Construction Contract Leads

Scope

Reference

NEX26/31

Description

The proposed Bus Services Framework is being established to support the future procurement of a wide range of bus and passenger transport services. These include secured local bus services, schools and works transport, group travel, seasonal services, Metro replacement services, and other operational or emergency transport requirements. The framework will operate as a closed framework agreement for an initial three-year period, with the option to extend for up to 24 months. The total estimated framework value is up to £200 million across the potential five-year term.

Nexus currently spends around £20 million each year on bus service contracts procured through a number of separate tendering exercises. The new framework aims to provide a more efficient and flexible procurement route, reducing the need for repeated procurements while maintaining competition and supporting effective service delivery.

Commercial tool

Establishes a framework

Total value (estimated)

• £200,000,000 excluding VAT
• £240,000,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

• 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2031
• 5 years

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

• 34120000 - Motor vehicles for the transport of 10 or more persons
• 60000000 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

Contract locations

• UKC - North East (England)

Lot 1. Secured Local Bus Services

Description

Provision of secured local bus services, including supported routes, socially necessary services, evening and Sunday services, network links, and other tendered bus operations. Call-offs may be awarded for individual routes, route packages, geographic areas, or service tranches.

Lot value (estimated)

• £115,000,000 excluding VAT
• £138,000,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Lot 2. Schools and Works Transport Services

Description

Provision of dedicated school, college, works and education-related transport services, including home-to-school transport, scholar services, academic-year contracts, and associated route requirements.

Lot value (estimated)

• £45,000,000 excluding VAT
• £54,000,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Lot 3. Taxibus Services

Description

Provision of fixed-route and timetabled Taxibus services using smaller vehicles such as taxis, private hire vehicles, MPVs, or accessible minibuses operated as registered local bus services.

Lot value (estimated)

• £1,000,000 excluding VAT
• £1,200,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Lot 4. Demand Responsive, Community and Flexible Transport Services

Description

Provision of demand responsive, community, accessible and flexible transport services, including feeder services, rural transport, community transport operations, mobility pilots and specialist passenger transport solutions.

Lot value (estimated)

• £5,000,000 excluding VAT
• £6,000,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Lot 5. Metro and Ferry Replacement Services

Description

Provision of planned and unplanned emergency replacement transport services to support disruption, engineering works, maintenance programmes and operational incidents affecting Metro and Ferry services. Call-offs may be awarded by direct award using the ranked supplier selection mechanism detailed in the ITT, or through a short-form mini-competition requiring suppliers to submit requirement-specific pricing.

Lot value (estimated)

• £25,000,000 excluding VAT
• £30,000,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Lot 6. Special Events, Seasonal and Partner-Funded Services

Description

Provision of transport services for special events, seasonal requirements, Boxing Day operations, park-and-ride services and other services funded by partner organisations, employers, educational institutions or public bodies.

Lot value (estimated)

• £2,000,000 excluding VAT
• £2,400,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Lot 7. Emergency Bus Services

Description

Provision of short-term emergency replacement bus services required to maintain bus service continuity. Call-offs may be awarded by direct award using the ranked supplier selection mechanism detailed in the ITT, or through a short-form mini-competition requiring suppliers to submit requirement-specific pricing.

Lot value (estimated)

• £5,000,000 excluding VAT
• £6,000,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Lot 8. Partner Organisation Access Lot

Description

Access route for eligible partner organisations to procure their own passenger transport services through the framework, including bus, school, replacement, community and event transport requirements, in accordance with the framework rules and access arrangements.

Lot value (estimated)

• £2,000,000 excluding VAT
• £2,400,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Framework

Maximum number of suppliers

Unlimited

Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers

1%

Further information about fees

1. MANAGEMENT CHARGE

1.1 Where a Call Off Contract is awarded by a Participating Authority other than the Authority, the Supplier shall pay to the Authority a management charge equal to one per cent (1%) of the estimated total contract value of the relevant Call Off Contract, exclusive of VAT.

1.2 The management charge shall become payable upon award of the relevant Call Off Contract and the Authority shall be entitled to invoice the Supplier for such amount.

1.3 The Supplier shall pay all undisputed invoices submitted by the Authority under this paragraph within thirty (30) days of the date of invoice.

1.4 For the avoidance of doubt:

1.4.1 no management charge shall be payable in respect of Call Off Contracts awarded by the Authority itself; and

1.4.2 the management charge is payable only where a Call Off Contract is awarded and shall not be payable merely by virtue of the Supplier's admission to the Framework.

Framework operation description

Selection and award process

Framework establishment:

- Suppliers submit responses to the PSQ and ITT.

- PSQ requirements are assessed on a pass/fail basis, covering legal, financial, technical, and regulatory capability.

- Operational, quality and social value tender responses are evaluated, and successful suppliers are appointed to the framework.

Call-off contracts:

When a requirement arises, Nexus will either:

1. Run a mini competition between relevant framework suppliers

2. Use a controlled direct award process for defined emergency or urgent requirements where permitted.

For most services, pricing will be established through call-off mini-competitions, where suppliers submit service-specific prices and any additional quality responses required for the contract. Nexus will evaluate bids using the published price, quality and social value methodology. The framework is intended to move away from a purely price-based approach and will include quality and social value considerations, with a minimum 10% weighting for social value. For emergency services, pre-agreed rates may be used to support direct awards or short-form mini-competitions.

Contracts will be awarded to the supplier offering the most advantageous tender based on the published evaluation criteria for the specific call-off. Evaluation weightings may vary depending on the service requirement, but will consider a combination of price, quality and social value, rather than price alone. Payment obligations only arise once a call-off contract has been awarded.

Award method when using the framework

Either with or without competition

Contracting authorities that may use the framework

The framework will be established by Nexus (Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive) and will include a Partner Organisation Access Lot (Lot 8), which is intended to allow other eligible public sector bodies to access the framework through their own call-off contracts.

Contracting authority location restrictions

• UKC - North East (England)

Submission

Submission type

Requests to participate

Deadline for requests to participate

30 October 2026, 11:59pm

Submission address and any special instructions

https://www.OPEN-uk.org/

Tenders may be submitted electronically

Yes

Languages that may be used for submission

English

Award decision date (estimated)

1 December 2026

Award criteria

Other information

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes

Procedure

Procedure type

Competitive flexible procedure

Special regime

Utilities

Competitive flexible procedure description

The Bus Services Framework will use a single procurement process where the PSQ and ITT are issued simultaneously, enabling suppliers to submit both their qualification information and framework tender response at the same time.

The process will operate as follows:

1. PSQ and ITT Issued

Nexus publishes the procurement documents, including the PSQ, ITT, and draft framework terms and conditions.

2. PSQ Assessment

Suppliers are assessed against the mandatory qualification requirements, including legal, financial, regulatory, and technical capability. The PSQ will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

3. ITT Evaluation

Only suppliers that successfully pass the PSQ stage will progress to ITT evaluation. Nexus will then evaluate the submitted operational, quality and social value responses to determine framework appointment.

4. Framework Award

Suppliers achieving the required standards will be appointed to the relevant framework lots. Appointment to the framework does not guarantee work but provides access to future call-off opportunities during the framework term.

This approach reduces procurement timescales by assessing qualification and tender submissions concurrently, while ensuring that only suitably qualified operators are considered for framework appointment.

Reduced tendering period

Yes

Pre-selected tenderers - utilities contract or not central government - minimum 10 days

Contracting authority

Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive T/A Nexus

• Public Procurement Organisation Number: PNTB-4383-VMJH

The Spark, Newcastle Helix, St James Boulevard

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE4 5DE

United Kingdom

Email: tenders [at] nexus.org.uk

Website: https://nexus.org.uk/

Region: UKC22 - Tyneside

Organisation type: Public undertaking (commercial organisation subject to public authority oversight)

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