensuring a more attractive proposal for bidders. The session will be hosted via Microsoft Teams, and interested parties must express their interest through the Council's e-procurement portal.

This pre-tender engagement presents valuable opportunities for growth for bus operators, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs). Those in the transport and logistics sector should consider participation, as the insights gained from this engagement will shape the competitive tender process. By contributing to this dialogue, businesses can position themselves favourably for future contracts when the main tender is released by the Bedford Borough Council.

## Notice

Pre-Tender Market Engagement - Rural Bus Network Bedford Borough Council is looking to re-tender its Rural Bus Network Contract and invites bus operators to attend a Market Engagement session on Tuesday 23rd November. The purpose of this Market Engagement session is to provide a brief overview of the requirements, to gain feedback and to better understand the current risks, interest and to seek ideas from the market to ensure the Council can develop Tender that will be attractive to bidders whilst ensuring the Rural Bus Network is better served. The market engagement session will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 23rd November. Please express your interest in attending via the Councils e-procurement portal (In-Tend). Please see the link below. https://in-tendhost.co.uk/bedford/aspx/ProjectManage/2693 Please register your interest in attending by Friday 19th November 2021.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/995dca18-5c90-43d8-9e74-b538985fd887 |
| 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 | 12 Nov 2021 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 19 Nov 2021 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| 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 | BEDFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL |
| Locality | BEDFORD |
| Post town | Milton Keynes |
| Postcode | MK42 9AP |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLH24 Bedford |
| Local authority | Bedford |
| Electoral ward | Cauldwell |
| Westminster constituency | Bedford |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 60170000 - Hire of passenger transport vehicles with driver

## Release History

- 12 Nov 2021 at 12:54 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/995dca18-5c90-43d8-9e74-b538985fd887

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/995dca18-5c90-43d8-9e74-b538985fd887
  12th November 2021 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder

## Notice URLs

- https://in-tendhost.co.uk/bedford/aspx/ProjectManage/2693

## 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-b5fd17-418b2101-7dc7-492d-93de-bc5216da33e5. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-418b2101-7dc7-492d-93de-bc5216da33e5.json.