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Tenderpatch

Bus Services Framework

Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive T/A Nexus

Open Interest closes in 14 days

Key facts

Deadline to express interest or request to participate
Friday 30 October 2026, 23:59 (UK time) Interest closes in 14 days
Buyer's estimated value
£200,000,000 (excl. VAT) The buyer's own estimate, not income to you. For a framework this usually covers the whole agreement, not a single contract.
Contract period
1 Dec 2026 to 30 Nov 2031
Procedure
Competitive flexible procedure
Notice type
Tender notice (UK4)
Arrangement
Framework agreement

Decision brief

Taken from the buyer's published notice (shown as written, shortened where long). Tenderpatch has not added to or interpreted it. Always read the official documents before bidding.

How bids will be scored

Lot 1

  • Core Quality Questions 80%
  • Social Value 20%

Lot 2

  • Core Quality Questions 80%
  • Social Value 20%

Lot 3

  • Core Quality Questions 80%
  • Social Value 20%

Lot 4

  • Core Quality Questions 80%
  • Social Value 20%

Lot 5

  • Core Quality Questions 80%
  • Social Value 20%

Lot 6

  • Core Quality Questions 80%
  • Social Value 20%

Lot 7

  • Core Quality Questions 80%
  • Social Value 20%

Lot 8

  • Core Quality Questions 80%
  • Social Value 20%
Conditions of participation (what you must show)
None published in the notice. They may be in the tender documents.
Contract length and extensions
1 Dec 2026 to 30 Nov 2031.
How to submit
Through www.OPEN-uk.org ↗ (the buyer's own portal). Electronic submission: allowed.
Restrictions and fees
Participation fee: 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…
Tender documents
No document links in the notice. Use the official notice link.
New to public tenders? Plain-English guide to this page
Framework
An agreement that sets terms for work the buyer may order later, often from several suppliers. The value shown usually covers the whole agreement, not one job.
Open for bids / closing date
You must submit by the closing date and time, normally through the buyer's own online portal. Late bids are normally refused.
Clarification questions
A deadline for asking the buyer questions about the tender. It is earlier than the closing date.
Conditions of participation
What the buyer asks suppliers to show before they can be considered, such as experience, insurance or accreditations.
Bids are scored on
How the buyer will compare bids, usually a split between price and quality. A 60/40 split in favour of quality means the cheapest bid will not necessarily win.
Lots
A tender can be split into parts. You can often bid for only the lots that suit you.
Area (ITL)
The buyer names an official statistical area for where the work is, not a street address. Check the tender documents for the actual sites.
UK4 and other notice codes
Official codes for the type of notice. A "tender notice" means bids are being invited.

General explanations written by Tenderpatch, not part of this notice.

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.

Lots (8)

  1. Lot 1: Secured Local Bus Services

    Value: £115,000,000 (excl. VAT)

    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.

  2. Lot 2: Schools and Works Transport Services

    Value: £45,000,000 (excl. VAT)

    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.

  3. Lot 3: Taxibus Services

    Value: £1,000,000 (excl. VAT)

    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.

  4. Lot 4: Demand Responsive, Community and Flexible Transport Services

    Value: £5,000,000 (excl. VAT)

    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.

  5. Lot 5: Metro and Ferry Replacement Services

    Value: £25,000,000 (excl. VAT)

    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-specif...

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

    Value: £2,000,000 (excl. VAT)

    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.

  7. Lot 7: Emergency Bus Services

    Value: £5,000,000 (excl. VAT)

    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.

  8. Lot 8: Partner Organisation Access Lot

    Value: £2,000,000 (excl. VAT)

    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.