Published date: 20 June 2023

Open opportunity - This means that the contract is currently active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to fulfil the contract.


Closing: 4 July 2025, 5pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Transport services (excl. Waste transport) - 60000000

  • Health and social work services - 85000000

Location of contract

North West

Value of contract

£32,000,000

Procurement reference

DN62116

Published date

20 June 2023

Closing date

4 July 2025

Closing time

5pm

Contract start date

5 July 2025

Contract end date

5 July 2025

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Restricted procedure (above threshold)

A two-stage procedure, where the first stage is used to select suppliers, who are then invited to bid in the second stage.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

Wigan Council is seeking to receive applications for admittance to a Home to School Transport and Adult Social Care Transport Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). The DPS will be used as the mechanism to procure services by entering into calls for competition with providers on the DPS. In accordance with The Public Contract Regulations 2015, Regulation 34 (28(a)), Wigan Council is extending the DPS originally advertised in The Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) with reference number 2015/S 078-138444 and extended by notice 2019/S 093-224781. For indicative purposes, the DPS will be extended for a further period of 2 years from the previous end date of 5th July 2023. Providers already on the DPS do not need to reapply as they will automatically remain on the DPS. Within this Contracts Finder notice a 'closing date' and 'contract start date' have had to be provided; interested applicants may however apply to join the DPS at any time during its period of validity.

Transport services to be provided under the DPS include home to school transport for children with special educational needs, home to college transport for young adults with special educational needs, and adult social care transport. Services may be required on a daily, weekly, fortnightly or term time only basis for young people attending special educational needs schools, mainstream schools, mainstream colleges, alternative and complementary education and residential services, and respite care; and for adults attending day care facilities owned and managed by Wigan Council, community interest companies and respite care. Clients using the service may be vulnerable and suffer from learning disabilities, behavioural problems, sensory or hearing difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder or another physical disability. Therefore, some journeys will require that a Passenger Assistant be provided by Wigan Council to accompany them.

In order to meet the variety of transport needs contractors must be able to provide as a minimum one of the following vehicle options to be considered for admittance to the DPS: (i) Standard Car (up to four seats); (ii) Accessible Taxi; (iii) Black Cab; (iv) Minibus (up to eight seats); (v) Minibus (sixteen seats); (vi) Tail Lift Vehicle (minimum of 300kg tail lift required); and, (vii) Coach.

The DPS will be used as the mechanism through which Wigan Council will procure home to school and adult social care transportation services and it will be used as a basis to enter into calls for competition with providers on the DPS. Individual contracts raised under the DPS may commence at any time and will depend on the local circumstances of Wigan Council. It is however envisaged that the majority of the home to school contracts will run from the beginning of the Autumn term until the end of the academic year in which they are awarded.

The DPS period can be later amended (extended, shortened, terminated), subject to the notification on the relevant standard forms.

More information

Links

Additional text

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at https://www.the-chest.org.uk.

Once the application documents to join the DPS have been obtained from the abovenamed website address, applications to join the DPS must be submitted to the e-mail address below:

hometoschooltransportdpsapplication@wigan.gov.uk

How to apply

Follow the instructions given in the description or the more information section.

About the buyer

Contact name

Michelle Owen

Address

Integrated Transport Unit, Directorate of Places, Wigan Life Centre, PO Box 100
Wigan
WN1 3DS
England

Email

m.owen@wigan.gov.uk