---
title: "The provision of an operator to provide Home to School SEND transport routes"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-664726e0-80fa-46e2-8764-e1033d4b4bc1"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-664726e0-80fa-46e2-8764-e1033d4b4bc1"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-664726e0-80fa-46e2-8764-e1033d4b4bc1.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-664726e0-80fa-46e2-8764-e1033d4b4bc1.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "SUNDERLAND CITY COUNCIL"
published: "2026-01-07"
---

# The provision of an operator to provide Home to School SEND transport routes

Buyer: SUNDERLAND CITY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-664726e0-80fa-46e2-8764-e1033d4b4bc1

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## Summary

Sunderland City Council, as the buying organisation, has completed a procurement process titled "The provision of an operator to provide Home to School SEND transport routes" in the services category, specifically pertaining to minibuses. This direct award procurement saw the contract awarded to The Ascent Academies' Trust, with operations based in the North East region of the United Kingdom. The contract period starts on 11th November 2024 and concludes on 10th November 2027, marking it as an active award stage in the procurement process, with a total value of £43,200.

This procurement project offers significant business growth opportunities, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary community and social enterprises (VCSEs), as the award process favours these entities. Companies specialising in transportation services for educational institutions, particularly in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) transport, are well-suited to compete for similar opportunities. The requirement for specialised transport solutions in this field highlights potential growth areas for businesses that can offer innovative and reliable services in alignment with the objectives set by organisations like Sunderland City Council.

## Notice

The provision of an operator to provide Home to School SEND transport routes

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/cb541674-f76c-4436-9755-d308ad84b19a |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Other - Direct Award |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 7 Jan 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 10 Nov 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 11 Nov 2024 |
| Contract period | 11 Nov 2024 - 10 Nov 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £43,200 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £43,200 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SUNDERLAND CITY COUNCIL |
| Locality | SUNDERLAND |
| Post town | Sunderland |
| Postcode | SR2 7DN |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear |
| ITL 3 | TLC44 Sunderland |
| Local authority | Sunderland |
| Electoral ward | Southwick |
| Westminster constituency | Sunderland Central |
| Delivery location | TLC North East (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | THE ASCENT ACADEMIES' TRUST |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

### Codes

- 34114400 - Minibuses

## Release History

- 7 Jan 2026 at 11:53 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/cb541674-f76c-4436-9755-d308ad84b19a

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/cb541674-f76c-4436-9755-d308ad84b19a
  7th January 2026 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## 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-b5fd17-664726e0-80fa-46e2-8764-e1033d4b4bc1. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-664726e0-80fa-46e2-8764-e1033d4b4bc1.json.