Award

Bus Grant Fares and Ticketing – Kids Go Free - First Bus

  • The West of England Combined Authority

UK5: Transparency notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-037568

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-055976 (view related notices)

Published 4 July 2025, 4:45pm



Scope

Description

This contract supports the Kids Go Free subsidised fare initiative that allows for free travel for the under 16s, with this supplier.


Contract 1. Bus Grant Fares and Ticketing – Kids Go Free - First Bus

Suppliers

Supplier not yet selected

Contract value

  • £734,037 excluding VAT
  • £880,844.40 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

15 July 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 19 July 2025 to 5 September 2025
  • 1 month, 18 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 63512000 - Sale of travel tickets and package tours services

Other information

Description of risks to contract performance

No significant risks identified due to the nature of the requirement.

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes


Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Direct award justification

Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights

The Procurement Act 2023 (the Act) permits direct awards to be made in certain circumstances. The relevant justification is contained in Paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 of the Act which states: "The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract- (a) due to a particular supplier having intellectual property rights or other exclusive rights, only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works. [Emphasis added] Each of the bus operators has been awarded competitively tendered bus routes which they have exclusive rights to operate so that both limbs (a) and (b) are satisfied.


Contracting authority

The West of England Combined Authority

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PGWR-9284-XMRY

70 Redcliff Street

Bristol

BS1 6AL

United Kingdom

Region: UKK11 - Bristol, City of

Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government