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awardFind a Tender · award
BuyerMinistry of Defence
Statusaward
DeadlineNot published
ValueValue not published
Published16 Sept 2025

What is being bought

Babcock Land Defence Limited, Acting in the capacity as Agent for the Authority under project Phoenix II sought to engage a suitable supplier to provide Bus Passenger Transport Services between UK and Germany, Switzerland and Austria and within Germany, Switzerland and Austria. This contract shall replace the existing contract that is due to expire in September 2025 and commence from 1st October 2025. The initial contract term shall be 2 years, with the option of extending for up to two one-year periods. As such the contract shall have a total possible duration of four years.

Categories

Hire of buses and coaches with driver 60172000Special-purpose road passenger-transport services 60130000Non-scheduled passenger transport 60140000Land transport services 5

Comparable-procurement analytics

Benchmarked against retained Find a Tender procedures with CPV division 60. The category anchor is Hire of buses and coaches with driver (60172000); this is a deliberately broad market comparator. The comparison is shown at several levels rather than pretending one company or region is always the best benchmark.

Comparison setProceduresReported bids per procedureNamed award suppliersPrice evidence
Market: CPV division 6015,3148 median · 20.1 average (13,609 of 15,314 with a bid count)1.3 average (13,746 of 15,314 with named award suppliers)1 comparable price pairs
Same buyer0Not publishedNot publishedNot published

“Reported bids” is an official aggregate, sometimes reported per lot; it is the closest available competition measure. “Named award suppliers” are winners, not all applicants.

Price-outcome signal

Not enough comparable procedures currently publish both a GBP tender value and a usable lowest-valid-bid value to calculate a responsible price-reduction benchmark. Tenderline deliberately does not infer a saving from named award suppliers or from missing award values.

Procurement strategy & market signals

Framework agreementNot published
Dynamic purchasing systemNot published
Competitive procurementNot published
Recurring requirementNot published
Procurement method rationaleNot published
Rationale classificationsNot published
Special regimeNot published
Covered byNot published
Submission policyNot published
Selection criteriaNot published
Risk detailsNot published

Planning & early market engagement

BudgetNot published
No-engagement rationaleNot published
Planning documents0
Planning milestones0

No planning milestones published.

Related procurements

No linked framework, prior procurement or reprocurement published.

Awards

Contracts

056974-2025-PIISC009-1

Statusactive
Value£22,931,200

Documents & submission route

No documents are published in the current source record.

Source data inventory

Diagnostic view. “Not published” means this current release does not provide a value.

OCIDocds-h6vhtk-04de47
Latest release ID056974-2025
Latest release timestampTue Sep 16 2025 13:12:53 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Sourcefind-a-tender
Official notice URLNot published
Tender statusNot published
Procurement methodselective
Procurement method detailsRestricted
Main procurement categoryservices
Above thresholdNot published
Legal basis32009L0081
Tender period: startNot published
Tender period: endNot published
Expression of interest deadlineNot published
Enquiry deadlineNot published
Award period: startNot published
Award period: endNot published
Submission method detailsNot published
Submission languagesNot published
Electronic catalogue policyNot published
Total tender valueNot published
Tender lots in source0
Tender items in source0
Tender documents in source0
Awards in latest release1
Contracts in latest release1
Parties in latest release2

Notice history

DateEventReference
16 Sept 2025award, contract056974-2025
12 Feb 2025tender004797-2025

All source data

Unmodified official OCDS data retained by Tenderline for this procurement process.

Complete current OCDS release JSON
{
  "id": "056974-2025",
  "tag": [
    "award",
    "contract"
  ],
  "bids": {
    "statistics": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "value": 3,
        "measure": "bids"
      },
      {
        "id": "2",
        "value": 3,
        "measure": "electronicBids"
      }
    ]
  },
  "date": "2025-09-16T14:12:53+01:00",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-04de47",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-FTS-161029",
    "name": "Ministry of Defence"
  },
  "awards": [
    {
      "id": "056974-2025-PIISC009-1",
      "status": "active",
      "suppliers": [
        {
          "id": "GB-FTS-161030",
          "name": "Skills Leisure Limited"
        }
      ],
      "subcontracting": {
        "description": "The Contracting Authority intends to use an e-Tendering system in this procurement exercise, please visit www.contracts.mod.uk for full details and to register your interest in this procurement.",
        "maximumPercentage": 0.16,
        "minimumPercentage": 0.16
      },
      "hasSubcontracting": true
    }
  ],
  "tender": {
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-04de47",
    "title": "PIISC009",
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "32009L0081",
      "scheme": "CELEX"
    },
    "description": "Babcock Land Defence Limited, Acting in the capacity as Agent for the Authority under project Phoenix II sought to engage a suitable supplier to provide Bus Passenger Transport Services between UK and Germany, Switzerland and Austria and within Germany, Switzerland and Austria.\nThis contract shall replace the existing contract that is due to expire in September 2025 and commence from 1st October 2025.\nThe initial contract term shall be 2 years, with the option of extending for up to two one-year periods. As such the contract shall have a total possible duration of four years.",
    "awardCriteria": {
      "criteria": [
        {
          "name": "Pricing",
          "numbers": [
            {
              "number": "1",
              "weight": "order"
            }
          ],
          "description": "70"
        },
        {
          "name": "Quality",
          "numbers": [
            {
              "number": "2",
              "weight": "order"
            }
          ],
          "description": "20"
        },
        {
          "name": "Social Value",
          "numbers": [
            {
              "number": "3",
              "weight": "order"
            }
          ],
          "description": "10"
        }
      ]
    },
    "classification": {
      "id": "60172000",
      "scheme": "CPV",
      "description": "Hire of buses and coaches with driver"
    },
    "procurementMethod": "selective",
    "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Restricted",
    "additionalClassifications": [
      {
        "id": "60130000",
        "scheme": "CPV",
        "description": "Special-purpose road passenger-transport services"
      },
      {
        "id": "60140000",
        "scheme": "CPV",
        "description": "Non-scheduled passenger transport"
      },
      {
        "id": "5",
        "scheme": "TED_SERVICE_CATEGORY_DEFENCE",
        "description": "Land transport services"
      }
    ]
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-161029",
      "name": "Ministry of Defence",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "locality": "Bristol",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "BS16 1EJ"
      },
      "details": {
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "MINISTRY",
            "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions"
          },
          {
            "id": "02",
            "scheme": "COFOG",
            "description": "Defence"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "Ministry of Defence"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "name": "Attn: Thorn Matthew",
        "email": "matthew.thorn2@babcockinternational.com"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-161030",
      "name": "Skills Leisure Limited",
      "roles": [
        "supplier"
      ],
      "address": {
        "locality": "Nottingham",
        "postalCode": "NG1 5GF",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "White House, Clarendon St"
      },
      "identifier": {
        "id": "02125100",
        "legalName": "Skills Leisure Limited"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "rupert@skills.co.uk",
        "telephone": "+44 7720092372"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "contracts": [
    {
      "id": "056974-2025-PIISC009-1",
      "value": {
        "amount": 22931200,
        "currency": "GBP"
      },
      "period": {
        "durationInDays": 1460
      },
      "status": "active",
      "awardID": "056974-2025-PIISC009-1",
      "dateSigned": "2025-08-18T00:00:00+01:00"
    }
  ],
  "description": "Contract duration is 2 year initial term plus 2 x 12 month extension options",
  "initiationType": "tender"
}
Complete JSON history (2 releases)
16 Sept 2025 · 056974-2025 · award, contract
{
  "id": "056974-2025",
  "tag": [
    "award",
    "contract"
  ],
  "bids": {
    "statistics": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "value": 3,
        "measure": "bids"
      },
      {
        "id": "2",
        "value": 3,
        "measure": "electronicBids"
      }
    ]
  },
  "date": "2025-09-16T14:12:53+01:00",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-04de47",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-FTS-161029",
    "name": "Ministry of Defence"
  },
  "awards": [
    {
      "id": "056974-2025-PIISC009-1",
      "status": "active",
      "suppliers": [
        {
          "id": "GB-FTS-161030",
          "name": "Skills Leisure Limited"
        }
      ],
      "subcontracting": {
        "description": "The Contracting Authority intends to use an e-Tendering system in this procurement exercise, please visit www.contracts.mod.uk for full details and to register your interest in this procurement.",
        "maximumPercentage": 0.16,
        "minimumPercentage": 0.16
      },
      "hasSubcontracting": true
    }
  ],
  "tender": {
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-04de47",
    "title": "PIISC009",
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "32009L0081",
      "scheme": "CELEX"
    },
    "description": "Babcock Land Defence Limited, Acting in the capacity as Agent for the Authority under project Phoenix II sought to engage a suitable supplier to provide Bus Passenger Transport Services between UK and Germany, Switzerland and Austria and within Germany, Switzerland and Austria.\nThis contract shall replace the existing contract that is due to expire in September 2025 and commence from 1st October 2025.\nThe initial contract term shall be 2 years, with the option of extending for up to two one-year periods. As such the contract shall have a total possible duration of four years.",
    "awardCriteria": {
      "criteria": [
        {
          "name": "Pricing",
          "numbers": [
            {
              "number": "1",
              "weight": "order"
            }
          ],
          "description": "70"
        },
        {
          "name": "Quality",
          "numbers": [
            {
              "number": "2",
              "weight": "order"
            }
          ],
          "description": "20"
        },
        {
          "name": "Social Value",
          "numbers": [
            {
              "number": "3",
              "weight": "order"
            }
          ],
          "description": "10"
        }
      ]
    },
    "classification": {
      "id": "60172000",
      "scheme": "CPV",
      "description": "Hire of buses and coaches with driver"
    },
    "procurementMethod": "selective",
    "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Restricted",
    "additionalClassifications": [
      {
        "id": "60130000",
        "scheme": "CPV",
        "description": "Special-purpose road passenger-transport services"
      },
      {
        "id": "60140000",
        "scheme": "CPV",
        "description": "Non-scheduled passenger transport"
      },
      {
        "id": "5",
        "scheme": "TED_SERVICE_CATEGORY_DEFENCE",
        "description": "Land transport services"
      }
    ]
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-161029",
      "name": "Ministry of Defence",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "locality": "Bristol",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "BS16 1EJ"
      },
      "details": {
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "MINISTRY",
            "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions"
          },
          {
            "id": "02",
            "scheme": "COFOG",
            "description": "Defence"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "Ministry of Defence"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "name": "Attn: Thorn Matthew",
        "email": "matthew.thorn2@babcockinternational.com"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-161030",
      "name": "Skills Leisure Limited",
      "roles": [
        "supplier"
      ],
      "address": {
        "locality": "Nottingham",
        "postalCode": "NG1 5GF",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "White House, Clarendon St"
      },
      "identifier": {
        "id": "02125100",
        "legalName": "Skills Leisure Limited"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "rupert@skills.co.uk",
        "telephone": "+44 7720092372"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "contracts": [
    {
      "id": "056974-2025-PIISC009-1",
      "value": {
        "amount": 22931200,
        "currency": "GBP"
      },
      "period": {
        "durationInDays": 1460
      },
      "status": "active",
      "awardID": "056974-2025-PIISC009-1",
      "dateSigned": "2025-08-18T00:00:00+01:00"
    }
  ],
  "description": "Contract duration is 2 year initial term plus 2 x 12 month extension options",
  "initiationType": "tender"
}
12 Feb 2025 · 004797-2025 · tender
{
  "id": "004797-2025",
  "tag": [
    "tender"
  ],
  "date": "2025-02-12T16:08:09Z",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-04de47",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-FTS-137741",
    "name": "Ministry of Defence"
  },
  "tender": {
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-04de47",
    "title": "PIISC009 - Germany Bus Services",
    "value": {
      "amount": 6400000,
      "currency": "GBP"
    },
    "status": "active",
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "32009L0081",
      "scheme": "CELEX"
    },
    "description": "Babcock Land Defence Limited, Acting in the capacity as Agent for the Authority under project Phoenix II is seeking to engage a suitable supplier to provide Bus Passenger Transport Services between UK and Germany, Switzerland and Austria and within Germany, Switzerland and Austria.\nThis contract shall replace the existing contract that is due to expire in September 2025 and commence from October 2025.\nThe initial contract term shall be 2 years, with the option of extending for up to two one-year periods. As such the contract shall have a total possible duration of four years.\nThe time limit for completion of DPQQ is 17/03/2025 at 1300hrs (UK GMT). Quantity or scope: Babcock Land Defence Limited, Acting in the capacity as Agent for the Authority under project Phoenix II is seeking to engage a suitable supplier to provide Bus Passenger Transport Services between UK and Germany, Switzerland and Austria and within Germany, Switzerland and Austria.\nThis contract shall replace the existing contract that is due to expire in September 2025 and commence from October 2025.\nThe initial contract term shall be 2 years, with the option of extending for up to two one-year periods. As such the contract shall have a total possible duration of four years.\nThe bidder shall request to participate via completion of the Dynamic Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (DPQQ). The DPQQ and the criteria for passing the DPQQ (DPQQ Guidance) is accessible on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP). Following successful completion of the DPQQ, Babcock, in capacity as Agent for the Authority under Project Phoenix II may invite the successful bidder(s) to tender through release of the Invitation to Tender (ITT).",
    "secondStage": {
      "maximumCandidates": 4,
      "minimumCandidates": 4
    },
    "tenderPeriod": {
      "endDate": "2025-03-17T13:00:00Z"
    },
    "contractTerms": {
      "financialTerms": "The contract terms and conditions shall be enclosed in the Invitation to Tender (ITT). The ITT shall be issued to bidders that are successful in the down-selection phase (DPQQ).",
      "tendererLegalForm": "The contract terms and conditions shall be enclosed in the Invitation to Tender (ITT). The ITT shall be issued to bidders that are successful in the down-selection phase (DPQQ)."
    },
    "classification": {
      "id": "60172000",
      "scheme": "CPV",
      "description": "Hire of buses and coaches with driver"
    },
    "contractPeriod": {
      "endDate": "2029-09-30T23:59:59+01:00",
      "startDate": "2025-10-01T00:00:00+01:00"
    },
    "subcontracting": {
      "description": "The tenderer has to indicate in the tender any share of the contract it may intend to subcontract to third parties and any proposed subcontractor, as well as the subject-matter of the subcontracts for which they are proposed. The tenderer has to indicate any change occurring at the level of subcontractors during the execution of the contract."
    },
    "submissionTerms": {
      "languages": [
        "en"
      ],
      "variantPolicy": "notAllowed",
      "depositsGuarantees": "The contract terms and conditions shall be enclosed in the Invitation to Tender (ITT). The ITT shall be issued to bidders that are successful in the down-selection phase (DPQQ)."
    },
    "submissionMethod": [
      "written"
    ],
    "procurementMethod": "selective",
    "selectionCriteria": {
      "criteria": [
        {
          "type": "suitability",
          "appliesTo": [
            "supplier"
          ],
          "description": "Suppliers Instructions How to Express Interest in this Tender:\n1. Register your company on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once)\n- Browse to the eSourcing Portal\n- Click the “Click here to register” link\n- Accept the terms and conditions and click “continue”\n- Enter your correct business and user details\n- Note the username you chose and click “Save” when complete\n- You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keep this secure)\n2. Express an Interest in the tender\n- Login to the portal with the username/password\n- Click the \"PQQs Open to All Suppliers\" link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires open to any registered supplier)\n- Click on the relevant PQQ to access the content.\n- Click the “Express Interest” button in the “Actions” box on the left-hand side of the page. \n- This will move the PQQ into your “My PQQs” page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only)\n- Click on the PQQ code, you can now access any attachments by clicking the “Settings and Buyer Attachments” in the “Actions” box \n3. Responding to the tender\n- You can now choose to “Reply” or “Reject” (please give a reason if rejecting)\n- You can now use the ‘Messages’ function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification\n- Note the deadline for completion, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ \n- There may be a mixture of online & offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available)\nIf you require any further assistance please consult the online help, or contact the eTendering help desk."
        },
        {
          "type": "suitability",
          "appliesTo": [
            "subcontractor"
          ],
          "description": "Suppliers Instructions How to Express Interest in this Tender:\n1. Register your company on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once)\n- Browse to the eSourcing Portal\n- Click the “Click here to register” link\n- Accept the terms and conditions and click “continue”\n- Enter your correct business and user details\n- Note the username you chose and click “Save” when complete\n- You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keep this secure)\n2. Express an Interest in the tender\n- Login to the portal with the username/password\n- Click the \"PQQs Open to All Suppliers\" link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires open to any registered supplier)\n- Click on the relevant PQQ to access the content.\n- Click the “Express Interest” button in the “Actions” box on the left-hand side of the page. \n- This will move the PQQ into your “My PQQs” page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only)\n- Click on the PQQ code, you can now access any attachments by clicking the “Settings and Buyer Attachments” in the “Actions” box \n3. Responding to the tender\n- You can now choose to “Reply” or “Reject” (please give a reason if rejecting)\n- You can now use the ‘Messages’ function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification\n- Note the deadline for completion, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ \n- There may be a mixture of online & offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available)\nIf you require any further assistance please consult the online help, or contact the eTendering help desk."
        },
        {
          "type": "economic",
          "appliesTo": [
            "supplier"
          ],
          "description": "Selection and exclusion criteria are set out in the DPQQ, available on the Defence Sourcing Portal."
        },
        {
          "type": "technical",
          "appliesTo": [
            "supplier"
          ],
          "description": "Selection and exclusion criteria are set out in the DPQQ, available on the Defence Sourcing Portal."
        },
        {
          "type": "technical",
          "appliesTo": [
            "subcontractor"
          ],
          "description": "Selection and exclusion criteria are set out in the DPQQ, available on the Defence Sourcing Portal."
        }
      ],
      "description": "The Authority will select (shortlist) a maximum of 4 (four) Potential Providers through to the next stage of the procurement process. Potential Providers that have met the minimum pass criteria as set out within the DPQQ will be ranked on their score achieved against the two technical scored questions, with the top four scoring to be invited to tender. In the case of a tie the Authority reserves the right to \nincrease the maximum number being invited to tender at its discretion"
    },
    "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Restricted",
    "additionalClassifications": [
      {
        "id": "60130000",
        "scheme": "CPV",
        "description": "Special-purpose road passenger-transport services"
      },
      {
        "id": "60140000",
        "scheme": "CPV",
        "description": "Non-scheduled passenger transport"
      },
      {
        "id": "5",
        "scheme": "TED_SERVICE_CATEGORY_DEFENCE",
        "description": "Land transport services"
      }
    ]
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-137741",
      "name": "Ministry of Defence",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "locality": "Bristol",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "Babcock, BTC 100B, Bristol Business Park, BS16 1EJ"
      },
      "details": {
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "MINISTRY",
            "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions"
          },
          {
            "id": "02",
            "scheme": "COFOG",
            "description": "Defence"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "Ministry of Defence"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "name": "Attn: Thorn Matthew",
        "email": "matthew.thorn2@babcockinternational.com"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "description": "The Contracting Authority intends to use an e-Tendering system in this procurement exercise, please visit www.contracts.mod.uk for full details and to register your interest in this procurement.",
  "initiationType": "tender"
}