Official UK procurement notice
Travel Management Provider · UK public procurement notice
Authority: Cardiff University (Education)·Consortium: 2 public authorities
What is being bought3 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionAs part of the new iteration of the framework we will be calling-off, business and student travel are now available as a combined lot. In order to gain more control around student travel and maintain compliance with procurement regulations, the decision has been made to utilise this lot and carry out a mini competition that includes business and student travel.
CPV: Business travel services · Camping sites and other non-hotel accommodation · Hotel accommodation services · Hotel meeting and conference services · Hotel services · Other hotel services · Sale of travel tickets and package tours services · Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services · Travel agency and similar services · Travel agency, tour operator and tourist assistance services · Travel management services · Travel services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Places
- up to 12 suppliers · 5 bids on the busiest of 3 lots (0.4 per place) · 6 appointed
Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure
3 lots · all with a published value · a supplier may bid for at most 1 of them · evaluation weights differ by lotLot #1Business TravelAwarded UK, WalesPublished value£347,000,000
Lot #2Student TravelAwarded UKPublished value£58,000,000
Student Group Travel Services covering UK and international air, rail and hotel/hostel services; ferry services;
Eurostar; international vehicle hire; group travel services: and relevant professional advice to members for student group travel. Additional information: It is anticipated that some of the future call-off contracts under this framework will be part or fully funded from external streams, include European Union (EU) funding (ERDF/ESIF) and potentially other research bodies.
All funding accessed under this framework will be considered compliant for the purposes of external funding by named participants.
Lot #3Business and Student Travel CombinedAwarded UKPublished value£395,000,000
Lot 3 is combined travel solutions supporting Business Travel Management Services providing Members with access to a fully managed service for all UK and International travel and associated services, as well as, Student Group Travel Services covering UK and international air, rail and hotel/hostel services; ferry services;
Eurostar; international vehicle hire; group travel services: and relevant professional advice to members. Additional information: It is anticipated that some of the future call-off contracts under this framework will be part or fully funded from external streams, include European Union (EU) funding (ERDF/ESIF) and potentially other research bodies.
All funding accessed under this framework will be considered compliant for the purposes of external funding by named participants.
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).
Lots publish different evaluation splits; there is no single procedure weighting.
| Lot | Quality | Price | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Business Travel | 60% | 40% | |
| 2 · Student Travel | 60% | 40% | |
| 3 · Business and Student Travel Combined | 60% | 40% |
- Suitability
As per documentation.
- Price carries 40 points on every lot: a 10% discount moves about 4 points.
- “Travel Management Provider” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 12 suppliers, not a single contract.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Restricted procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- 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
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 27 Oct 2022, 12:07 BST
- Last source update
- 2 Apr 2025, 11:20 BST
- Award evaluation window
- 20 Oct 2023 – …
- Authority reference
CU.146.GD- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-012457- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-037ca5Find a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
Publisher note: (WA Ref:149577)
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 20 Oct 2023, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission","written"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bids opened
- 20 Oct 2023, 17:00 BST
Timeline
3 Apr 2023 → 2 Apr 2025 · 4 dates- Next notice expected3 Apr 2023, 00:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown20 Oct 2023, 17:00 BST
- Bids opened20 Oct 2023, 17:00 BST
- Notice published2 Apr 2025, 11:20 BST
Notice history
7 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 21 Sept 2023- Published value published: £800,000,00021 Sept 2023, 14:21 BST
- Status changed to active21 Sept 2023, 14:21 BST
- Procurement method changed21 Sept 2023, 14:21 BST
- Deadline published: 20 Oct 2023, 17:00 BST21 Sept 2023, 14:21 BST
- Status changed to complete21 Mar 2024, 12:18 GMT
- Procurement method changed2 Apr 2025, 11:20 BST
- Buyer details updated2 Apr 2025, 11:20 BST
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2022-10: 1 release · 27 Oct 2022
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast4 suppliers are admitted to this framework without individual award values or dates, see the supplier list below.
Contracts
Contract 012457-2025-CU.1466.GD-1
- Signed
- 2 Apr 2025
- Value
- £22,500,000
- Status
- active
Lot No: 1 business travel
- Signed
- 14 Mar 2024
- Value
- £680,000,000
- Status
- active
Lot 3 - Business and Student Travel Combined
- Signed
- 14 Mar 2024
- Value
- £40,000,000
- Status
- active
Lot 2 - Student Group Travel
- Signed
- 14 Mar 2024
- Value
- £80,000,000
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Business Travel | 5bids · 3 electronic · 3 from abroad | 3 | — | — |
| 2 · Student Travel | 5bids | — | — | — |
| 3 · Business and Student Travel Combined | 5bids | — | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
3 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC)Contracting authorityBody governed by public lawEducation
- European UnionFunder
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- High CourtReview body
- Southern Universities Purchasing ConsortiumReview body
Framework contractors & participating bidders
7 commercial parties on the notice- CLARITY BUSINESS TRAVEL LIMITEDFramework contractor
- CLARITY BUSINESS TRAVEL LIMITEDFramework contractor
- Clarity Travel LimitedFramework contractor
- DIVERSITY TRAVEL LIMITEDFramework contractor
- Key TravelFramework contractor
- NST TRAVEL GROUP LIMITED T/A StudyLink ToursFramework contractor
- Selective Travel ManagementFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Economic and financial selection criteria
- Technical selection criteria