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2021 Somerset County Council DPS for the Provision of Passenger Transport

Tender Overview

LOCATION

Dorset and Somerset, United Kingdom

VALUE

£230,000,000

DEADLINE

March 31, 2026 at 11:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

60000000

REFERENCE

001045-2021

Project Timeline

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Contact Information

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Original Tender Description

Somerset County Council wishes to establish a new Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) under which all procurement activity for the provision of high quality and cost effective Passenger Transport will be conducted. This is to replace the current Passenger Transport DPS which expires on 31st March 2021. All existing suppliers will need to reapply to the new DPS. The type of transport the Council provides includes Home to School transport service for children in mainstream education and children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Children and Adult Services, County bus services, Ad Hoc Taxis and Minibus / Coach hire, and any other passenger transport services. On certain routes there is a requirement for regular drivers, and/or passenger assistants. The Council also provides scheduled local bus services to meet public transport requirements which would otherwise not be met; these are scheduled public passenger transport services that transport citizens within the boundary of Somerset County Council and across neighbouring council boundaries, when the Council provides additional subsided services. The DPS will commence on 1st April 2021 and will run for 5 years (to 31st March 2026) with the option to extend by 2 further periods of 2 years each (Maximum of nine years in total to 31st March 2030). The total value of the DPS over the total agreement period for all four Lots is GBP 230,000,000 Somerset County Council is managing this procurement process in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/102) The DPS is split into four Lots; suppliers will be able to bid for one or more Lots as follows – Lot 1: Vehicles over 23 Passenger Seats Lot 2: Vehicles 9 to 22 Passenger Seats Lot 3: Vehicles up to 8 Passenger Seats Lot 4: Vehicles up to 8 Passenger Seats where contracts are required on an accelerated timescale
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MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • Adhere to the mandatory exclusion grounds as set out in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/102).
✓

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Be a provider capable of delivering high quality and cost-effective passenger transport services.
  • Be prepared to provide services for Home to School transport (mainstream and SEND), Children and Adult Services, County bus services, Ad Hoc Taxis, Minibus/Coach hire, and other passenger transport services.
  • Be prepared to provide scheduled local bus services within Somerset County Council boundaries and across neighbouring council boundaries where additional subsided services are required.
  • Existing suppliers on the previous DPS must reapply to be considered for the new DPS.
  • Comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/102) for the procurement process.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Possess vehicles suitable for the specified Lots:
  • Lot 1: Vehicles over 23 Passenger Seats
  • Lot 2: Vehicles 9 to 22 Passenger Seats
  • Lot 3: Vehicles up to 8 Passenger Seats
  • Lot 4: Vehicles up to 8 Passenger Seats (for accelerated contracts)
  • Be able to provide regular drivers for certain routes.
  • Be able to provide passenger assistants for certain routes.
  • Demonstrate capability to provide high quality passenger transport services.
  • Demonstrate capability to provide cost-effective passenger transport services.
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • No specific financial requirements for bidders are detailed in the provided information.
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SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Submit bids via the e-procurement portal.
  • Apply for the new DPS, even if an existing supplier.
  • Indicate which of the four Lots the company is bidding for (one or more are permitted).
  • Ensure submission is completed by the deadline of 31st March 2026, 11:00:00.
  • Access full details and submission instructions on the designated e-procurement portal.

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PDF
Official PDF Version
PDF001045-2021_official.pdf
Summary:
This document is a contract notice announcing Somerset County Council's new £230M Dynamic Purchasing System for passenger transport services, including school, adult, and public bus routes, split into four lots based on vehicle size, and directs interested suppliers to the e-procurement portal for full details and submission.

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70
Good

Tender Quality Score

This tender establishes a Dynamic Purchasing System for passenger transport services, demonstrating a structured approach through lot division. However, the critical absence of accessible tender documents and detailed evaluation criteria significantly hinders transparency and fair competition.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance100/100

The tender explicitly references the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and mandatory exclusion grounds, indicating an intention for legal compliance. However, the lack of full documentation makes a complete assessment of compliance difficult.

Clarity40/100

The description of services, the purpose of the DPS, and the lot structure are clear. However, the specific criteria for 'high quality' and 'cost-effective' services, and the method for demonstrating these, are not detailed, leading to ambiguity.

•Vague criteria for 'high quality' and 'cost-effective' services.
Completeness83/100

The tender provides a good overview of the service scope and structure. However, critical information such as full tender documents, detailed financial requirements, and comprehensive evaluation criteria are missing from the provided extract, making it incomplete for bidders.

•No full tender documents available.
•Missing detailed financial requirements for bidders.
Fairness80/100

The DPS structure with multiple lots allows for broader participation. However, the absence of detailed evaluation criteria and full tender documents creates a significant risk of subjective assessment and potential for unfair treatment, as bidders lack clear guidance on how to succeed.

•Risk of subjective evaluation due to missing detailed criteria.
•Lack of full documentation impedes fair preparation and competition.
Practicality40/100

The DPS model is generally practical for ongoing procurement of diverse transport services, and the division into lots based on vehicle size is practical for matching supplier capabilities. However, the timeline inconsistency could cause confusion.

•The timeline inconsistency (DPS started 2021, submission deadline 2026) could cause confusion for potential applicants regarding the operational phase of the DPS.
Data Consistency100/100

A significant inconsistency exists regarding the DPS timeline: it commenced on 1st April 2021 and runs for 5 years until 31st March 2026, yet the submission deadline for this tender is also 31st March 2026. This implies applications are accepted until the very end of the initial DPS term, which is highly unusual. Additionally, the tender is classified as 'Restricted procedure' but explicitly describes itself as a 'Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)', which operates under different regulatory provisions.

•Inconsistent timeline for DPS commencement/duration versus submission deadline.
•Inconsistency between 'Restricted procedure' classification and 'Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)' description.
Sustainability0/100

The provided information does not indicate any specific green procurement, social, or innovation criteria. This represents a missed opportunity to leverage public procurement for broader sustainability goals and modern best practices.

•Absence of green procurement criteria.
•Absence of social criteria.

Strengths

Clear description of the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) and its purpose.
Well-defined lot structure based on vehicle passenger capacity.
High estimated value indicates significant opportunity for suppliers.
Explicit reference to Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and mandatory exclusion grounds.

Concerns

Critical absence of full tender documents and detailed evaluation criteria.
Significant inconsistency in the DPS timeline and procedure classification.
Lack of specific financial requirements for bidders.
Absence of green, social, or innovation criteria.
Vague definitions for 'high quality' and 'cost-effective' services.

Recommendations

1. Ensure all comprehensive tender documents, including detailed evaluation criteria and terms and conditions, are readily accessible.
2. Clarify the timeline discrepancy regarding the DPS start date and the submission deadline, and correct the procedure classification.
3. Integrate specific financial requirements and clear methods for demonstrating technical capabilities, and consider incorporating sustainability criteria.

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Tender Quality Score
70/ 100 · Good
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