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Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 20 Oct 2025, 12:41 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Provision of Passenger Transport Open Framework

Official notice

Authority: Sefton Council (Local council)

Open framework scheme4 lotsServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Sectors: Transport & Passenger Services (60) Delivery: North West (UKD71)
Framework ceiling (notional)£144,000,000total for 4 lots · framework ceiling, not attributable revenue
Submissions closed 14 Nov 2025awarded 22 Dec 2025
Awarded to 24 X 7 LTD. +12 more4 awards
Framework period 5 yrsends 31 Dec 2030 · up to 31 Dec 2033 with extensions · starts 1 Jan 2026

What is being bought4 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

Sefton Council have awarded contracts to providers to be included on an Open Framework of contractors, for the provision of hired passenger transport services (bus, mini-bus, coach, taxi and private hire) to Sefton Council and its establishments. The majority of journeys will take place within Sefton, although, on occasions, routes may start in Sefton but travel out of the borough, or visa versa.

  • The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 1 Oct 2032, 23:59 BST.

CPV: Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

How this framework works

From the published notice
Type
Open framework · open framework scheme (admission reopens)
Call-offs
call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
Bids received
13 bids on the busiest of 4 lots · 15 suppliers appointed
Framework period
5 yrs · up to 8 yrs from 1 Jan 2026
Scheme runs until
31 Dec 2033
Buyer regions
UKD7
Who may buy through it

Liverpool City Council

Wirral Council

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

St Helens Borough Council

Halton Borough Council

Mersey Travel

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

Published description of the framework

The Sefton Passenger Transport Open Framework will be active for up to 8 years. This will be subject to compliance with the requirements stated in section 49 of the Procurement Act 2023 in relation to Open Frameworks.

There will be no maximum limit on the number of suppliers that will be allowed onto the Open Framework Agreement. All bidders that pass the selection criteria sections will obtain a place on the Open Framework and will be ranked in accordance with each

bidder's price score.

Once established, the Council will re-open the Framework periodically.

The anticipated dates for the re-opening of the Framework are as follows:

March 2026

October 2026

October 2027

October 2028

October 2029

October 2030

Council may re-open the Framework at its sole discretion on additional occasions over the 8 year period of it's lifespan, based on operational needs and other factors including, but

not limited to;.

a) Market changes, such as a reduction in the existing number of Providers on the Open Framework or the number of existing Providers that are suspended from the Open Framework.

b) The identified need to secure additional capacity to cater for demand.

c) The identified need to conduct specific procurement activities to address issues such as Provider failure, Call-Off contract terminations, and/or Contractor withdrawal from Sefton.

On re-opening of the Framework the Council may award the framework to an existing supplier by reference to-

(a) the fact that the supplier has already been awarded a framework under the scheme,

(b) a tender relating to an earlier award under the scheme, or

(c) a tender relating to the current award.

The Council reserves the right to use the Sefton Passenger Transport Open Framework to make contract awards to Providers either with or without conducting further/mini-competitions.

Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure

4 lots · all with a published value · same evaluation weights on every lot
Lot #1Vehicles with up to 5 passenger seatsAwardedRenewal 5 yrsSMEPublished value£89,280,000

Hired passenger transport services to transport Sefton Travel Support Team Customers, Council employees, or Passenger Assistants in vehicles with up to 5 passenger seats

Contract period: 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2030 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Dec 2033 with extensionsValue: £89,280,000 exc. VAT · £107,136,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: North WestEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: Open Framework minimum duration 4 years, extendable for a further 4 years if there is more than a single provider per lot
60000000 Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
Lot #2Vehicles with 6 to 8 passenger seats (must be a minibus)AwardedRenewal 5 yrsSMEPublished value£24,480,000

Hired passenger transport services to transport TST Customers, Council employees, or Passenger Assistants in vehicles with 6 to 8 passenger seats (must be a minibus)

Contract period: 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2030 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Dec 2033 with extensionsValue: £24,480,000 exc. VAT · £29,376,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: North WestEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: Open Framework minimum duration 4 years, extendable for a further 4 years if there is more than a single provider per lot
60000000 Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
Lot #3Vehicles with 9 to 16 passenger seatsAwardedRenewal 5 yrsSMEPublished value£28,800,000

Hired passenger transport services to transport TST Customers, Council employees, or Passenger Assistants in vehicles with with 9 to 16 passenger seats

Contract period: 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2030 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Dec 2033 with extensionsValue: £28,800,000 exc. VAT · £34,560,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: North WestEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: Open Framework minimum duration 4 years, extendable for a further 4 years if there is more than a single provider per lot
60000000 Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
Lot #4Vehicles with 17+ passenger seatsAwardedRenewal 5 yrsSMEPublished value£1,440,000

Hired passenger transport services to transport TST Customers, Council employees, or Passenger Assistants in vehicles with with 17+ passenger seats

Contract period: 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2030 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Dec 2033 with extensionsValue: £1,440,000 exc. VAT · £1,728,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: North WestEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: Open Framework minimum duration 4 years, extendable for a further 4 years if there is more than a single provider per lot
60000000 Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored · same split on all 4 lots
Price: 100%
Published award criteria (1)
  • Price
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 100 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 10 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
  • “Provision of Passenger Transport Open Framework” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Open framework scheme
Who may use this agreement
Liverpool City Council Wirral Council Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council St Helens Borough Council Halton Borough Council Mersey Travel Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council · open scheme: new suppliers can join during the term
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Yes · next expected 1 Oct 2032
First published
20 Oct 2025, 12:41 BST
Last source update
17 Feb 2026, 15:44 GMT
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 5 Dec 2025
Authority reference
DN794561
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-066682
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
Delivery area
North West (UKD71)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05cfb0 Find a Tender
Review and risk notes
Risks

Identified risks which could require changes to the agreement to accommodate are as follows:

  1. Possible changes to legislation or policy which affect eligibility for receipt of travel support.
  2. Fluctuations in demand for the service resulting from demographic changes and/or the development of alternative methods of achieving the required outcomes for families receiving the Services.
  3. Inflationary pressures and the impact of changes to minimum / living wage.
  4. Collaboration between neighbouring local authorities who may wish to source services via the Sefton Open Framework or make their sourcing arrangements available.
  5. The numbers of parents and carers opting for receipt of Personal Travel Budgets as opposed to receiving Services commissioned by the Council.
  6. Changes to official guidance, recognised best practice or unforeseen incidents during the delivery of the Services resulting in changes to the Service Specification, policies, procedures and documentation.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: ProContract (Due North) · Who buys & how to bid on ProContract
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · short registration with manual review; public opportunity list
Appointment period ends
14 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
7 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

procontract.due-north.com/RFx/RFxSummary ↗

Timeline

20 Oct 2025 → 17 Feb 2026 · 8 dates
  1. Tender notice published372 days ago
    20 Oct 2025, 12:41 BST
  2. Clarification questions by354 days ago
    7 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
  3. Admission / appointment period ends347 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown
    14 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
  4. Award decision expected by325 days ago
    5 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
  5. Assessment summaries sent309 days ago
    22 Dec 2025
  6. Contract starts299 days ago
    1 Jan 2026
  7. Standstill ends293 days ago
    6 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
  8. Latest notice published252 days ago
    17 Feb 2026, 15:44 GMT

Notice history

5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 20 Oct 2025
  1. Tender notice published
    20 Oct 2025, 12:41 BST
    UK4
  2. Contract award notice published
    22 Dec 2025, 15:07 GMT
    UK6
  3. Status changed to complete
    22 Dec 2025, 15:07 GMT
  4. Contract signature expected
    7 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  5. Contract details notice published
    17 Feb 2026, 15:44 GMT
    UK7

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Suppliers appointed 154 awards · see the list ↓
Bids received 1312 from SMEs · busiest of 4 lots
Named bidders 15published on the award notice
Contracts signed 4latest 19 Jan 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Lot 1 · Vehicles with up to 5 passenger seats1 award
24 X 7 LTD., Computer Cab (Liverpool) LtdSME, FORMBY VILLAGE RADIO CARSSME, RADCLIFFE TAXISSME, REIGN MANAGEMENT SERVICES LTD, SEAFORTH RADIO CARSSME +5 more7 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2030 · up to 31 Dec 2033Extensions: Open Framework minimum duration 4 years, extendable for a further 4 years if there is more than a single provider per lot£107,136,000 inc. VAT22 Dec 2025Awarded
Lot 2 · Vehicles with 6 to 8 passenger seats (must be a minibus)1 award
24 X 7 LTD., FORMBY VILLAGE RADIO CARSSME, PRESIDENTIAL TRAVELSME, REIGN MANAGEMENT SERVICES LTD, RTTS TRAVEL LTD, SEAFORTH RADIO CARSSME +7 moreLot 2. Vehicles with 6 to 8 passenger seats7 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2030 · up to 31 Dec 2033Extensions: Open Framework minimum duration 4 years, extendable for a further 4 years if there is more than a single provider per lot£29,376,000 inc. VAT22 Dec 2025Awarded
Lot 3 · Vehicles with 9 to 16 passenger seats1 award
Apex Management Solutions LimitedSME, Computer Cab (Liverpool) LtdSME, HARTLEY TRAVELSME, PRESIDENTIAL TRAVELSME, RADCLIFFE TAXISSME, RTTS TRAVEL LTD +2 more7 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2030 · up to 31 Dec 2033Extensions: Open Framework minimum duration 4 years, extendable for a further 4 years if there is more than a single provider per lot£34,560,000 inc. VAT22 Dec 2025Awarded
Lot 4 · Vehicles with 17+ passenger seats1 award
HARTLEY TRAVELSME, PRESIDENTIAL TRAVELSME, SPENCER TRAVELSME7 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2030 · up to 31 Dec 2033Extensions: Open Framework minimum duration 4 years, extendable for a further 4 years if there is more than a single provider per lot£1,728,000 inc. VAT22 Dec 2025Awarded

Contracts

Bid statistics published by the authority

LotBidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1 · Vehicles with up to 5 passenger seats11final-stage tenders · 12 at stage one100—
2 · Vehicles with 6 to 8 passenger seats (must be a minibus)13final-stage tenders · 15 at stage one120—
3 · Vehicles with 9 to 16 passenger seats8final-stage tenders80—
4 · Vehicles with 17+ passenger seats3final-stage tenders30—

Who bid

Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PTHP-5656-DLCN Bootle Town Hall, Bootle, North West, L20 7AEContact email

Framework contractors & participating bidders

17 commercial parties on the notice
  • 24 X 7 LTD.Framework contractorGB-COH: 04142000GB-PPON: PGTV-4978-TPPW Little Easton Manor, Dunmow, East of England, CM6 2JNContact email
  • Apex Management Solutions LtdFramework contractorGB-COH: 07257399 36 Canal Street, Liverpool, North West, L20 8AHContact email
  • Apex Management Solutions LtdFramework contractorGB-PPON: PLQC-9682-ZHPP 36 Canal Street, Liverpool, North West, L20 8AHContact email
  • COMPUTER CAB (LIVERPOOL) LIMITEDFramework contractorGB-COH: 00597443GB-PPON: PQHC-8689-YTDQ The Point, 37 North Wharf Road, London, London, W2 1AFContact email
  • D COOPER TAXISFramework contractorGB-PPON: PBGH-6677-HYZQ 18 Darwin Court, Cambridge Road, Southport, North West, PR9 9XRContact email
  • FORMBY VILLAGE RADIO CARS LIMITEDFramework contractorGB-COH: 05698335GB-PPON: PLZY-6153-PXCP 300 St. Marys Road, Liverpool, North West, L19 0NQContact email
  • HARTLEY TRAVEL LIMITEDFramework contractorGB-COH: 07019638GB-PPON: PJZD-9826-MHHT Old Jacobs Garages Hartley Avenue, Liverpool, North West, L9 7DBContact email
  • PJC EXECUTIVE TRAVEL LIMITEDFramework contractorGB-COH: 12216198GB-PPON: PZQR-7789-WCRZ Suite 11-12 Jubilee House Altcar Road, Liverpool, North West, L37 8DLContact email
  • PJC EXECUTIVE TRAVEL LIMITEDFramework contractorGB-PPON: PZQR-7789-WCRZ Suite 11-12 Jubilee House Altcar Road, Liverpool, North West, L37 8DLContact email
  • PRESIDENTIAL TRAVEL LTDFramework contractorGB-COH: 06481431GB-PPON: PHWP-8842-HDYP Unit B4 Kingfisher Business Park, Bootle, North West, L20 6PFContact email
Show 7 more suppliers
  • RADCLIFFE TAXIS LIMITEDFramework contractorGB-COH: 15568559GB-PPON: PWRM-9663-PWBV C/O V & R Accountancy Services Cropton House, Formby, North West, L37 4AQContact email
  • REIGN MANAGEMENT SERVICES LTDFramework contractorGB-COH: 14410023GB-PPON: PXNZ-1942-MHVW 4 Dinas Lane, Huyton, North West, L36 2NPContact email
  • RTTS TRAVEL LTDFramework contractorGB-COH: 14376186GB-PPON: PDGR-4575-WZYV 52-60 St. Anne Street, Liverpool, North West, L3 3DYContact email
  • SEAFORTH RADIO CARS LIMITEDFramework contractorGB-COH: 05989748GB-PPON: PRZJ-4874-BJVQ 105 Bridge Road, Liverpool, North West, L21 2PBContact email
  • SPENCER TRAVELFramework contractorGB-PPON: PQDB-7381-JRND 82 LONSDALE ROAD, LITHERLAND, North West, L210DSContact email
  • Travel CoFramework contractorGB-PPON: PBPZ-3838-WBHX 80 Royden Road, WIGAN, North West, WN57LPContact email
  • YELLOW TOP HOLDINGS LIMITEDFramework contractorGB-COH: 13937031GB-PPON: PTZQ-7744-CJWZ 71/73 Hoghton Street, Southport, North West, PR9 0PRContact email

Official documents & specifications (10)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender