---
title: "TVCA-PROC-0717 Darlington Bus Services 3 &4"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0656ba"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0656ba"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0656ba.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0656ba.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "TEES VALLEY COMBINED AUTHORITY"
published: "2026-03-20"
---

# TVCA-PROC-0717 Darlington Bus Services 3 &4

Buyer: TEES VALLEY COMBINED AUTHORITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0656ba

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## Summary

The Tees Valley Combined Authority has completed a procurement process for the provision of Darlington Bus Services 3 & 4, targeting public road transport services in the region designated UKC1 within the United Kingdom. This contract, awarded without competition under the below threshold procurement method, falls within the services category and was finalised with ARRIVA DURHAM COUNTY LIMITED as the supplier. The contract period is slated to begin on 29th March 2026, ending on 18th July 2026, with an optional two-month extension available. This procurement aligns with the Transport Act and relevant service subsidy agreements, and the contract was signed on 9th March 2026. The gross contract value stands at £50,103.14, with a net value of £41,752.62, in GBP currency.

This tender provides businesses in the transportation industry, particularly those specialising in public bus services, with a noteworthy opportunity to expand their operations within the Tees Valley region. Ideal candidates for similar future contracts may be large-scale enterprises capable of delivering efficient transport services. Partnering with public authorities like Tees Valley Combined Authority can elevate a transport company's market presence and facilitate entry into lucrative municipal contracts. The direct award nature of this procurement underscores the potential for close collaboration between selected suppliers and local governmental bodies, offering sustainable business growth prospects. Businesses able to navigate and leverage this type of procurement method are well-positioned to benefit from continued government transport initiatives.

## Notice

Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA)(the 'Contracting Authority'), part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority Group, have awarded a contract for the provision of Darlington Bus Service 3 & 4. Award of De Minimis bus transport subsidy contract in line with the Transport Act and Service Subsidy Agreements (Tendering) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004. Local authorities or Passenger Transport Authorities/Executives with forecast expenditure on bus service subsidies in any one year of PS600,000 or more will be able to spend up to 25% of this on de minimis contracts; within this 25% there is no limit on the expenditure in any one year that may be incurred on an individual de minimis contract or the amount of de minimis contract expenditure in any year with any single operator.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025956-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 20 Mar 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 25 Nov 2025 |
| Contract period | 29 Mar 2026 - 18 Jul 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £41,752 |
| Contracts value | £41,752 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | TEES VALLEY COMBINED AUTHORITY |
| Locality | DARLINGTON |
| Post town | Darlington |
| Postcode | DL2 1NJ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC3 Tees Valley |
| ITL 3 | TLC33 Darlington |
| Local authority | Darlington |
| Electoral ward | Sadberge & Middleton St George |
| Westminster constituency | Stockton West |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | ARRIVA DURHAM COUNTY |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 60112000 - Public road transport services

## Release History

- 20 Mar 2026 at 16:27 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025956-2026
- 18 Feb 2026 at 12:10 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014708-2026
- 18 Feb 2026 at 10:06 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014612-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025956-2026
  20th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014708-2026
  18th February 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014612-2026
  18th February 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-h6vhtk-0656ba. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0656ba.json.