--- title: "SS15 96 DPS - Supported Local Bus (including Kent Karrier) and Home to School Transport Services" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-beb62e8f-47f7-4cf3-bed7-32d5a7a8e1b1" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-beb62e8f-47f7-4cf3-bed7-32d5a7a8e1b1" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-beb62e8f-47f7-4cf3-bed7-32d5a7a8e1b1.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-beb62e8f-47f7-4cf3-bed7-32d5a7a8e1b1.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "KENT COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2025-12-18" --- # SS15 96 DPS - Supported Local Bus (including Kent Karrier) and Home to School Transport Services Buyer: KENT COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-beb62e8f-47f7-4cf3-bed7-32d5a7a8e1b1 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-beb62e8f-47f7-4cf3-bed7-32d5a7a8e1b1) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-beb62e8f-47f7-4cf3-bed7-32d5a7a8e1b1.json) ## Summary Kent County Council, the largest county council in England, is undertaking a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for supported local bus services and home to school transport services. This process was initiated on 1st January 2017 and is now being extended from 31st December 2027 to 23rd February 2029 to ensure service continuity. The total value of this DPS is £100 million, covering an extensive area in the South East of the United Kingdom, with a key focus on road transport services. The procurement method is a selective, restricted procedure. The tender period concludes on 22nd February 2029, and the contract period will follow, starting on 23rd February 2029 and ending on 24th February 2029. This tender presents significant opportunities for business growth, particularly for SMEs and VCSEs specialised in transport services. Companies that are capable of providing public service or privately hired vehicles for transport services will have the potential to secure contracts through this DPS. Firms with the capacity to cater to the logistics of home to school transport for pupils meeting certain eligibility criteria will find this tender especially relevant. Through the DPS, businesses have the chance to expand their client base, improve operational efficiencies, and engage in long-term partnerships with Kent County Council, fostering both community connectivity and service delivery excellence. ## Notice Kent County Council (the Council) is the largest county council in England covering an area of 3,500 square kilometres. It has an annual expenditure of over PS1.6bn on goods and services and a population of 1.8m. The Council provides a wide range of personal and strategic services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district councils and over 300 parish/town councils. This requirement is from the Growth, Environment and Transport Directorate is for the provision of services operated using PSV or Community (Section 19 or 22) Bus Permits. The requirements relate to the Council's activity in respect of Supported Local Bus (including Kent Karrier) and Home to School Transport Services. Supported Bus services are procured for the delivery of socially necessary bus services (including Kent Karrier), where the authority will fund the provision of a local bus service which is not commercially viable, which would therefore not otherwise run but which the authority has identified as meeting a social need i.e. rural connectivity. Home to School Transport services are procured to provide school transport for those pupils who are determined by our Education and Young People's Directorate as eligible for free home to school transport. Where the volume of pupils is sufficient to justify a larger vehicle (minibus, coach or bus) these will require provision of this transport by a Public Service Vehicle Licensed Operator who can run services either as a public bus service or as a privately hired vehicle. Further details of the full scope and specific requirements will be provided within the tender documentation issued under this DPS. Further background and technical information can be found within the tender documentation. This Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) was established in 2016, with a start date of 01 January 2017. Due to the lack of viable alternatives provided by the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) and in line with the transition arrangements, the Council is extending the 'Supported Local Bus and Home to School Transport Services' DPS period of validity - in accordance with Regulation 28(1)(a) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 - from 31 December 2027 to 23 February 2029, to ensure continuity of service. All other terms and conditions of the DPS remain unchanged. This Dynamic Purchasing System has a total value of PS100 million, covering the period from its establishment in 2017 through to the end of its period of validity. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/66d4a800-296c-4f8a-8554-2f22c51454a7 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Dynamic | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Selective | | Procurement method details | Restricted procedure | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 18 Dec 2025 | | Submission deadline | 22 Feb 2029 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 23 Feb 2029 - 24 Feb 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £100,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | KENT COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | MAIDSTONE | | Post town | Rochester | | Postcode | ME14 1XQ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ4 Kent | | ITL 3 | TLJ45 Mid Kent | | Local authority | Maidstone | | Electoral ward | Penenden Heath | | Westminster constituency | Maidstone and Malling | | Delivery location | TLJ South East (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport) ### Codes - 60100000 - Road transport services ## Release History - 18 Dec 2025 at 09:20 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/66d4a800-296c-4f8a-8554-2f22c51454a7 - 17 Dec 2025 at 13:10 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/66d4a800-296c-4f8a-8554-2f22c51454a7 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/66d4a800-296c-4f8a-8554-2f22c51454a7 18th December 2025 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Maidstone:-Road-transport-services./H36G4TQK44 Please follow this link to view the notice. ## 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-beb62e8f-47f7-4cf3-bed7-32d5a7a8e1b1. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-beb62e8f-47f7-4cf3-bed7-32d5a7a8e1b1.json.