West Yorkshire Bus Franchising Dynamic Market

This Invitation to Apply for Membership (IAM) is issued by West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Combined Authority). The Dynamic Market is established for use by the Combined Authority or any successor authorities.

This IAM is made available to all potential suppliers (Applicants) that are interested in tendering for Franchised Bus Services contracts and associated services to the Combined Authority (the Services). Further details about the Services are set out in in the associated documents available using the link at the bottom of this notice.

The Dynamic Market will have two Parts. Applicants may make an application to one or both Parts, at any time.

Membership or previous Application status of one Part makes no difference to the ability of an Applicant to apply to the other Part. Part "Tier A" of the Dynamic Market will be for the Combined Authority to procure Tier A Franchised Bus Services contracts that: (a) require the use of an Authority-owned depot to perform contractual operations (lease arrangements will be part of each contract) (b) require the use of Authority-owned fleet to perform contractual operations.

Part "Tier B and C" of the Dynamic Market will be for the Combined Authority to procure Tier B and C Franchised Bus Services contracts that: (a) do not require the use of an Authority-owned depot to perform contractual operations (operators will source their own arrangements) (b) may make use of Authority-owned fleet to perform contractual operation but usually will involve an Operator providing its own fleet. Further information about the Parts of the Dynamic Market is set out in the associated documents.

As this is a Qualifying Utilities Dynamic Market, the Combined Authority does not intend to publish tender notices for individual procurements under this Dynamic Market via the central digital platform. Pursuant to section 40 of the PA23, a tender notice and associated Invitation to Tender inviting all Members of the applicable part of the Dynamic Market will be issued only to Members of the relevant Part.

Pending Applications will not receive such an invitation. Therefore, it is essential that all suppliers who wish to receive Invitations to Tender are Members of the relevant Part of the Dynamic Market before any tender notice or Invitation to Tender is issued in relation to individual procurements under the Dynamic Market.

The term of the Dynamic Market is expected to be seven years. The Combined Authority reserves the right to extend the Dynamic Market or terminate it early.

The latest date an Application can be made to join the Dynamic Market to be able to tender for Tier A Round 1 is 1200 hrs (BST) on Friday, the 19th September 2025. The latest date an Application can be made to join the Dynamic Market to be able to tender for Tier B & C Round 1 is 1200 hrs (BST) on Friday, the 3rd of October 2025.

OPERATORS WHO DO NOT APPLY ON OR BEFORE THIS DATE MAY BE UNABLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR ROUND 1. A list of Round 1 contracts are set out fully in the associated documents, along with Round 2 and 3 contract dates and further explanation about what these terms mean.

The application form must be submitted, completed (the document, with the project-specific questions added to the PSQ, is available to download at the link contained within this notice). No other methods of applying are available.

Type of contracts to be awarded under the dynamic market part: Public Service Bus contracts, classed as utilities services contracts. General scope of services: 1) Providing Public Bus Services to the general public, on a timetable and manner specified in the procurement documents. 2) Providing drivers and staff. 3) Providing vehicle maintenance and cleaning services. 4) Providing traffic control and network management integration. 5) Integrating IT and other systems with the Combined Authority’s systems, including but not limited to data and performance monitoring systems, customer-facing systems, or non-digital systems. 6) Performing obligations in accordance with the performance management regime and within other contract management arrangements.

Geographical coverage: wholly or substantially within the West Yorkshire Combined Authority area Estimated contract value ranges: individual Contracts worth between £50,000,000 and £300,000,000 over the seven year contract. £3,000,000,000 in aggregate for this Part Additional features: services shall be run from Combined Authority-provided depot facilities. Services will use some Combined Authority vehicles.

Provision of other vehicles will be the responsibility of the Operator. Type of contracts to be awarded under the dynamic market part: Public Service Bus contracts, classed as utilities services contracts.

General scope of services: 1) Providing Public Bus Services to the general public, on a timetable and manner specified in the procurement documents. 2) Providing drivers and staff. 3) Providing vehicle maintenance and cleaning services. 4) Providing traffic control and network management integration. 5) Integrating IT and other systems with the Combined Authority’s systems, including but not limited to data and performance monitoring systems, customer-facing systems, or non-digital systems. 6) Performing obligations in accordance with the performance management regime and within other contract management arrangements. Geographical coverage: wholly or substantially within the West Yorkshire Combined Authority area Estimated contract value ranges: individual Contracts worth greater than £1,000,000 and less than £80,000,000 over the seven year contract.

Up to £1,500,000,000 in aggregate for this Part Additional features: services shall be run from Operator-provided depot facilities. The Combined Authority will not provide depot facilities.

Services may be able to use a small amount Combined Authority vehicles. Provision of other vehicles will be the responsibility of the Operator.