Scope
Reference
DN794561
Description
Sefton Council are prepared to receive tenders to be included on an Open Framework of contractors, for the provision of hired passenger transport services (bus, mini-bus, coach, taxi and private hire) to Sefton Council and its establishments. The majority of journeys will take place within Sefton, although, on occasions, routes may start in Sefton but travel out of the borough, or visa versa.
Commercial tool
Establishes an open framework
Total value (estimated)
- £144,000,000 excluding VAT
- £172,800,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030
- Possible extension to 31 December 2033
- 8 years
Description of possible extension:
Open Framework minimum duration 4 years, extendable for a further 4 years if there is more than a single provider per lot
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 60000000 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
Contract locations
- UKD73 - Sefton
Lot 1. Vehicles with up to 5 passenger seats
Description
Hired passenger transport services to transport Sefton Travel Support Team Customers, Council employees, or Passenger Assistants in vehicles with up to 5 passenger seats
Lot value (estimated)
- £89,280,000 excluding VAT
- £107,136,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Vehicles with 6 to 8 passenger seats (must be a minibus)
Description
Hired passenger transport services to transport TST Customers, Council employees, or Passenger Assistants in vehicles with 6 to 8 passenger seats (must be a minibus)
Lot value (estimated)
- £24,480,000 excluding VAT
- £29,376,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. Vehicles with 9 to 16 passenger seats
Description
Hired passenger transport services to transport TST Customers, Council employees, or Passenger Assistants in vehicles with with 9 to 16 passenger seats
Lot value (estimated)
- £28,800,000 excluding VAT
- £34,560,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 4. Vehicles with 17+ passenger seats
Description
Hired passenger transport services to transport TST Customers, Council employees, or Passenger Assistants in vehicles with with 17+ passenger seats
Lot value (estimated)
- £1,440,000 excluding VAT
- £1,728,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Framework
Open framework scheme end date (estimated)
31 December 2033
Maximum number of suppliers
Unlimited
Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers
0%
Framework operation description
The Sefton Passenger Transport Open Framework will be active for up to 8 years. This will be subject to compliance with the requirements stated in section 49 of the Procurement Act 2023 in relation to Open Frameworks.
There will be no maximum limit on the number of suppliers that will be allowed onto the Open Framework Agreement. All bidders that pass the selection criteria sections will obtain a place on the Open Framework and will be ranked in accordance with each bidder's price score.
Once established, the Council will re-open the Framework periodically.
The anticipated dates for the re-opening of the Framework are as follows:
March 2026
October 2026
October 2027
October 2028
October 2029
October 2030
Council may re-open the Framework at its sole discretion on additional occasions over the 8 year period of it's lifespan, based on operational needs and other factors including, but not limited to;.
a) Market changes, such as a reduction in the existing number of Providers on the Open Framework or the number of existing Providers that are suspended from the Open Framework.
b) The identified need to secure additional capacity to cater for demand.
c) The identified need to conduct specific procurement activities to address issues such as Provider failure, Call-Off contract terminations, and/or Contractor withdrawal from Sefton.
On re-opening of the Framework the Council may award the framework to an existing supplier by reference to-
(a) the fact that the supplier has already been awarded a framework under the scheme,
(b) a tender relating to an earlier award under the scheme, or
(c) a tender relating to the current award.
The Council reserves the right to use the Sefton Passenger Transport Open Framework to make contract awards to Providers either with or without conducting further/mini-competitions.
Award method when using the framework
Either with or without competition
Contracting authorities that may use the framework
Liverpool City Council
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council
St Helens Borough Council
Wirral Council
Halton Borough Council
Merseytravel
Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
Contracting authority location restrictions
- UKD71 - East Merseyside
- UKD72 - Liverpool
- UKD73 - Sefton
- UKD74 - Wirral
Participation
Particular suitability
Lot 1. Vehicles with up to 5 passenger seats
Lot 2. Vehicles with 6 to 8 passenger seats (must be a minibus)
Lot 3. Vehicles with 9 to 16 passenger seats
Lot 4. Vehicles with 17+ passenger seats
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
7 November 2025, 12:00pm
Tender submission deadline
14 November 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
5 December 2025
Recurring procurement
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 1 October 2032
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Cost | 100% |
Other information
Description of risks to contract performance
Identified risks which could require changes to the agreement to accommodate are as follows:
1. Possible changes to legislation or policy which affect eligibility for receipt of travel support.
2. Fluctuations in demand for the service resulting from demographic changes and/or the development of alternative methods of achieving the required outcomes for families receiving the Services.
3. Inflationary pressures and the impact of changes to minimum / living wage.
4. Collaboration between neighbouring local authorities who may wish to source services via the Sefton Open Framework or make their sourcing arrangements available.
5. The numbers of parents and carers opting for receipt of Personal Travel Budgets as opposed to receiving Services commissioned by the Council.
6. Changes to official guidance, recognised best practice or unforeseen incidents during the delivery of the Services resulting in changes to the Service Specification, policies, procedures and documentation.
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Documents
Associated tender documents
https://procontract.due-north.com/RFx/RFxSummary?rfxId=de13e575-50ab-f011-813a-005056b64545
Contracting authority
Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PTHP-5656-DLCN
Bootle Town Hall
Bootle
L20 7AE
United Kingdom
Email: cdp@sefton.gov.uk
Website: http://sefton.gov.uk
Region: UKD73 - Sefton
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government