Tenders/Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - School and Special Transport Open Framework

Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - School and Special Transport Open Framework

Bedford Borough Council

Published: Aug 21, 2026

Updated: Aug 21, 2026

About This Opportunity

This is a consulting contract in the transport and logistics and education and training sectors, with a focus on Logistics and Freight. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums.

Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for consulting in the transport and logistics sector. Consulting assignments are typically evaluated with a strong emphasis on the technical proposal, including the methodology and qualifications of key experts. Shortlisted firms may be invited to submit financial proposals in a second stage. This is an advance notice — the formal tender is expected to be published shortly. Interested parties can use this time to prepare documentation and identify potential partners.

Description

Bedford Borough Council has a statutory duty to provide free home to school travel for compulsory school-aged children who meet nationally prescribed eligibility criteria and for post-16 students who meet locally determined criteria. To fulfil this duty, the Council commissions transport services from external providers using a range of vehicle types to meet the diverse needs of routes and individual passengers. In addition, the School and Specialist Transport Team arranges transport for a range of Adult and Children's Social Care requirements, including contact sessions, day services, and respite provision. To support the efficient and compliant procurement of these services, the Council is establishing a new Open Framework to replace the existing Passenger Transport Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). Bedford Borough Council is undertaking Preliminary Market Engagement in relation to the establishment of this new Open Framework for the provision of Home to School, Specialist Transport, and related passenger transport services. The Framework will replace the Council's existing Passenger Transport Dynamic Purchasing System and will be used to procure transport services for eligible children, young people, adults and other service users as required. The Council is publishing this notice to inform the market of the proposed procurement, provide an overview of the service requirements, and invite interested providers to engage with the opportunity. The procurement process is expected to be conducted electronically through the ADAM eProcurement System, with approved providers being eligible to participate in future call-off opportunities under the Open Framework. Indicative timescales are: Publication of procurement documents: Early September 2026 Evaluation of applications: October 2026 Notification of framework admission outcomes: November 2026 Framework award and commencement: November/ December 2026 These dates are indicative only and may be subject to change. This notice does not commence the procurement process and is intended solely to support market awareness and engagement ahead of the formal tender opportunity. Interested providers are encouraged to register their interest and participate in the forthcoming procurement opportunity when advertised.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on August 21, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 079984-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About Bedford Borough Council

Bedford Borough Council has issued 95 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 5 currently open and 78 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Governance & Public Administration, Construction & Civil Works, and General Supplies & Services. All notices are published for United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and UK Contracts Finder. Most recent publication: August 21, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

What type of contract is this?

This is a Consulting contract in the Transport & Logistics sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 079984-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by Bedford Borough Council in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.