Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Kent County Council
Kent County Council | Sessions House, Maidstone
Maidstone
ME14 1XQ
UK
Telephone: +44 3000414141
E-mail: Compliance.publictransport@kent.gov.uk
NUTS: UKJ4
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.kent.gov.uk
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/tenders/UK-Maidstone:-Road-transport-services./H36G4TQK44
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/H36G4TQK44
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
SS15 96 DPS - Supported Local Bus (including Kent Karrier) and Home to School Transport Services
Reference number: SS15 96
II.1.2) Main CPV code
60100000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Kent County Council (the Council) is the largest county council in England covering an area of 3,500 square kilometres. It has an annual expenditure of over £1.6bn on goods and services and a population of 1.8m. The Council provides a wide range of personal and strategic services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district councils and over 300 parish/town councils.
This requirement is from the Growth, Environment and Transport Directorate is for the provision of services operated using PSV or Community (Section 19 or 22) Bus Permits.
The requirements relate to the Council's activity in respect of Supported Local Bus (including Kent Karrier) and Home to School Transport Services. Supported Bus services are procured for the delivery of socially necessary bus services (including Kent Karrier), where the authority will fund the provision of a local bus service which is not commercially viable, which would therefore not otherwise run but which the authority has identified as meeting a social need i.e. rural connectivity. Home to School Transport services are procured to provide school transport for those pupils who are determined by our Education and Young People's Directorate as eligible for free home to school transport. Where the volume of pupils is sufficient to justify a larger vehicle (minibus, coach or bus) these will require provision of this transport by a Public Service Vehicle Licensed Operator who can run services either as a public bus service or as a privately hired vehicle.
Further details of the full scope and specific requirements will be provided within the tender documentation issued under this DPS.
Further background and technical information can be found within the tender documentation.
This Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) was established in 2016, with a start date of 01 January 2017. Due to the lack of viable alternatives provided by the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) and in line with the transition arrangements, the Council is extending the 'Supported Local Bus and Home to School Transport Services' DPS period of validity - in accordance with Regulation 28(1)(a) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 - from 31 December 2027 to 23 February 2029, to ensure continuity of service. All other terms and conditions of the DPS remain unchanged.
This Dynamic Purchasing System has a total value of £100 million, covering the period from its establishment in 2017 through to the end of its period of validity.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
100 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
60000000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKJ4
Main site or place of performance:
Kent
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Council established this DPS to tender a variety of transport requirements as detailed in section II.I.4.
This notice confirms the extension of the "Supported Local Bus (including Kent Karrier) and Home to School Transport Services" Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) period of validity, as referenced in section II.I.4.
The DPS will remain open until 23 February 2029, in accordance with Regulation 34 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Suppliers may apply at any time during this period, provided they meet and continue to meet the Council’s minimum standards as defined in the documents. Successful applicants will have equal standing with existing DPS members, and unsuccessful applicants may reapply at any time. Minimum time limits for tenders under the DPS will be specified in each individual Invitation to Tender (ITT).
Suppliers can access the ‘SS15 96 DPS - Supported Local Bus (including Kent Karrier) and Home to School Transport Services Dynamic Purchasing System’ by visiting the link mentioned above or the www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
100 000 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start:
17/12/2025
End:
23/02/2029
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged minimum number: 1
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues
Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
To respond to this opportunity please click here: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/H36G4TQK44
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Restricted procedure
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement with several operators.
The procurement involves the setting up of a dynamic purchasing system
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
22/02/2029
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.The contracting authority considers this contract suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, the selection of tenderers will be based exclusively on the criteria specified in the tender documentation.
Futher information can be found at www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk or by following the below links.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Maidstone:-Road-transport-services./H36G4TQK44
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/H36G4TQK44
GO Reference: GO-20251218-PRO-33813175
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Kent County Council
County Hall
Madistone
ME14 1XQ
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
18/12/2025