Award

Award of De Minimis Bus Contracts

  • Leicestershire County Council

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

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-040548

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05605f (view related notices)

Published 16 July 2025, 2:32pm



Scope

Reference

DN782811

Description

Award of De Minimis Bus Contracts.

Award of a number of subsidy contracts. These contracts are exempt from the Procurement Act 2023 regulations as they are awarded on a De Minimis basis as provided for under the Transport Act and Service Subsidy Agreements (Tendering) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004.

Local authorities or Passenger Transport Authorities/Executives with forecast expenditure on bus service subsidies in any one year of £600,000 or more will be able to spend up to 25% of this on de minimis contracts; within this 25% there is no limit on the expenditure in any year with any single operator.


Contract 1. De Minimis subsidy for service 154 (M-F and Sun). Contract numbers 0632 - 0643 (Mon - Fri) and 0644-0646 (Sun)

Supplier

Contract value

  • £331,024 excluding VAT
  • £397,228 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 July 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 17 July 2025 to 16 March 2026
  • 8 months

Main procurement category

Services

Options

The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.

Possible amendment/addition to route to ensure needs of service users are met.

CPV classifications

  • 60100000 - Road transport services

Contract locations

  • UKF2 - Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire

Contract 2. De Minimis subsidy for service 93. Contract number 0624-0631

Supplier

Contract value

  • £30,000 excluding VAT
  • £36,000 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 July 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 17 July 2025 to 31 March 2026
  • 8 months, 15 days

Main procurement category

Services

Options

The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.

Amendment/addition to route to ensure needs of service users are met.

CPV classifications

  • 60100000 - Road transport services

Contract locations

  • UKF2 - Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire

Contract 3. De Minimis subsidy for service 2. Contract number 0648-0649.

Supplier

Contract value

  • £31,185 excluding VAT
  • £37,422 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 July 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 17 July 2025 to 16 March 2026
  • 8 months

Main procurement category

Services

Options

The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.

Addition/amendment to route to ensure service user needs are met.

CPV classifications

  • 60100000 - Road transport services

Contract locations

  • UKF2 - Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire

Other information

Description of risks to contract performance

Force majeure events, fuel shortages, staff shortages, service provider insolvency, legal, licencing and regulatory changes, strikes/union action, IT system failures, data breaches/hacking events, vandalism, disputes with sub-contractors.

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes


Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Direct award justification

  • Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights
  • Additional or repeat goods, services or works - extension or partial replacement

Whilst classed as a direct award, the award is exempt from the provisions of the Procurement Act by way of the De Minimis provisions set out in the Service Subsidy Agreements (Tendering) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004.

No other operator could viably provide the necessary service and connections due to Centrebus, Central Connect and Kinchbus being the sole providers of the registered commercial services.

Local authorities or Passenger Transport Authorities/Executives with forecast expenditure on bus service subsidies in any one year of £600,000 or more will be able to spend up to

25% of this on de minimis contracts; within this 25% there is no limit on the expenditure in any one year that may be incurred on an individual de minimis contract or the amount of de minimis contract expenditure in any year with any single operator.


Suppliers

CENTRAL CONNECT TRANSPORT LIMITED

  • Companies House: 09964786
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PWXQ-9484-GMPT

29 Arboretum Street

Nottingham

NG1 4JA

United Kingdom

Region: UKF14 - Nottingham

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 2. De Minimis subsidy for service 93. Contract number 0624-0631

CENTREBUS LIMITED

  • Companies House: 03872099
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMCQ-6846-ZRCY

43 Wenlock Way

Leicester

LE4 9HU

United Kingdom

Region: UKF21 - Leicester

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1. De Minimis subsidy for service 154 (M-F and Sun). Contract numbers 0632 - 0643 (Mon - Fri) and 0644-0646 (Sun)

Kinchbus Limited

Mansfield Road

Heanor

DE75 7BG

United Kingdom

Region: UKF13 - South and West Derbyshire

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 3. De Minimis subsidy for service 2. Contract number 0648-0649.


Contracting authority

Leicestershire County Council

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PNHT-9235-VXDV

County Hall

Leicester

LE3 8RA

United Kingdom

Region: UKF22 - Leicestershire CC and Rutland

Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government