Find a TenderPast planning noticePreliminary market engagement notice
Published 15 Jul 2025, 11:22 BST

Official UK procurement notice

SEND & Social Care Transportation

Official notice

Authority: Newcastle City Council (Local council)

Framework agreementServicesAbove thresholdSME suitableVCSE suitable
Planned pipeline value£52,000,000pipeline notice, not a live tender · 1 value update
Tender notice expected 13 Apr 2026from the planned procurement notice
Framework period 2 yrsends 22 Jun 2028 · up to 22 Jun 2030 with extensions · starts 22 Jun 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

This procurement is expected to cover all of the Council's requirements for SEND and Social Care taxi, minibus and coach services. It will likely encompass Home to School, Home to care, College Transport, Transport for Older People, Looked After Children, People with Additional Needs, other Vulnerable People within Social Care and any other transport request as identified by the Council.

CPV: Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

How this framework works

From the published notice
Framework period
2 yrs · up to 4 yrs from 22 Jun 2026

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1PlannedRenewal 2 yrsSMEVCSE
Contract period: 22 Jun 2026 – 22 Jun 2028 (2 yrs) · up to 22 Jun 2030 with extensions
Delivery: North EastEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: Extension options published

What it takes to win
i

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 more
What this means for your bid
  • “SEND & Social Care Transportation” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Past planning notice
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Framework agreement
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
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
15 Jul 2025, 11:22 BST
Last source update
23 Mar 2026, 13:43 GMT
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-026283
Latest notice
Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
Classification (CPV)
Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
Delivery area
North East (UKC)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-055f2d Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Appointment period ends
—

Timeline

15 Jul 2025 → 22 Jun 2026 · 5 dates
  1. Planning notice published
    15 Jul 2025, 11:22 BST
  2. Latest notice published220 days ago
    23 Mar 2026, 13:43 GMT
  3. Market engagement203 days ago
    9 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST

    Tuesday 7 April 2026 - 1pm to 3pm Newcastle City Council Banqueting Hall.

    Newcastle City Council's current contractual arrangements for SEND and Social Care Transportation are due to end on 31 August 2026, and we will be undertaking a commissioning exercise to explore options for new arrangements from summer 2026. The Council are inviting all interested providers and stakeholders to meet with us to discuss the services that we intend to commission. This event is an important opportunity to ensure providers are fully informed about future commissioning plans and do not miss key updates relating to the next phase of service provision. The session will include:

    Proposed future service model and specification

    Opportunity for feedback and open discussion

    Commissioning and procurement timeline and next steps

    The Market Engagement Event will be held on Tuesday 7 April 2026 at Newcastle Civic Centre, Banqueting Hall, 1:00pm to 3:00pm

    Please confirm your attendance by using the link provided

    forms.office.com/e/4cJGBbLbUN ↗

  4. Tender notice expected199 days ago
    13 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
  5. Contract starts130 days ago
    22 Jun 2026, 00:00 BST

Notice history

4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 15 Jul 2025
  1. Pipeline notice published
    15 Jul 2025, 11:22 BST
    UK1
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    23 Mar 2026, 13:38 GMT
    UK2
  3. Published value published: £52,000,000
    23 Mar 2026, 13:38 GMT
  4. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    23 Mar 2026, 13:43 GMT
    UK2
Published amendments (1)

Link to be included

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Pipeline notice
Awards (0)
No award published
Contracts (0)
No contract published
Bid statistics
No aggregate bid statistics published

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Newcastle City Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PBHM-6848-TWYG Civic Centre, Newcastle Upon Tyne, North East, NE1 8QHContact name, email

Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure