---
title: "Consultancy Support for Bus Network Planning, Transport Partnerships and Strategic Development"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-077b90"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077b90"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077b90.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077b90.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Tees Valley Combined Authority"
published: "2026-09-28"
---

# Consultancy Support for Bus Network Planning, Transport Partnerships and Strategic Development

Buyer: Tees Valley Combined Authority  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-077b90

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## Summary

Tees Valley Combined Authority commissioned consultancy support for bus network planning, transport partnerships and strategic development. The work is transport systems consultancy, supporting the authority’s planning and development of bus networks and its partnership work. The award covers one lot, with delivery in the Tees Valley area of England. Ove Arup & Partners Ltd was selected to provide and deliver the consultancy. The requirement is for professional advice and support rather than transport operations, vehicle supply or construction. It is relevant to consultancies with transport planning expertise, particularly firms able to advise public authorities on bus networks and work with transport partnerships in a regional setting.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Ove Arup & Partners Ltd on 21 September 2026. Tees Valley Combined Authority used a below-threshold limited competition; four bids were received and all four reached the final stage. The single lot was awarded at £100,000 excluding VAT (£120,000 including VAT). The contract runs from 29 September 2026 to 27 June 2027, with an option to extend by six months, to a maximum end date of 27 December 2027. The procurement data does not state the evaluation criteria. The award is active, and the recorded contract period and extension option define the duration of the commissioned support.

This award demonstrates demand from Tees Valley Combined Authority for specialist consultancy across bus network planning, transport partnerships and strategic development. A credible competitor for a similar requirement would need demonstrable transport systems and public transport planning capability, with the ability to turn network analysis into practical strategic advice for a regional public authority. Experience working with transport partnerships and coordinating stakeholders would be directly relevant, as would capacity to deliver a focused consultancy commission over a defined period. Four suppliers competed, indicating a limited-competition route attracted multiple bidders; none of the final-stage bids came from an SME or voluntary, community or social enterprise. Firms positioning for this buyer should be able to show relevant transport consultancy work and sufficient delivery resource, while building relationships and a record of effective partnership working in the Tees Valley context.

## Notice

Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) ('the contracting authority') have awarded a contract to Ove Arup & Partners Ltd to supply and deliver Consultancy Support for Bus Network Planning, Transport Partnerships & Strategic Development.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091451-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - limited competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 28 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 21 Sep 2026 |
| Contract period | 29 Sep 2026 - 27 Jun 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £100,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Tees Valley Combined Authority |
| Locality | DARLINGTON |
| Postcode area | 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 | Ove Arup & Partners Ltd |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 71311200 - Transport systems consultancy services

## Release History

- 28 Sep 2026 at 13:52 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091451-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091451-2026
  28th September 2026 - Contract award 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-077b90. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077b90.json.