Scope
Reference
Y26013
Description
This framework provides a compliant, flexible, and outcomes-focused route to market for public sector organisations seeking a range of travel solutions enabling customers to research, book, and manage all their travel requirements along with any additional supporting services they require. The framework is split into 3 Lots.
Lot 1: Core Travel Services
Lot 1 covers all essential travel booking services, including but not limited to:
Accommodation
•Guesthouses, hotels, serviced apartments
Air Travel
•Baggage handling
•Domestic and international flights
•Inflight meals
•Online check-in
•Ticketing options
Ground Transport
•Car rentals
•Coach travel
•Ferry services
•Parking arrangements
•Taxi transfers
Rail Travel
•Advance and flexible tickets
•Digital ticketing
•Railcards
•Seat reservations
In addition to offering the above essential services, Customers may require additional services including, but not limited to:
Travel Management and Support Services
•Accessibility and inclusivity features
•Airport lounge access
•Carbon emissions reporting and offsetting
•Consolidated invoicing
•Currency exchange
•Real-time analytics
•Social value delivery
•Special assistance
•Traveller tracking and alerts
•Travel visas and passport services
•VIP services
Lot 2: Event and Venue Services
Lot 2 supports Customers with the planning and delivery of meetings, conferences, and events. services include, but are not limited to:
Core Services
•Delegate and guest management
•Event planning and logistics
•Marketing and communications
•Pre- and post-event support
•Technical setup (e.g., AV equipment, staging)
•Venue sourcing
In addition to offering the above essential services, Customers may require additional services including, but not limited to:
Support Services
•Accessibility and inclusivity features
•Consolidated invoicing
•Social value delivery
•Special assistance
•VIP services
Lot 3: Emergency Accommodation Services
Lot 3 provides 24/7 emergency accommodation services with rapid response capabilities. Key features include but are not limited to:
24/7 Emergency Response and Rapid Turnaround
•Dedicated, experienced team available around the clock
•Non-arrival reporting
•Rapid turnaround times for emergency requests
Safeguarding Standards and SLAs
•DBS checks for key personnel at accommodation providers
•Hotel safeguarding checks (risk assessments, food hygiene ratings, health & safety compliance)
•Non-arrival policies and duty of care protocols
•PREVENT training delivered to frontline hotel staff
•Tiered escalation procedures for on-site incidents
•Tailored support for vulnerable groups (e.g., under-18s, survivors of abuse, individuals with complex needs)
Location Vetting and Risk Assessment
•Property reviews for safety, accessibility, and suitability
•Specialist placements (e.g., pet-friendly units, family-safe self-accommodation)
Pseudonymous Bookings and Identity Protection
•Ability to make pseudonymous bookings to protect guest identity
•Discreet specification of gender, cultural, and safeguarding considerations at booking
Under-18s and Apprenticeship Placements
•Specialist protocols for younger or vulnerable learners
•Matching by age, gender, and dietary requirements
•Curfew expectations and access to leisure spaces
•Accommodation providers briefed on duty of care requirements from the outset
This is not an exhaustive list as any additional services will be dependent on the specific requirements of the Customer.
To view this notice, please click here:
https://csg.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=1011856291
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £50,000,000 excluding VAT
- £60,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2030
- 4 years
Main procurement category
Services
Not the same for all lots
CPV classifications are shown in Lot sections, because they are not the same for all lots.
Lot 1. Core Travel Services
Description
Lot 1 covers all essential travel booking services, including but not limited to:
Accommodation
•Guesthouses, hotels, serviced apartments
Air Travel
•Baggage handling
•Domestic and international flights
•Inflight meals
•Online check-in
•Ticketing options
Ground Transport
•Car rentals
•Coach travel
•Ferry services
•Parking arrangements
•Taxi transfers
Rail Travel
•Advance and flexible tickets
•Digital ticketing
•Railcards
•Seat reservations
In addition to offering the above essential services, Customers may require additional services including, but not limited to:
Travel Management and Support Services
•Accessibility and inclusivity features
•Airport lounge access
•Carbon emissions reporting and offsetting
•Consolidated invoicing
•Currency exchange
•Real-time analytics
•Social value delivery
•Special assistance
•Traveller tracking and alerts
•Travel visas and passport services
•VIP services
Lot value (estimated)
- £30,000,000 excluding VAT
- £36,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
CPV classifications
- 63515000 - Travel services
- 63516000 - Travel management services
- 79997000 - Business travel services
Same for all lots
Contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Event and Venue Services
Description
Lot 2 supports Customers with the planning and delivery of meetings, conferences, and events. services include, but are not limited to:
Core Services
•Delegate and guest management
•Event planning and logistics
•Marketing and communications
•Pre- and post-event support
•Technical setup (e.g., AV equipment, staging)
•Venue sourcing
In addition to offering the above essential services, Customers may require additional services including, but not limited to:
Support Services
•Accessibility and inclusivity features
•Consolidated invoicing
•Social value delivery
•Special assistance
•VIP services
Lot value (estimated)
- £10,000,000 excluding VAT
- £12,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
CPV classifications
- 79952000 - Event services
Same for all lots
Contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. Emergency Accommodation Services
Description
Lot 3 provides 24/7 emergency accommodation services with rapid response capabilities. Key features include but are not limited to:
24/7 Emergency Response and Rapid Turnaround
•Dedicated, experienced team available around the clock
•Non-arrival reporting
•Rapid turnaround times for emergency requests
Safeguarding Standards and SLAs
•DBS checks for key personnel at accommodation providers
•Hotel safeguarding checks (risk assessments, food hygiene ratings, health & safety compliance)
•Non-arrival policies and duty of care protocols
•PREVENT training delivered to frontline hotel staff
•Tiered escalation procedures for on-site incidents
•Tailored support for vulnerable groups (e.g., under-18s, survivors of abuse, individuals with complex needs)
Location Vetting and Risk Assessment
•Property reviews for safety, accessibility, and suitability
•Specialist placements (e.g., pet-friendly units, family-safe self-accommodation)
Pseudonymous Bookings and Identity Protection
•Ability to make pseudonymous bookings to protect guest identity
•Discreet specification of gender, cultural, and safeguarding considerations at booking
Under-18s and Apprenticeship Placements
•Specialist protocols for younger or vulnerable learners
•Matching by age, gender, and dietary requirements
•Curfew expectations and access to leisure spaces
•Accommodation providers briefed on duty of care requirements from the outset
This is not an exhaustive list as any additional services will be dependent on the specific requirements of the Customer.
Lot value (estimated)
- £10,000,000 excluding VAT
- £12,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
CPV classifications
- 63515000 - Travel services
- 63516000 - Travel management services
- 79997000 - Business travel services
Same for all lots
Contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Framework
Maximum number of suppliers
Unlimited
Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers
1%
Framework operation description
Overview of framework operation
This framework will be established under the Procurement Act 2023. It enables Contracting Authorities identified in the UK4 notice to award call‑off contracts for the Services during the framework term. Call‑off contracts may be awarded using the methods described below, subject to the Award Criteria and conditions set out in the associated tender documents
Call-Off Contract Award
Call-Off Contracts may be awarded using any one of the following methods outlined below.
1.Direct Award (Award Without Competitive Selection)
2.Rapid Request for Quote (Rapid RFQ)
3.Further Competition
The ultimate responsibility for selecting the most appropriate and compliant route for a specific requirement rests with the Customer. The onus will be on the Customer to carry out their own due diligence before selecting which method to use. The Customer will determine the requirement, specification and award, based on the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT)
Direct Award (award without a competitive selection):
This Framework permits Direct Award, defined under the Procurement Act 2023 as awarding a Call-Off Contract without conducting a new competitive selection procedure. A Direct Award may only be used where the Customer can identify the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) using only the information and scores submitted at Framework award, without requesting any new pricing, clarification, or qualitative information from Suppliers.
Permitted Direct Award Methods
Customers may use any of the following objective, pre-published Direct Award methods. The Customer must choose one method before reviewing Supplier capability for their requirement.
1. Overall Framework Ranking (Quality + Price Combined Score)
The Customer awards the Call-Off Contract to the Supplier ranked highest overall at Framework award. If the highest-ranked Supplier cannot meet the requirement, the Customer must document the reason and move sequentially to the next ranked Supplier. We anticipate this to be the default Direct Award method.
2. Highest Total Quality Score
The Customer may award to the Supplier that achieved the highest total quality score for each Lot during Framework evaluation, where quality is the Customer's primary consideration.
3. Lowest Overall Price/Highest Commercial Advantage
Award to the Supplier offering the lowest evaluated Framework price as submitted in Annex H.
This method:
•must use the original evaluated Pricing Schedule
•must not use catalogue pricing or non-evaluated price lists
•must not request revised or updated pricing
If new pricing is required, this method is not suitable and Customers must choose another method.
4. Highest Score in a Specific Evaluation Question
Award to the Supplier with the highest score in a specific Framework evaluation question that directly relates to the Customer's requirement.
This method may only be used where:
•the question formed part of the Framework quality evaluation
•scoring was completed by the Contracting Authority
5. Partial-Service Selection (Specific Services from the Pricing Schedule)
Where a Customer requires only a subset of the services available under the Framework, a Direct Award may be made using the original per-service prices submitted at Framework award.
A Customer may compare only the relevant per-service prices and award to the Supplier whose evaluated per-service prices represent the Most Advantageous Tender.
This method is only permitted where:
•All prices used are from the original evaluated Pricing Schedule
•No new or updated pricing is requested
•The comparison is applied consistently and objectively
•No new weighting or qualitative assessment is introduced
Catalogue pricing or non-evaluated price lists cannot be used to determine MAT.
Where new pricing or new information is required, the Customer must conduct a competitive call-off selection process.
Requirements for Direct Award
Customers should retain an auditable record setting out:
•the Direct Award method selected;
•the objective rationale for that method;
•the comparison or ranking used;
•(if applicable) why a higher-ranked Supplier could not meet the requirement.
Customers must not:
•request revised or updated pricing
•request new qualitative information
•introduce new award criteria
Transition to competitive call-off selection process
If the Customer cannot objectively determine the MAT using only Framework-award information (e.g., new pricing is required, new service models are proposed, or qualitative responses are needed), the Customer must run a competitive call-off selection process.
Competitive Call Off Selection Process:
Rapid RFQ
A Rapid RFQ is a streamlined competitive process appropriate for low-complexity or tightly defined requirements where essential criteria can be specified as Pass/Fail, and price acts as the ultimate determinant among compliant Suppliers
Best For: Requirements needing a specific, verifiable skill, where price is the deciding factor after that essential need is met.
A Further Competition process is used where Customers carry out a competition for the award of a Call-Off Contract.
A Further Competition is required where:
•the Customer needs updated or new pricing
•qualitative responses are needed
•service proposals need tailoring
•new information is required
•the requirement is complex or high-value
Best For: Complex projects, high-value Call-Off Contracts, and any situation where the quality of the solution is a critical factor.
Award method when using the framework
Either with or without competition
Contracting authorities that may use the framework
This Framework is for use by Customers in the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies that exist on 05/01/26 and which fall into one or more of the following categories:
•Ministerial government departments
•Non ministerial government departments
•Executive agencies of government
•Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), including advisory NDPBs, executive NDPBs, and tribunal NDPBs
•Assembly Sponsored Public Bodies (ASPBs)
•Police forces
•Fire and rescue services
•Ambulance services
•Maritime and coastguard agency services
•NHS bodies
•Educational bodies or establishments including state schools (nursery schools, primary schools, middle or high schools, secondary schools, special schools), academies, colleges, Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), further education colleges and universities
•Hospices
•National Parks
•Housing associations, including registered social landlords
•Third sector and charities
•Citizens advice bodies
•Councils
Participation
Particular suitability
Lot 1. Core Travel Services
Lot 2. Event and Venue Services
Lot 3. Emergency Accommodation Services
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
6 March 2026, 5:00pm
Tender submission deadline
2 April 2026, 5:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
22 May 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Technical | Quality | 60% |
| Price | Price | 30% |
| Social Value | Quality | 10% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Contracting authority
Kent County Council (t/a Procurement Services)
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PYCX-4938-CCHM
1 Abbey Wood Road
West Malling, Kent
ME19 4YT
United Kingdom
Region: UKJ46 - West Kent
Organisation type: Public authority - central government