Bus Grant Fares and Ticketing – Kids Go Free - First Bus

Direct award

Awarded value£734,037published award · exc. VAT

Award in standstill Not publishedno call for competition

What is being bought

Published requirement description

This contract supports the Kids Go Free subsidised fare initiative that allows for free travel for the under 16s, with this supplier.

single lot · no lot value published

Lot #1Awarded

From the official record

Why no open competition: Single Suppliers Intellectual Property Exclusive Rights
Published justification: The Procurement Act 2023 (the Act) permits direct awards to be made in certain circumstances. The relevant justification is contained in Paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 of the Act which states: “The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract— (a) due to a particular supplier having intellectual property rights or other exclusive rights, only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works. [Emphasis added] Each of the bus operators has been awarded competitively tendered bus routes which they have exclusive rights to operate so that both limbs (a) and (b) are satisfied.

Review and risk notes

Risks: No significant risks identified due to the nature of the requirement.

2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 4 Jul 2025

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Awards 1some still in standstill

Awarded value £734,0371 award exc. VAT

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
supplier not published19 Jul 2025 – 5 Sept 2025	£734,037	—	Standstill

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PGWR-9284-XMRY 70 Redcliff Street, Bristol, South West, BS1 6ALContact email

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender4 Jul 2025, 16:45 BST