PL0093 - Project THRIVE
- Essex County Council
Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04b53c
Description
Project THRIVE - A research project that will investigate and evaluate a range of initiatives
which aim to grow patronage on bus services.
Essex County Council (ECC) has been allocated £4.9m in 2023/24 and £4.9m in 2024/25
from Department for Transport (DfT) Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus (BSIP+) funding,
this BSIP+ funding will be used to support a range of initiatives that were set out in the Essex
Bus Service Improvement Plan.
The Thrive research project was originally set out in the Essex County Council Bus Service
Improvement Plan 2021-2026 which was published in 2021. The aim of the Thrive research
project is to explore what targeted measures may drive growth in market town bus services.
This data led project will test a range of initiatives and assess which has the greatest impact
on driving passenger growth.
ECC must ensure that all funding conditions under the BSIP+ Funding agreement are
complied with - As defined in the BSIP Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) :
3.2 The Authority may use the funding to target it on the actions that they - and local
operators through their Enhanced Partnership (where relevant) - believe will deliver the best
overall outcomes in growing long term patronage, revenues and thus maintaining service
levels, whilst maintaining essential social and economic connectivity for local communities.
In some places that may involve ensuring existing connections are maintained (either by
conventional services or DRT). Elsewhere it might be achieved through increasing the
frequency on key corridors or the operating hours of some services whilst reducing others; or
reducing fares or introducing new local concessions to open up new markets and revenue.
3.3 The funding must be spent on bus measures.
3.6 The funding should not be used to support generic marketing or advertising costs that are not directly related to specific improvements (such as a fares change, or new services).
ECC intend to utilise a minimal SSQ which will assess Potential Supplier Information and
Exclusion Grounds.
Please Note - Due to the nature of the funding we are unable to provide an estimate of the
value per Lot.
Notices
F03: Contract award notice
- Notice identifier
- 2025/S 000-049746
- Published
- 19 August 2025, 10:53am
F02: Contract notice
- Notice identifier
- 2025/S 000-001004
- Published
- 13 January 2025, 12:04pm
F14: Corrigendum notice for changes or additional information
- Notice identifier
- 2024/S 000-040343
- Published
- 13 December 2024, 4:56pm
F01: Prior information notice
- Notice identifier
- 2024/S 000-036313
- Published
- 8 November 2024, 3:58pm