---
title: "Lewis and Harris School and Public Bus Service 2026-31"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000842694"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000842694"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000842694.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000842694.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Comhairle nan Eilean Siar"
published: "2026-09-11"
---

# Lewis and Harris School and Public Bus Service 2026-31

Buyer: Comhairle nan Eilean Siar  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000842694

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## Summary

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar procured school and public bus services covering routes throughout Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The requirement combines transport for schools with public bus operations across the islands, under one service package. It is a services contract bought by the local authority for the benefit of school users and public transport passengers. The stated area includes Lewis and Harris rather than a single site, so delivery requires operation across the route network. The procurement is classified under passenger transport by bus (CPV 60112000). The selected supplier is Lochs Motor Transport Ltd, a small or medium-sized enterprise based in Stornoway, which was awarded the service.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar used a limited negotiated procedure without prior publication of a call for competition, under regulation 33(1)(a) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. The authority had previously run an open procedure for the same requirement but abandoned it because none of the tenders could meet its stated needs. The contract covers one service package for a five-year period. Lochs Motor Transport Ltd was selected for the Lewis and Harris school and public bus services. The contract was signed on 10 September 2026 and is active, with a value of £20,000,000. The available procurement information does not set out separate scoring criteria.

For suppliers that did not win, this award demonstrates substantial demand from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar for integrated school transport and public bus operations across Lewis and Harris. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need the operational capacity to cover routes throughout both areas and to provide both types of service within a single managed arrangement. The incumbent’s SME status also indicates that delivery at this scale is not necessarily limited to a national transport group. Relevant strengths would include a suitable bus fleet, qualified drivers, scheduling and dispatch capability, vehicle maintenance arrangements, and the ability to maintain reliable services across an island-wide route network. Experience combining contracted school transport with public bus provision would be directly relevant when this buyer next considers the requirement.

## Notice

This requirement is for school and public bus services in Lewis and Harris, na h-Eileanan an Iar (the Outer Hebrides), Scotland, United Kingdom for a five year period.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Delivery of school and Public Bus Services throughout Lewis and Harris

### Procurement Information

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar intends to award this contract using the negotiated procedure without prior publication under the conditions of regulation 33(1)(a) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (the "Regulations"). The Comhairle previously conducted a procurement under the open procedure for the provision of services to which this contract relates, which was advertised in terms of contract notice AUG561826 dated 6 August 2026 (the "Procurement"). The Comhairle decided to abandon the Procurement on the basis that none of the tenders received was capable of meeting the Comhairle's needs and requirements as specified in the procurement documents relative to the Procurement

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP564380 |
| Notice type | OJEU - F15 - Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 11 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| 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 | £20,000,000 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Comhairle nan Eilean Siar |
| Locality | STORNOWAY |
| Postcode area | Outer Hebrides |
| Postcode | HS1 2BW |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM2 Highlands and Islands |
| ITL 3 | TLM20 Highlands and Islands |
| Local authority | Na h-Eileanan Siar |
| Electoral ward | Steòrnabhagh a Deas |
| Westminster constituency | Na h-Eileanan an Iar |
| Delivery location | TLM64 Na h-Eileanan Siar |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | LOCHS MOTOR TRANSPORT LTD |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 60112000 - Public road transport services

## Release History

- 11 Sep 2026 at 01:00 - Award - OJEU - F15 - Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP564380

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP564380
  Lewis and Harris School and Public Bus Service 2026-31 - This requirement is for school and public bus services in Lewis and Harris, na h-Eileanan an Iar (the Outer Hebrides), Scotland, United Kingdom for a five year period.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=842694
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000842694

## 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-r6ebe6-0000842694. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000842694.json.