Cheshire East Council - DPS For The Provision of Passenger Transport
Cheshire East Borough CouncilEstimated Value
Not specified
Deadline
6 July 2031
1775 days remaining
Published
7 July 2023
Type
Not specified
Overview
Tenders are invited from operators who wish to be included in the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the provision of passenger transport, which will be split into the following LOTS:Lot 1 – Cheshire East Council Home to School Passenger Transport Provision - Mainstream Special Education Needs & Disabilities (SEND) and CollegeLot 2 – Cheshire East Council Supported Local Bus Service ProvisionThe initial period of this DPS will be 8 years with further options to extend of 4 x 12 month periods.
Lots (1)
- Lot 1Home to School Passenger Transport and SQ Part 3 - Lot 2 - Local Bus Service
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 9 Jul 2026 - 2
Community Home Solutions Ltd
1 contract wonlatest 9 Jul 2026 - 3
SG Travel Ltd
1 contract wonlatest 18 May 2026 - 4
Take Me (Stoke) Limited
1 contract wonlatest 18 May 2026 - 5
Westside Taxis Ltd (Transport)
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.
Before you bid, buyers check
two years of filed accountsyour financial standingturnover vs contract valueyour Companies House recordcash flow for 30-day termscredit scores and ratios
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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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