Award

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

  • The West of England Combined Authority

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

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-081055

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05f1c8 (view related notices)

Published 9 December 2025, 1:48pm



Scope

Reference

C0585

Description

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


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

Supplier

Contract value

  • £233,673.25 excluding VAT
  • £233,673.25 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

12 December 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026
  • 16 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 63512000 - Sale of travel tickets and package tours services

Contract locations

  • BG41 - South-West

Other information

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes


Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Direct award justification

Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights

he 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.


Supplier

First West of England

  • Companies House: 00025088

Enterprise House

Bristol

BS5 0DZ

United Kingdom

Region: UKK11 - Bristol, City of

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

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


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