Open Framework for the Provision of Transportation of Children, Young People & Adults (Up to 8 Passenger seat Vehicles)

A Tender Notice
by BLACKPOOL COUNCIL

Source
Find a Tender
Type
Framework (Services)
Duration
3 year
Value
£11M-£4M
Sector
TRANSPORT
Published
10 Apr 2026
Delivery
01 Aug 2026 to 31 Jul 2029
Deadline
15 May 2026 11:00

Related Terms

Location

Blackpool:

Geochart for 1 buyers and 0 suppliers

1 buyer

Description

The Contracting Authority wishes to establish an Open Framework of Service Providers of vehicles of up to 8 passenger seats to call-off from time to time to provide services relating to the provision of an Integrated Transport Service for the Transportation of Children, Young People & Adults. Service Providers will be required to transport Children, Young People & Adults, many of whom have Special Educational Needs (SEN), along with our assigned Passenger Assistants to and from various establishments throughout Blackpool and beyond. The Hours of Operation for this service, under normal circumstances, are (for Lot 1) 07.30 - 10.30 and 14.00 - 17.30, Monday-Friday during the school academic year i.e. excluding school holiday periods and training days as appropriate. This equates to approx. 39 weeks per year. For Lots 2 & 3 while Service Providers may be expected to perform the Service at any time, it is anticipated that the service will normally be carried out between regular office hours. For Lot 1, routes will be allocated to providers by Blackpool Council by mini-competition and will remain in place for the term specified in the Call-Off Order form, subject to demand and review. For Lots 2 & 3, when authorised Council Officers wish to arrange transport for service users, they will contact Service Providers on the Framework, as detailed in Appendix A - Specification. A full scope of the Contracting Authority's requirements can be found in Appendix A - Specification. The English Devolution White Paper set out the government's vision for simpler local government structures in order to lead to better outcomes for residents, improved local accountability and savings which can then be reinvested in public services. All councils in 2-tier areas and small neighbouring unitary authorities have been invited to develop proposals for unitary local government with the aim of bringing together lower and upper tier local government services in new unitary councils to deliver local government reorganisation. It is likely that within the duration of this contract there may be further development of local government reorganisation that could result in the area and scope of coverage of this contract changing. It is not clear at this stage what the reorganisation will look like. The Contracting Authority reserve the right to modify, review or amend the contract as may become appropriate in order to effectively respond to any future requirements as a result of local government reorganisation.

Lot Division

1 Home to School Transport
  • Value: £4M

Following the establishment of the Open Framework the Routes will be called-off via a mini-competition. A Mini-Competition is where all Service Providers on the Framework will be given the opportunity to price for the Route via the Chest and will be awarded based on the lowest price and suitability of provision. When a Route is awarded in a mini-competition it will be detailed in the Call Off Order form (Appendix C) and appended to the Contract issued under Stage 1. All Call-offs from the Open Framework will be awarded on a spot purchase basis and will remain in place for the full-term as specified in the Call Off Order Form (Appendix C) or until terminated in accordance with the terms of the Framework. The Routes awarded under the Framework can commence at any time after the commencement date, however the majority will begin on the first day of the autumn term. The current number of Routes commissioned via this service is approximately 75 although this can fluctuate

Award Criteria
Quality All Service Providers who meet the conditions of participation and whose quality scores amount to 60% or more of the total available overall quality score will be admitted to the framework. Service Providers who meet the licensing requirements for Lots 1 and 2 will be admitted to Lots 1, 2 and 3. Service Providers who do not meet the licensing requirements for Lots 1 and 2 will be admitted to Lot 3 only.
2 Ad Hoc Social Care related Transport
  • Value: £4M

Following the establishment of Framework, when authorised Council Officers wish to arrange transport for service users related for Social Care related Transport, they will contact Service Providers on the Framework. Council Officers will contact the Service Provider Ranked first on the framework in the first instance. Should the Service Provider ranked first be unable to meet the requirement of the Council Officer, or if the Council Officer is unable to make contact with the Service Provider through the agreed method of contact, the Council Officer will then move to the Service Provider ranked Second place, and then third and so on. Where a wheelchair accessible vehicle is required, the Council Officer will contact the highest ranked Service Provider that has indicated that it can provide a wheelchair accessible vehicle, and if they are unable to meet the Council Officers requirement (or if they cannot be contacted) then the second highest ranked Service Provider that has indicated it can provide a wheelchair accessible vehicle, and so on. The requirements for wheelchair accessible vehicles are articulated in this document. Journeys performed under this contract can only be booked by authorised Council Officers who will specify passengers, pick up and drop off points. Blackpool Council will not be liable to pay for any additional passengers or chargeable items (such as cycles, luggage, prams & dogs), detours (when requested by the Service User), additional stops or onward journeys. Where these are requested by the Service User authorisation should be obtained from an authorised Council Officer prior to the journey commencement. Any discrepancy between the Service Provider and the Service user should be referred back to an authorised Blackpool Council Officer for a final decision. All Services provided under this lot must be performed only by providers who hold the appropriate licensing issued by Blackpool Council, in accordance with the requirements specified in the tender documentation.

Award Criteria
Quality Including Social Value Lot 2 - All Service Providers who meet the conditions of participation and whose quality scores amount to 60% or more of the total available overall quality score will be admitted to the framework. Service Providers who meet the licensing requirements for Lots 1 and 2 will be admitted to Lots 1, 2 and 3. Service Providers who do not meet the licensing requirements for Lots 1 and 2 will be admitted to Lot 3 only. For Lots 2 and 3, Service Providers will be ranked based on their Quality and Social Value scores. Where 2 Service Providers achieve the same Quality and Social Value Scores, the Provider whose verified response for 2.2 Vehicle Capacity is greater will be ranked higher.
3 Ad hoc Transport (non-social care related)
  • Value: £4M

Following the establishment of Framework, when authorised Council Officers wish to arrange transport for non social care related purposes, they will contact Service Providers on the Framework. Council Officers will contact the Service Provider Ranked first on the framework in the first instance. Should the Service Provider ranked first be unable to meet the requirement of the Council Officer, or if the Council Officer is unable to make contact with the Service Provider through the agreed method of contact, the Council Officer will then move to the Service Provider ranked Second place, and then third and so on. Where a wheelchair accessible vehicle is required, the Council Officer will contact the highest ranked Service Provider that has indicated that it can provide a wheelchair accessible vehicle, and if they are unable to meet the Council Officers requirement (or if they cannot be contacted) then the second highest ranked Service Provider that has indicated it can provide a wheelchair accessible vehicle, and so on. The requirements for wheelchair accessible vehicles are articulated in this document. Journeys performed under this contract can only be booked by authorised Council Officers who will specify passengers, pick up and drop off points. Blackpool Council will not be liable to pay for any additional passengers or chargeable items (such as cycles, luggage, prams & dogs), detours (when requested by the Service User), additional stops or onward journeys. Where these are requested by the Service User authorisation should be obtained from an authorised Council Officer prior to the journey commencement. Any discrepancy between the Service Provider and the Service user should be referred back to an authorised Blackpool Council Officer for a final decision.

Award Criteria
Quality including Social Value Lot 3 - All Service Providers who meet the conditions of participation and whose quality scores amount to 60% or more of the total available overall quality score will be admitted to the framework. Service Providers who meet the licensing requirements for Lots 1 and 2 will be admitted to Lots 1, 2 and 3. Service Providers who do not meet the licensing requirements for Lots 1 and 2 will be admitted to Lot 3 only.

Renewal Options

The Contracting Authority intends to establish an Open Framework, in accordance with the provisions set out under PA23. The Open Framework is expected to remain active for a period of up to 8 years, during which it will be reopened periodically to allow new suppliers to join. The indicative schedule for reopening is as follows: • Initial Opening Date: April 2026 • Indicative Reopening Frequency: As a minimum - Once in the first 3 years and each period of five years beginning with the day of the award of the second framework. • The Contracting Authority reserves the right to adjust the indicative reopening schedule in response to operational requirements. Any changes will be communicated transparently and with sufficient notice via the channels outlined the Invitation to Tender document. Blackpool Council intends that the Open Framework will run until August 2034.

CPV Codes

  • 60112000 - Public road transport services
  • 60120000 - Taxi services
  • 60130000 - Special-purpose road passenger-transport services
  • 60140000 - Non-scheduled passenger transport
  • 60171000 - Hire of passenger cars with driver

Indicators

  • Restrictions apply to the lot award allocation.
  • This is a recurring contract.
  • Renewals are available.

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. **

Reference

  • ocds-h6vhtk-068017
  • FTS 032865-2026

Domains