--- title: "Opportunity: UK-Wide Minibus Driver Training Services" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-747bd7ee-d5ba-460e-9384-3bb080c67b49" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-747bd7ee-d5ba-460e-9384-3bb080c67b49" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-747bd7ee-d5ba-460e-9384-3bb080c67b49.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-747bd7ee-d5ba-460e-9384-3bb080c67b49.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "The Salvation Army" published: "2026-09-01" --- # Opportunity: UK-Wide Minibus Driver Training Services Buyer: The Salvation Army Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-747bd7ee-d5ba-460e-9384-3bb080c67b49 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-747bd7ee-d5ba-460e-9384-3bb080c67b49) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-747bd7ee-d5ba-460e-9384-3bb080c67b49.json) ## Summary The Salvation Army is planning to procure UK-wide minibus driver training services, covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey. The service will support approximately 52 minibuses, which operate across diverse services and locations. Training is intended for officers, employees and volunteers who drive these vehicles, with passengers including vulnerable people with different mobility and support needs. The scope is expected to include new-driver theory and practical training, refresher training every two years, accessible-minibus and wheelchair-equipment training, individual and group driver assessments, passenger safety, safeguarding, first aid and emergency procedures. It will also cover certification of competent drivers, reassessment where needed, and a live dashboard showing completed and forthcoming training. This is specialist, vocational and safety training. This procurement is at the planning stage: The Salvation Army has stated an intention to procure and is undertaking early market engagement rather than inviting tenders. It expects to seek expressions of interest by 30 September 2026, with the engagement scheduled to end on that date. The eventual procurement is described as a tender, but the planned procurement method, contract period, award criteria and contract value have not been settled in this process. Businesses should treat the stated timing as indicative market-engagement planning, not as a tender deadline. The buyer has asked established providers to express interest and review the scope before the requirement reaches the market. The procurement is identified as specialist training services, including vocational and safety training. The work is likely to suit established training providers able to deliver consistently across multiple UK and island locations, including organisations that can support both individual and group courses. Relevant providers will need appropriately qualified instructors, recognised accreditation and proven experience delivering training across multiple sites. The buyer is looking for capability in minibus driving, passenger safety, safeguarding, first aid, emergency procedures, accessible transport and wheelchair equipment. Providers should be prepared to assess new and existing drivers, certify competence, arrange reassessments and maintain reliable records through a live training dashboard. Robust safeguarding arrangements, valid Enhanced DBS checks for instructors and appropriate insurance are expected requirements. The opportunity is identified as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises, subject to meeting these national delivery and quality requirements. ## Notice The Salvation Army invites suitably qualified and accredited organisations to tender for the provision of minibus driver training across the UK and Northern Ireland. The Salvation Army operates approximately 52 minibuses, subject to change, which support a diverse range of services and locations. Drivers include officers, employees and volunteers, and passengers may include vulnerable individuals with differing mobility and support needs. The required service will include: * new-driver theory and practical training; * two-yearly refresher training; * accessible-minibus and wheelchair equipment training; * individual and group driver assessments; * passenger safety, safeguarding, first aid and emergency procedures; * certification of competent drivers; * reassessment arrangements where required; and * a live dashboard showing completed and forthcoming training. The successful provider must demonstrate national delivery capacity, recognised accreditation, appropriately qualified instructors, relevant multi-site delivery experience, appropriate insurance, robust safeguarding arrangements and valid Enhanced DBS checks for instructors. Who Should Apply: We invite expressions of interest from established training providers with proven experience. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b82b1b49-87ca-41e1-9d85-a5714f9d203c | | 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 | 1 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 30 Sep 2026 | | 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 | The Salvation Army | | Locality | LONDON | | Postcode area | South East London | | Postcode | SE5 8FJ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East | | ITL 3 | TLI44 Lewisham and Southwark | | Local authority | Southwark | | Electoral ward | Champion Hill | | Westminster constituency | Dulwich and West Norwood | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 80 - Education and training services ### Codes - 80510000 - Specialist training services - 80530000 - Vocational training services - 80550000 - Safety training services ## Release History - 1 Sep 2026 at 11:38 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b82b1b49-87ca-41e1-9d85-a5714f9d203c ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b82b1b49-87ca-41e1-9d85-a5714f9d203c 1st September 2026 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/997cc2b4-7b64-4ded-a219-80c10a14c1a2 Please review the scope of work attached. - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/0459cae3-3920-4cd4-af8d-4cc15ad2ff8d Please complete and return the expression of interest by 30 September 2026 ## 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-b5fd17-747bd7ee-d5ba-460e-9384-3bb080c67b49. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-747bd7ee-d5ba-460e-9384-3bb080c67b49.json.