United Kingdom57 days leftOpen

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 22:55

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

60000000

REFERENCE

000678-2021

Project Timeline

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
⚠️

MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • Comply with 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 capable of providing Home to School transport for mainstream and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) children.
  • Be capable of providing Children and Adult Services transport.
  • Be capable of providing County bus services.
  • Be capable of providing Ad Hoc Taxis and Minibus / Coach hire services.
  • Be capable of providing scheduled local bus services to meet public transport requirements within Somerset County Council boundaries and across neighbouring council boundaries.
  • Existing suppliers must reapply to the new DPS.
  • Be able to bid for one or more of the four specified Lots.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Possess vehicles over 23 Passenger Seats for Lot 1.
  • Possess vehicles 9 to 22 Passenger Seats for Lot 2.
  • Possess vehicles up to 8 Passenger Seats for Lot 3 and Lot 4.
  • Demonstrate capability to provide contracts on an accelerated timescale for Lot 4.
  • Be able to provide regular drivers and/or passenger assistants where required for certain routes.
  • Demonstrate ability to provide high quality and cost-effective passenger transport.
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • No specific financial requirements (e.g., minimum turnover, insurance levels) are explicitly stated in the provided tender information.
📋

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Submit an application to join the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS).
  • Applications can be submitted up until the DPS end date of 31st March 2026.
  • Specify which of the four Lots the company is bidding for (Lot 1, Lot 2, Lot 3, Lot 4, or a combination).

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PDF
Official PDF Version
PDF000678-2021_official.pdf
Summary:
Somerset County Council is establishing a new £230M Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for passenger transport services, including school, SEND, adult, and public bus routes, across four vehicle-size lots, running for up to nine years.

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67
Good

Tender Quality Score

This tender establishes a Dynamic Purchasing System for passenger transport services, demonstrating good clarity in its scope and requirements, but suffers from a lack of explicit evaluation criteria for DPS admission and significant data inconsistencies.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance75/100

The tender states compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, which is appropriate for a UK-based procurement. The DPS procedure type is clearly defined. However, the absence of explicit evaluation criteria for admission to the DPS is a transparency concern, even if specific contract criteria are defined later.

Absence of explicit evaluation criteria for admission to the DPS
Clarity80/100

The description of the services, DPS structure, duration, and lots is clear and unambiguous. AI-extracted requirements are well-categorized and understandable. The primary clarity issue stems from the lack of specified evaluation criteria for DPS admission.

No explicit evaluation criteria specified for admission to the DPS
Completeness70/100

Basic information, estimated value, and duration are provided. Requirements are defined, but the critical absence of evaluation criteria for DPS admission is a significant gap. Only one of four listed documents is provided in the tender information, suggesting potential incompleteness of the provided data.

Missing explicit evaluation criteria for admission to the DPS
Only 1 of 4 tender documents provided (in the input data)
Fairness65/100

The requirements appear generic and not tailored to a specific company. The Dynamic Purchasing System allows for continuous supplier admission, which promotes fairness. However, the lack of transparent evaluation criteria for DPS admission significantly impacts the objectivity and fairness of the selection process. The contradiction regarding e-procurement/e-submission also raises concerns about equal access.

Absence of explicit and transparent evaluation criteria for admission to the DPS
Contradiction between 'E-Procurement' characteristic and 'No e-submission' automated check
Practicality65/100

The contradiction between 'E-Procurement' being a characteristic and the automated check flagging 'No e-submission' is a significant practical concern, potentially hindering electronic application. A document URL is not provided in the given information.

Contradiction regarding e-submission capabilities
Document URL not provided
Data Consistency60/100

There are notable inconsistencies: the estimated value is listed as EUR 230,000,000 but described as GBP 230,000,000. Furthermore, the tender is characterized as 'E-Procurement' while automated checks indicate 'No e-submission', which is a direct contradiction. The 'Liable Person' field is empty.

Inconsistency in estimated value currency (EUR vs. GBP)
Contradiction between 'E-Procurement' characteristic and 'No e-submission' automated check
Sustainability20/100

The tender description and requirements do not include any explicit green procurement, social aspects (beyond the service provision itself), or innovation focus. This indicates a lack of integration of sustainability criteria.

No explicit green procurement criteria
No explicit social criteria for suppliers

Strengths

Clear and detailed description of services and DPS structure
Value and duration of the DPS are clearly specified
Requirements for eligibility and technical capability are well-defined
Utilizes a Dynamic Purchasing System, allowing for continuous supplier admission
Compliance with Public Contracts Regulations 2015 is stated

Concerns

Absence of explicit evaluation criteria for admission to the DPS
Contradiction regarding e-procurement and e-submission capabilities
Inconsistency in the stated estimated value currency (EUR vs. GBP)
Lack of specific financial requirements for suppliers
No integration of green, social, or innovation sustainability criteria

Recommendations

1. Clearly define and publish the evaluation criteria for admission to the Dynamic Purchasing System to enhance transparency and fairness.
2. Clarify and ensure consistency regarding the e-procurement and e-submission functionalities.
3. Rectify the currency inconsistency for the estimated value to avoid confusion.

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B
Tender Quality Score
67/ 100 · Good

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