Official UK procurement notice
Provision of Passenger transport Services
Authority: Luton Borough Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Council offers travel assistance for SEN Children and Vulnerable Adults between home and school/day care where the social care provision for that individual allows for it.
Under the Light Touch regime, an Approved Provider List is being set up to have a pool for vehicles and drivers to assist us with routes.
The purpose of the Routes are to transport eligible individuals to and from their chosen destination safely and on time or at a time to suit the needs of the service requirements.
This Must be in a provision that is clean, correctly maintained, appropriate to user needs and driven by courteous and respectful drivers who can attend to their specific needs, supported when required by passenger assistants.
This Service delivers our statutory requirement to its users and includes transporting children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) assessed
as needing transport to and from school/college as well as Vulnerable Adults and/or Vulnerable Children travelling to and from Day Centres, Resource Bases, and/or other establishments as part of their agreed social care provision.
This service is subject to local and national pressure to improve assurances to the community regarding safeguarding vulnerable individuals. The overriding consideration for Luton Council is the safety of the children and vulnerable people in our care. Any Provider will be expected to ensure the highest standards in this regard.
Providers shall comply with this Service Specification as applicable to each Lot and their relevant Passengers.
There are currently 4 Lots included within this Framework Agreement:
Lot 1 Ad-hoc Transport Services (adults or children - social care related)
Lot 2 Planned Children Transport Services
Lot 3 Planned Adult Transport services
Lot 4 Routine Medical Transport Services (non-emergency) (adults or children - health related)
CPV: Hire of passenger transport vehicles with driver · Special-purpose road passenger-transport services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Closed framework · open framework scheme (admission reopens)
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Places
- up to 100 suppliers · 24 bids received (0.2 per place) · 17 appointed
- Framework period
- 9 yrs from 1 Apr 2026
- Scheme runs until
- 31 Jul 2034
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- N/A
Published description of the framework
The Council offers travel assistance for children and vulnerable adults between home and school/day care who are eligible for transport support under the Council's policies. Travel assistance is provided through a combination of internal fleet delivery and external contracts for separate routes.
Eligible people are transported to and from the school/college/day care centre safely and on time or at a time to suit the needs of the service requirements. This should be in a provision that is clean, correctly maintained, appropriate to user needs and driven by courteous and respectful drivers who can attend to their specific needs, supported when required by passenger assistants.
An Framework scheme has been created with a pool of providers who will be invited via a mini competition to bid for routes which have been split into the following Lots to recognise the variance in vehicle requirements:
Lot 1 Ad-hoc Transport Services (adults or children - social care related)
Lot 2 Planned Children Transport Services
Lot 3 Planned Adult Transport services
Lot 4 Routine Medical Transport Services (non-emergency) (adults or children - health related)
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedPublished value£95,350,533
- Economic & financial standing
As set out in tender documents.
- Technical & professional ability
As set out in tender documents.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published award criteria (2)
- Price: As set out in our tender documents.
- Quality: As set out in tender documents.
- Economic & financial standing
As set out in tender documents.
- Technical & professional ability
As set out in tender documents.
- Price carries 25 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2.5 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “Provision of Passenger transport Services” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 100 suppliers, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Open framework scheme
- Who may use this agreement
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 17 Oct 2025, 10:32 BST
- Last source update
- 9 Sept 2026, 14:06 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 2 Mar 2026
- Authority reference
AT1454- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-077279- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05ce8cFind a Tender- Contract terms summary
As set out in tender documents.
- Risks
As set out in tender documents.
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 6 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 19 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- call-off levy · N/A
Timeline
17 Oct 2025 → 9 Sept 2026 · 10 dates- Planning notice published373 days ago17 Oct 2025, 10:32 BST
- Next notice expected334 days ago24 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Market engagement334 days ago24 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
AT1454 Provision of Passenger Transport Services
Luton Council will shortly be going to market to procure the Passenger Transport Service under Light Touch regime in Luton and would like to invite you to attend a Preliminary Market Engagement prior to publishing this tender on 24th November 2025 @ 10am.
This event will outline our requirements, the tender process (Including how to sign up/access the procurement portal), provide some guidance on Social Value and provide an opportunity for some Q&A.
If you wish to attend please email Sal Rahman, [email protected] and I will register your interest and forward you an invitation with weblink details.
- Tender notice published333 days ago26 Nov 2025, 13:52 GMT
- Clarification questions by309 days ago19 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Admission / appointment period ends291 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown6 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Award decision expected by236 days ago2 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts207 days ago1 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent194 days ago14 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published46 days ago9 Sept 2026, 14:06 BST
Notice history
11 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 17 Oct 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published17 Oct 2025, 10:32 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published26 Nov 2025, 13:52 GMTUK4
- Published value updated to £95,350,53326 Nov 2025, 13:52 GMTwas £71,693,987
- Status changed to active26 Nov 2025, 13:52 GMT
- Procurement method changed26 Nov 2025, 13:52 GMT
- Deadline published: 6 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT26 Nov 2025, 13:52 GMT
- Tender notice published1 Dec 2025, 16:54 GMTUK4
- Contract award notice published28 Apr 2026, 15:36 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete28 Apr 2026, 15:36 BST
- Contract signature expected18 May 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published9 Sept 2026, 14:06 BSTUK7
Published amendments (1)
LOT description added.
Routine re-releases (5)
- 2025-11: 1 release · 26 Nov 2025
- 2025-10: 1 release · 17 Oct 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast£179,173,032 is the framework's published maximum, restated by the publisher on 4 award rows. It is one ceiling, not 4 separate sums, and no share per lot is published; those rows read “ceiling above”.
| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 X 7 LTD., A1 MINIBUS & COACH LTD, AIK MANAGEMENT LTD, CHILTERN CARS LTD, CLYDES MINIBUSES LTD, DILSHAN TRANSPORT GROUP LIMITEDSME +7 moreLot 1 Ad-hoc Transport Services (adults or children - social care related)1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2034 | ceiling above | 13 Apr 2026 | Awarded |
| 24 X 7 LTD., A1 MINIBUS & COACH LTD, CHILTERN CARS LTD, CLYDES MINIBUSES LTD, DUNSTABLE EXECUTIVE CARS LTD, SARWAR RENTAL & HIRE LTD +11 moreLot 2 - Planned Children transport services1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2034 | ceiling above | 13 Apr 2026 | Awarded |
| 24 X 7 LTD., AIK MANAGEMENT LTD, CHILTERN CARS LTD, CLYDES MINIBUSES LTD, DUNSTABLE EXECUTIVE CARS LTD, SARWAR RENTAL & HIRE LTD +9 moreLot 3 - Planned Adult transport services1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2034 | ceiling above | 13 Apr 2026 | Awarded |
| 24 X 7 LTD., 7 Plus Travel LimitedSME, A1 MINIBUS & COACH LTD, AIK MANAGEMENT LTD, CHILTERN CARS LTD, SARWAR RENTAL & HIRE LTD +5 moreLot 4 - Routine medical transport services (non-emergency) adults or children Health related1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2034 | ceiling above | 13 Apr 2026 | Awarded |
Contracts
Lot 1 Ad-hoc Transport Services (adults or children - social care related) · 24 X 7 LTD., A1 MINIBUS & COACH LTD, AIK MANAGEMENT LTD, CHILTERN CARS LTD, CLYDES MINIBUSES LTD, DILSHAN TRANSPORT GROUP LIMITEDSME +7 more
- Signed
- 30 Jun 2026
- Value
- £751,290
- Period
- 1 Aug 2026 – 31 Jul 2034
- Status
- active
Lot 2 Planned Children Transport Services · 24 X 7 LTD., A1 MINIBUS & COACH LTD, CHILTERN CARS LTD, CLYDES MINIBUSES LTD, DUNSTABLE EXECUTIVE CARS LTD, SARWAR RENTAL & HIRE LTD +11 more
- Signed
- 30 Jun 2026
- Value
- £63,708,333
- Period
- 1 Aug 2026 – 31 May 2034
- Status
- active
Lot 3 - Planned Adult transport services · 24 X 7 LTD., AIK MANAGEMENT LTD, CHILTERN CARS LTD, CLYDES MINIBUSES LTD, DUNSTABLE EXECUTIVE CARS LTD, SARWAR RENTAL & HIRE LTD +9 more
- Signed
- 30 Jun 2026
- Value
- £19,723,383
- Period
- 1 Aug 2026 – 31 May 2034
- Status
- active
Lot 4 - Routine medical transport services (nonemergency) adults or children Health related · 24 X 7 LTD., 7 Plus Travel LimitedSME, A1 MINIBUS & COACH LTD, AIK MANAGEMENT LTD, CHILTERN CARS LTD, SARWAR RENTAL & HIRE LTD +5 more
- Signed
- 30 Jun 2026
- Value
- £4,767,527
- Period
- 1 Aug 2026 – 31 May 2034
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24final-stage tenders · 27 at stage one | 18 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- won7 PLUS TRAVEL LTDSME · East of England
- won24 X 7 LTD. · East of England
- wonA1 MINIBUS & COACH LTD · East of England
- did not winAAA TAXIS (GB) LIMITEDSME · Greater London
- wonAIK MANAGEMENT LTD · Greater London
- wonCLYDES MINIBUSES LTD · East of England
- wonCHILTERN CARS LTD · East of England
- did not winCITILINK SOLUTIONS LIMITEDSME · East of England
- wonDILSHAN TRANSPORT GROUP LIMITEDSME · Greater London
- wonDUNSTABLE EXECUTIVE CARS LTD · East of England
- did not winPREMIER MINIBUS AND CAR HIRE LIMITED · East of England
- wonSARWAR RENTAL & HIRE LTD · East of England
- did not winSKY DUNSTABLE CARS LTDSME · East of England
- did not winLTN MINIBUSES LIMITED · East of England
- wonMMR HOMECARE LIMITEDSME · Greater London
- wonSTROHEIM CAPITAL LTD · East of England
- wonURBAN DRIVERS LTD · East of England
- did not winBritannia Cabs · East of England
- did not winCOOKS CARS LIMITED · East of England
- did not winflexible cars · East of England
- did not winLONDON HIRE COMMUNITY SERVICES LIMITEDSME · Greater London
- did not winLOVAGE HOME CARE LTDSME · West Midlands
- did not winLUTON SKYLINE CARS LIMITED · East of England
- did not winSWIFT CARS DUNSTABLE LIMITED · East of England
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Framework contractors & participating bidders
24 commercial parties on the notice · 17 awarded- 24 X 7 LTD.Framework contractor
- 7 PLUS TRAVEL LTDFramework contractor
- A1 MINIBUS & COACH LTDFramework contractor
- AAA TAXIS (GB) LIMITEDFramework contractor
- AIK MANAGEMENT LTDFramework contractor
- Britannia CabsBidder / tenderer
- CHILTERN CARS LTDFramework contractor
- CITILINK SOLUTIONS LIMITEDFramework contractor
- CLYDES MINIBUSES LTDFramework contractor
- COOKS CARS LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
Show 14 more suppliers
- DILSHAN TRANSPORT GROUP LIMITEDFramework contractor
- DUNSTABLE EXECUTIVE CARS LTDFramework contractor
- LONDON HIRE COMMUNITY SERVICES LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- LOVAGE HOME CARE LTDBidder / tenderer
- LTN MINIBUSES LIMITEDFramework contractor
- LUTON SKYLINE CARS LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- MMR HOMECARE LIMITEDFramework contractor
- PREMIER MINIBUS AND CAR HIRE LIMITEDFramework contractor
- SARWAR RENTAL & HIRE LTDFramework contractor
- SKY DUNSTABLE CARS LTDFramework contractor
- STROHEIM CAPITAL LTDFramework contractor
- SWIFT CARS DUNSTABLE LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- URBAN DRIVERS LTDFramework contractor
- flexible carsBidder / tenderer
Official documents & specifications (13)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specificationsAs set out in tender documents.
- Bidding documents and specificationsAs set out in tender documents.
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
Show 3 more notices
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender