Scope
Reference
PL0092
Description
Essex County Council ('the Authority') are procuring a concessions contract for a single Service Provider to deliver E-scooter rental schemes, including but not limited to the provision, management, protection and maintenance of E-scooter vehicles, within set Operating Zones in the county: Braintree, Chelmsford, Colchester and Harlow.
The initial term for the Contract is from 14th August 2025 to 31st May 2026, and there are provisions within the Contract to extend Services for three periods of twelve months thereafter, permitting extension to align with government regulations should the E-scooters trials be extended.
The Service Provider shall ensure the outcome of this contract is an additional sustainable transport option to support the Authority's net zero targets, promoting behaviour change away from motor transport, and to improve connectivity across the region.
Total value (estimated)
- £10,000,000 excluding VAT
- £12,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 14 August 2025 to 31 May 2026
- Possible extension to 31 May 2029
- 3 years, 9 months, 18 days
Description of possible extension:
There are provisions within the Contract to extend Services for three periods of twelve months, permitting extension to align with government regulations should the UK E-scooters trials be extended. The decision to extend the Contract is at the sole discretion of the Authority.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 34421000 - Motor scooters
- 60112000 - Public road transport services
- 60140000 - Non-scheduled passenger transport
Contract locations
- UKH3 - Essex
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
1) Financial Capacity
ECC has a bespoke 'Financial Assessment Form' spreadsheet, which uses the organisation's financial ratios to categorise financial risk levels. For Bidder's whose completed 'Financial Assessment Form' returns a 'high' or 'very high' risk level, the Authority requires a Parent Company Guarantee, bank bond, performance bond, or equivalent, upon the Authority's request and to the Authority's satisfaction, in order to meet the financial capacity conditions.
2) Required Insurance
The Bidder will be required to have in place prior to the Service Commencement Date (14th August) the following levels of insurance: Employer's Liability Insurance £5 million; Public Liability Insurance £10 million; Professional Indemnity Insurance £500,000.
3) Modern Slavery
Relevant commercial organisations subject to the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 will need to confirm they are fully compliant with this legislation by Service Commencement Date.
4) Equality and Diversity
Bidders that have been had an investigation of unlawful discrimination upheld by an Employment Tribunal, an Employment Appeal Tribunal, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, or any other court or equivalent body, will need to provide evidence that they have implemented adequate remedial actions to prevent similar unlawful discrimination recurring, to the Authority's satisfaction.
5) Environmental Management
Bidders that have been convicted of breaching environmental legislation, or had any notice served upon it, in the last three years by an environmental regulator or authority, will need to provide evidence that they have implemented adequate remedial actions to prevent similar breaches recurring, to the Authority's satisfaction.
6) Health and Safety
Bidders are required to have a Health and Safety Policy that complies with current legislative requirements.
Technical ability conditions of participation
1) Relevant experience
Bidders shall provide details of previous experience where they have delivered similar micromobility projects in the last three years. These examples and their description must clearly demonstrate to the Authority's satisfaction that your organisation has sufficient technical and professional ability to be capable of delivering similar services to the requirements set out in the Specification.
Where the Bidder does not have any examples of previous contract, they must explain how their organisation has the technical and professional ability required to deliver similar services to the requirement set out in the Specification, describing the systems, staffing and infrastructure your organisation has in place, to the Authority's satisfaction.
2) Resourcing and systems
The Bidder must provide a Resourcing and Systems Plan, to provide the Authority with confidence that they have the appropriate resources available to deliver similar services.
3) Subcontracting
Where the Bidder intends to subcontract a proportion of the contract, the Bidder must provide a description of what measures they have in place to maintain a healthy supply chain with their subcontractors, to the Authority's satisfaction.
4) E-Scooters Unit
The E-scooters vehicle that the Bidder would deploy under this Contract must be a model approved by the DfT for use in the UK E-Scooter Trials - further details can be found in the Specification.
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
20 June 2025, 11:59pm
Tender submission deadline
27 June 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Please refer to the 'PL0092 E-Scooter Hire Schemes 2025' project on https://procontract.due-north.com for the tender documents in full, for any clarification questions, and to submit responses.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
9 July 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical | T2. Additional Parking Sites Plan (7.5%) T3. Mobilisation Plan (7.5%) T4. Operational Plan (15%) T5. Maintenance and Disposal Plan (7.5%) T6. Safety and Considerate Road Usage Plan (15%) T7. Essex... |
Quality | 60% |
| Commercial | The Bidder is required to submit a Flat Fee Per Vehicle (FPPV), that they will pay to the Authority for every E-scooter vehicle deployed under this Contract in any given month, based on the number of... |
Price | 30% |
| Climate | Environmental Sustainability Plan (5%) |
Quality | 5% |
| Social Value | Social Value Calculator in conjunction with Social Value Supporting Statement |
Quality | 5% |
Other information
Payment terms
Bidders should refer to Schedule 5 (Payment Mechanism) for the relevant information on payments under this contract.
Description of risks to contract performance
1) Local Government Reform - the Authority recognises that should this contract be extended into 2027, 2028, or 2029, there is a known risk that the local authorities within Essex may differ from their current constitution. In this scenario, this Agreement shall automatically transfer in whole or part to a Successor Body.
2) Changes to Locations - the Authority recognises that at a later date there may be changes to the Locations we require the E-scooter hire schemes to be deployed in. ECC may change the Locations at any time during the Term on 30 days prior written notice to the Service Provider. A change to the Location is: A. adding new geographical areas to the Location or B. removing existing geographical areas from the Location.
Where a geographical area is removed from the Location, the Service Provider shall cease payment of Concession Fees for such geographical area. Where a geographical area is added to the Location, the Service Provider shall commence payment of additional Concession Fees on the Location Change Date at the same rate as agreed for other Locations.
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Concession
Justification for not publishing a preliminary market engagement notice
Essex County Council previously carried out a Request for Information exercise, for which a Prior Information Notice was issued under PCR: PL0092 E-Scooters Hire Scheme Request for Information 2024/S 000-033295.
The purpose of this RFI was to understand the most sustainable structure through which the Authority could receive some income from the contract, and to understand which organisations might be interested in delivering these E-scooter schemes within Essex.
Contracting authority
Essex County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PWVM-4844-NRQH
County Hall, Market Road
Chelmsford
CM1 1QH
United Kingdom
Email: gemma.longman@essex.gov.uk
Region: UKH36 - Heart of Essex
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government