Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice

Published 13 Jan 2026, 16:06 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

P-3370 Supply of Double Deck Diesel Buses

Official notice

Authority: Translink (Public body)

Framework agreementGoodsCompetitive flexible procedureAbove thresholdUtilities

Sectors: Transport Equipment & Vehicles (34) Delivery: Northern Ireland (UKN)

Framework ceiling (notional)£60,000,000framework ceiling, not attributable revenue · 1 value update

Submissions closed 5 Mar 2026awarded 10 Aug 2026

Awarded to Bamford Bus Company Ltd Trading as Wrightbus

Framework period 3 yrsends 30 Jun 2029 · up to 30 Jun 2034 with extensions · starts 1 Jul 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Translink are seeking to establish a Single Supplier Framework aimed at delivering a cost effective and agile means to supply wheelchair accessible, diesel low emission, double deck buses used for stage-carriage operations.

The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 1 Feb 2034, 23:59 GMT.
How the procedure runs: Stage 1 - Qualification, Technical and Financial Submission Stage 2 - Negotiation and Final Offer with top 2 highest scoring from Stage 1

CPV: Buses and coaches

How this framework works

From the published notice

Type: Closed framework
Call-offs: call-offs are awarded directly to appointed suppliers, without further competition
Places: up to 1 suppliers · 2 bids received (2.0 per place) · 1 appointed (full)
Framework period: 3 yrs · up to 8 yrs from 1 Jul 2026, Not Applicable
Supplier levy on call-offs (max %): Not Applicable

Published description of the framework

Single Supplier Framework

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published

Lot #1AwardedRenewal 3 yrsPublished value£60,000,000

Contract period: 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2029 (3 yrs) · up to 30 Jun 2034 with extensionsValue: £60,000,000 exc. VAT · £60,000,000 inc. VAT

Delivery: Northern Ireland

Extensions: As outlined in tender documents · Up to 60 months

34121000 Buses and coaches

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

How bids were scored

Technical: 60% Technical
Financial: 40% Financial

What this means for your bid

“P-3370 Supply of Double Deck Diesel Buses” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 1 suppliers, not a single contract, and call-offs are awarded directly: getting appointed is the whole game.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record

Procedure method: Competitive flexible procedure
Legal basis: UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category: Goods
Notice status: Awarded
Procurement threshold: Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime: Utilities
Commercial structure: Framework agreement
Who may use the vehicle: 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: Yes · next expected 1 Feb 2034
First published: 13 Jan 2026, 16:06 GMT
Last source update: 15 Oct 2026, 11:11 BST
Award evaluation window: Submission end – 31 May 2026
Authority reference: P-3370
FTS notice number: 2026/S 000-012774
Latest notice: Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV): Buses and coaches
Delivery area: Northern Ireland (UKN)
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-060507 Find a Tender

How it runs: Stage 1 - Qualification, Technical and Financial Submission
Stage 2 - Negotiation and Final Offer with top 2 highest scoring from Stage 1

How it was run

Official notice

Run through: eTendersNI · Who buys & how to bid on eTendersNI

Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN

Access & registration note: Free Northern Ireland registration

Requests to participate (first stage): 10 Mar 2026, 13:00 GMT
Appointment period ends: 5 Mar 2026, 13:00 GMT
Clarification deadline: 3 Mar 2026, 13:00 GMT
Submission channel: Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission: Allowed
Accepted languages: en
Supplier levy on call-offs (max %): call-off levy · Not Applicable

Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

etendersni.gov.uk/epps ↗

Timeline

13 Jan 2026 → 15 Oct 2026 · 11 dates

Planning notice published276 days ago
13 Jan 2026, 16:06 GMT
Next notice expected256 days ago
2 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
Tender notice published246 days ago
12 Feb 2026, 11:15 GMT
Clarification questions by227 days ago
3 Mar 2026, 13:00 GMT
Admission / appointment period ends225 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown
5 Mar 2026, 13:00 GMT
Expressions of interest by220 days ago
10 Mar 2026, 13:00 GMT
Award decision expected by138 days ago
31 May 2026, 23:59 BST
Contract starts108 days ago
1 Jul 2026, 00:00 BST
Assessment summaries sent68 days ago
10 Aug 2026, 00:00 BST
Standstill ends58 days ago
19 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
Latest notice published1 day ago
15 Oct 2026, 11:11 BST

Notice history

8 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 13 Jan 2026

Planned procurement notice published
13 Jan 2026, 16:06 GMT
UK3
Tender notice published
12 Feb 2026, 11:15 GMT
UK4
Status changed to active
12 Feb 2026, 11:15 GMT
Procurement method changed
12 Feb 2026, 11:15 GMT
Contract award notice published
10 Aug 2026, 16:02 BST
UK6
Status changed to complete
10 Aug 2026, 16:02 BST
Contract signature expected
1 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
scheduled
Contract details notice published
15 Oct 2026, 11:11 BST
UK7

Routine re-releases (4)

2026-01: 1 release · 13 Jan 2026

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Suppliers appointed 11 award · see the list ↓

Bids received 2

Named bidders 2published on the award notice

Contracts signed 1latest 14 Oct 2026

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
Bamford Bus Company Ltd Trading as Wrightbus1 Oct 2026 – 30 Sept 2029 · up to 30 Sept 2034Extensions: Extensions of up to 60 months	£60,000,000	10 Aug 2026	Awarded

Contracts

P-3370 Supply of Double Deck Diesel Buses · Bamford Bus Company Ltd Trading as Wrightbus
Signed
14 Oct 2026
Value
£60,000,000
Period
14 Oct 2026 – 13 Oct 2029 · up to 13 Oct 2034 with extensions
Status
active
Extensions
Extensions of up to 60 months

Bid statistics published by the authority

Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
2final-stage tenders · 3 at stage one	0	0	—

Who bid

wonBamford Bus Company Ltd Trading as Wrightbus · South East England
did not winVolvo Bus Corporation

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

Translink

Contracting authorityPublic undertakingNorthern Irish devolved regulations apply GB-PPON: PTMT-7134-NRMV 22 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT2 7LXContact email

Framework contractors & participating bidders

2 commercial parties on the notice · 1 awarded

Bamford Bus Company LtdFramework contractorGB-COH: 12214576GB-PPON: PBZT-6875-GTNG North Bailey House, Oxford, South East, OX1 2RPContact email
Volvo Bus CorporationBidder / tendererGB-PPON: PMQV-8348-TDBL Gropegårdsgatan, Gothenburg, SE, 11 405 08, SE

Official documents & specifications (4)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender15 Oct 2026, 11:11 BST
Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender10 Aug 2026, 16:02 BST
Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender12 Feb 2026, 11:15 GMT
Planned procurement notice planningPlanned procurement noticeUK3Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender13 Jan 2026, 16:06 GMT