Cheshire East Council - DPS For The Provision of Passenger Transport
Cheshire East Borough CouncilEstimated Value
Not specified
Deadline
6 July 2031
1851 days remaining
Published
7 July 2023
Type
Not specified
Description
No description available for this contract.
AI Analysis
Powered by AI — always verify against official documents
Cheshire East Council is setting up a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) to find suppliers who can provide passenger transport services — including buses, coaches, and minibuses for school runs, social care trips, and public events. This is an open framework where the council will call off transport when needed, rather than a single fixed contract.
Requirements
- Must hold a valid Operator's Licence under the Transport Act 1968 or have applied for one with clear approval timeline
- Must hold appropriate insurance (public liability and passenger liability at levels specified in tender documents)
- Must comply with all driver licensing requirements (DBS checks, DVLA records, HGV/PCV licences as applicable)
- Must meet Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requirements
- Must provide evidence of vehicle safety and maintenance standards (MOT, roadworthiness checks)
- Must demonstrate safeguarding compliance if transporting children or vulnerable adults
- Must meet accessibility standards for passengers with disabilities where applicable
- Must have environmental or quality management certification (ISO standards recommended but may not be mandatory — check tender docs)
- Must complete and pass Cheshire East's Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)
Key Tasks & Deliverables
- Provide coaches and minibuses for school transport contracts (term-time and ad-hoc journeys)
- Deliver social care passenger transport (taking elderly and vulnerable adults to appointments and day centres)
- Supply vehicles for council-organised public events and community transport
- Manage booking requests from council departments via the DPS portal (likely electronic system)
- Provide drivers who meet council standards (professional conduct, DBS, appropriate licences)
- Maintain vehicle cleanliness, safety, and punctuality standards
- Report incidents and manage passenger complaints
- Provide pricing quotes for ad-hoc and regular contracted journeys
How to Read This Tender
- 1A DPS is not a one-off contract — you're joining a framework and the council calls you when they need transport. You might get lots of work or little; read the terms carefully to understand minimum commitments (if any) and how orders are triggered.
- 2Look for the 'call-off' or 'ordering' section — this explains how the council actually asks you to provide vehicles. Some DPS systems have guaranteed minimum volumes; others are purely as-needed.
- 3Check the insurance and licensing section first — if you don't already hold an Operator's Licence, understand the application timeline and costs. This is often a barrier for small operators.
- 4Find the pricing schedule or rate card template — the council will want standardized rates for different vehicle types and journey lengths. Prepare realistic pricing before you bid.
- 5Scrutinize safeguarding requirements if you'll transport children — this typically means enhanced DBS checks for all drivers, child safety training, and robust policies. Non-negotiable and can take 4-8 weeks.
Tips for Small Businesses
- Operator's Licence is expensive and time-consuming to obtain (3-4 months, £500+ application fee). If you don't have one, consider partnering with a licensed operator or subcontracting to them — you can still bid as a consortium and share the work.
- School and social care transport is steady, predictable work ideal for small fleets. Build relationships with the council's school transport and commissioning teams early — they often know which routes will be called off regularly.
- Consider joining a passenger transport association (UK Coaching Association, Coach Tourism Council, or local transport partnerships) — membership demonstrates credibility to councils and often includes insurance templates and compliance support.
- Social value scoring often matters for council contracts. Highlight any of these: employing local drivers, supporting disabled or older passengers, green vehicles, apprenticeships, or community involvement.
- DPS frameworks typically run 2-4 years. Once accepted, you can bid on additional call-offs. Don't over-commit in year one — understand your actual vehicle capacity and driver availability before accepting large orders.
Likely incumbents
Suppliers who won similar work from this buyer in the last 5 years.
- 1
Domestic Energy Experts
1 contract wonlatest 28 May 2026 - 2
SG Travel Ltd
1 contract wonlatest 18 May 2026 - 3
Take Me (Stoke) Limited
1 contract wonlatest 18 May 2026 - 4
Westside Taxis Ltd (Transport)
1 contract wonlatest 18 May 2026 - 5
A Stars Travel Limited
1 contract wonlatest 18 May 2026
Domestic Energy Experts is the most likely incumbent based on recency and category match. To win, bidders typically need a clearly differentiated proposition or a price advantage.
Independent software, web & cloud studio. We design, build and grow digital products that quietly outlast their category.
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Buyer Profile
Cheshire East Borough CouncilKey Dates
Published
7 July 2023
Submission deadline
6 July 2031
Source
procontract
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