Official UK procurement notice
Bus Fleet Diesel and Electric Vehicles
Authority: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (Local council)
What is being bought6 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionIn April 2023, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) published an Assessment on Bus Franchising in the Liverpool City Region, which set out a proposed bus Franchising Scheme in accordance with the Transport Act 2000. In October 2023, the Liverpool City Region Mayor made the decision to introduce a Franchising Scheme covering the Liverpool City Region. Franchising is a legal model where buses are under the control of a public sector authority (LCRCA) who set the routes, frequency, fares and overall standard of buses in the region. The existing commercially led market will be replaced and private bus operators will no longer be able to run most services independently. Instead, bus services will be operated under franchise contracts and bus operators will bid to run the services through a competitive procurement process managed by the Combined Authority. LCRCA intend to introduce the second Tranche of franchised bus services from September 2027, covering Liverpool, Sefton and Knowsley. This follows the first Tranche of franchised bus services introduced in September 2026 covering St Helens and the Wirral. For Category 1 franchise contracts, LCRCA will provide the successful operator with a fleet of vehicles which the operator will then operate, manage and maintain the fleet throughout the franchise term. In preparation for the commencement of the Tranche 2 bus franchising programme in September 2027, LCRCA wish to procure a fleet of new vehicles including diesel and electric vehicles. A number of double-decker, single-decker and midi-sized buses are required to be delivered in May 2027 ahead of the commencement date of franchised services.
CPV: Motor vehicles for the transport of 10 or more persons
Lots and requirements (6)Procurement structure
6 lots · all with a published value (£99,000,000 together) · win at most 2 of them · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1Double Decker Bus - DieselAwardedRenewalPublished value£36,900,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #2Diesel - Double Decker BusAwardedRenewalPublished value£33,200,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #3Single Decker Bus - DieselAwardedRenewalPublished value£13,200,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #4Midi Bus - ElectricAwardedRenewalPublished value£8,600,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #5Midi Bus - DieselAwardedRenewalPublished value£5,600,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #6Single Decker Bus - ElectricAwardedRenewalPublished value£1,500,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
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)
- Quality
- Price
- Price carries 50 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 5 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
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
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 1 Dec 2025, 16:24 GMT
- Last source update
- 1 Oct 2026, 16:23 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 30 Apr 2026
- Authority reference
DN801648- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-012075- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05ec46Find a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 9 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 27 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Submissions must be made via The Chest: www.the-chest.org.uk ↗
DN Ref: DN801648
Timeline
1 Dec 2025 → 1 Oct 2026 · 9 dates- Planning notice published319 days ago1 Dec 2025, 16:24 GMT
- Next notice expected257 days ago31 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Tender notice published248 days ago10 Feb 2026, 16:07 GMT
- Clarification questions by231 days ago27 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission deadline221 days ago9 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by168 days ago30 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts168 days ago1 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent151 days ago18 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published15 days ago1 Oct 2026, 16:23 BST
Notice history
9 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 1 Dec 2025- Planned procurement notice published1 Dec 2025, 16:24 GMTUK3
- Tender notice published10 Feb 2026, 16:07 GMTUK4
- Published value published: £99,000,00010 Feb 2026, 16:07 GMT
- Status changed to active10 Feb 2026, 16:07 GMT
- Deadline moved to 9 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT10 Feb 2026, 16:07 GMT+9 days · was 28 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract award notice published18 May 2026, 20:27 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete18 May 2026, 20:27 BST
- Contract signature expected29 May 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published1 Oct 2026, 16:23 BSTUK7
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2025-12: 1 release · 1 Dec 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · Double Decker Bus - Diesel1 award | |||
| Bamford Bus Company Ltd Trading as Wrightbus1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032Extensions: 1 x 12 month ext allowed for. | £41,446,807 | 12 May 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 2 · Diesel - Double Decker Bus1 award | |||
| Alexander-Dennis Ltd1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032Extensions: 1 x 12 Month ext allowed for | £36,369,500 | 12 May 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 3 · Single Decker Bus - Diesel1 award | |||
| Alexander-Dennis Ltd1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032Extensions: 1 x 12 month extension allowed for. | £14,812,691 | 12 May 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 4 · Midi Bus - Electric1 award | |||
| Alexander-Dennis Ltd1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032Extensions: 1 x 12 month ext | £9,727,507 | 12 May 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 5 · Midi Bus - Diesel1 award | |||
| Alexander-Dennis Ltd1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032Extensions: 1 x 12 month ext | £6,561,737 | 12 May 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 6 · Single Decker Bus - Electric1 award | |||
| Bamford Bus Company Ltd Trading as Wrightbus1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032Extensions: 1 x 12 month ext | £2,157,198 | 12 May 2026 | Awarded |
Contracts
Lot 1. Double Decker Bus - Diesel · Bamford Bus Company Ltd Trading as Wrightbus
- Signed
- 5 Aug 2026
- Value
- £41,446,807
- Period
- 1 Sept 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- 1 x 12 month extension allowed for.
3 agreed KPIs: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards · Vehicle Warranty response time · Vehicle off road days
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards
- Vehicle Warranty response time
- Vehicle off road days
Lot 2. Diesel - Double Decker Bus · Alexander-Dennis Ltd
- Signed
- 5 Aug 2026
- Value
- £36,369,500
- Period
- 1 Sept 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- 1 x 12 month extension allowed for.
3 agreed KPIs: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards · Vehicle Warranty response time · Vehicle off road days
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards
- Vehicle Warranty response time
- Vehicle off road days
Lot 3. Single Decker Bus - Diesel · Alexander-Dennis Ltd
- Signed
- 5 Aug 2026
- Value
- £14,812,691
- Period
- 1 Sept 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- 1 x 12 month extension allowed for.
3 agreed KPIs: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards · Vehicle Warranty response time · Vehicle off road days
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards
- Vehicle Warranty response time
- Vehicle off road days
Lot 4. Midi Bus - Electric · Alexander-Dennis Ltd
- Signed
- 5 Aug 2026
- Value
- £9,727,507
- Period
- 1 Sept 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- 1 x 12 month extension allowed for.
3 agreed KPIs: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards · Vehicle Warranty response time · Vehicle off road days
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards
- Vehicle Warranty response time
- Vehicle off road days
Lot 5. Midi Bus - Diesel · Alexander-Dennis Ltd
- Signed
- 5 Aug 2026
- Value
- £6,561,737
- Period
- 1 Sept 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- 1 x 12 month extension allowed for.
3 agreed KPIs: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards · Vehicle Warranty response time · Vehicle off road days
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards
- Vehicle Warranty response time
- Vehicle off road days
Lot 6. Single Decker Bus - Electric · Bamford Bus Company Ltd Trading as Wrightbus
- Signed
- 5 Aug 2026
- Value
- £2,157,198
- Period
- 1 Sept 2026 – 31 May 2031 · up to 31 May 2032 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- 1 x 12 month extension allowed for.
3 agreed KPIs: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards · Vehicle Warranty response time · Vehicle off road days
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) standards
- Vehicle Warranty response time
- Vehicle off road days
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Double Decker Bus - Diesel | 1final-stage tenders · 4 at stage one | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2 · Diesel - Double Decker Bus | 1final-stage tenders · 4 at stage one | 0 | 0 | — |
| 3 · Single Decker Bus - Diesel | 1final-stage tenders · 4 at stage one | 0 | 0 | — |
| 4 · Midi Bus - Electric | 1final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
| 5 · Midi Bus - Diesel | 1final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
| 6 · Single Decker Bus - Electric | 3final-stage tenders · 5 at stage one | 0 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- wonBamford Bus Company Ltd · South East England · 1
- wonALEXANDER DENNIS LIMITED · Scotland · 2, 3, 4, 5
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
Bidders & participating suppliers
2 commercial parties on the notice- ALEXANDER DENNIS LIMITEDAwarded supplier
- Bamford Bus Company LtdAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (14)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices 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 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
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- 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
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender