Prior information notice
This notice is for prior information only
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
North Lanarkshire Council
Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street
Motherwell
ML1 1AB
UK
E-mail: corporateprocurement@northlan.gov.uk
NUTS: UKM84
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00010
I.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from 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
Framework Agreement for Ad-Hoc Taxi Provision
Reference number: NLC-CPT-25-076
II.1.2) Main CPV code
60120000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
North Lanarkshire Council requires the provision of passenger transport services to supplement its existing arrangements managed by Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) for school pupil transport (drop-offs and pickups before and after the school day), and transport for pupils with Additional Support Needs (ASN).
Contractors interested in participating in the opportunity should be able to demonstrate the following:
Proven experience in delivering flexible, on-demand passenger transport services, including school trips, community events, and emergency transport.
Operational capacity to respond to short-notice requests across North Lanarkshire and surrounding areas, with access to suitable vehicles and qualified drivers.
Commitment to safety, including a strong health and safety record, robust safeguarding practices, and compliance with all relevant transport regulations.
Environmental awareness, with efforts to reduce emissions and adopt sustainable transport practices where possible.
Financial stability, with the ability to deliver services reliably and within agreed budgets.
Appropriate insurance cover, including public liability and employer’s liability aligned with the scale and nature of operations.
Interested Contractors should review this Prior Information Notice in full and follow instructions stated to the Additional Information section to aid the council in developing this requirement.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
4 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
60120000
60100000
60170000
60171000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM84
Main site or place of performance:
North Lanarkshire
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
To supplement the Council’s internal transport arrangements and fleet, multiple external operators are currently engaged on an ad hoc basis to meet transport requirements for schools and other services.
The Council seeks to streamline the current approach by appointing contractors to deliver required services under a formal agreement. This will improve consistency and ensure compliance with statutory obligations. The Council requires service quality to be maintained at a high level, with punctuality, safety, and accessibility prioritised.
To meet this need, the Council intends to establish a multi-lot, multi-supplier framework arrangement with taxi / private hire companies with sufficient fleet size, adequate technology (radios, apps etc.) to undertake service delivery
This approach should support a range of transport requirements, including (but not limited to) taxi / private hire services for Integrated Day Services (IDS), wider social care provision, housing, corporate and elected members.
The Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 will require all individuals appointed to either arrangement to hold PVG” membership as a legal requirement for all regulated roles.
Taxi contractors must comply with local authority licensing requirements, including vehicle safety, driver background checks, and insurance coverage.
Performance monitoring arrangements will be implemented to ensure ongoing compliance and continuous improvement.
North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) is inviting expressions of interest from suitably qualified contractors to participate in a procurement exercise for a framework agreement to undertaken.
II.2.14) Additional information
The Councils lot structure is still to be determined with this market engagement exercise anticipated to assist with this process.
Interested Contractors should review this Prior Information Notice in full and follow instructions stated to the Additional Information section to aid the council in developing this requirement.
II.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice:
24/10/2025
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
The council are conducting a pre-market engagement phase to gather market intelligence and help shape the procurement strategy.
Interested contractors are invited to express their interest by 08 October 2025 by completing the short questionnaire below
The questionnaire can be access here:
https://forms.office.com/e/aLMYnTrxXJ
For reference, interested contractors may have to copy and paste the above link in to their internet browser for it to open. Alternatively interested contractors can access the questionnaire via the QR Code located in the supporting documents of this Prior Information Notice.
The information contained in questionnaire responses will enable the Council to better understand the market and inform the development of the forthcoming procurement exercise.
Responses will not be shared with any other interested party however should the Council proceed with conducting a procurement procedure for the requirements, a consolidated and anonymised summary of responses received within this market exercise may be published with invitation to tender documentation. There is no obligation to answer any or all questions.
Upon receipt of the questionnaires, the Council may, at its discretion, engage in further discussion with any, all, or none of the interested parties.
Note: This PIN is intended to provide early market engagement and does not constitute a formal procurement notice. The final scope of requirements and procurement process will be outlined in future procurement documents.
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=809964.
(SC Ref:809964)
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
18/09/2025