SS15 96 DPS - Supported Local Bus (including Kent Karrier) and Home to School Transport Services

Kent County Council (the council) is the largest county council in England covering an area of 3,500 square kilometres. It has an annual expenditure of over £900m on goods and services and a population of 1.3m. The Council provides a wide range of personal and strategic services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district councils and 289 parish/town councils. This requirement from the Growth, Environment and Transport Directorate is for the future provision of services operated using PSV or Community (Section 19 or 22) Bus Permits. The requirements relate to the Council's activity in respect of Supported Local Bus (including Kent Karrier) and Home to School Transport Services. Supported Bus services are procured for the delivery of socially necessary bus services (including Kent Karrier), where the authority will fund the provision of a local bus service which is not commercially viable, which would therefore not otherwise run but which the authority has identified as meeting a social need i.e. rural connectivity. Home to School Transport services are procured to provide school transport for those pupils who are determined by our Education and Young People's Directorate as eligible for free home to school transport. Where the volume of pupils is sufficient to justify a larger vehicle (minibus, coach or bus) these will require provision of this transport by a Public Service Vehicle Licensed Operator who can run services either as a public bus service or as a privately hired vehicle. In accordance with best procurement practice, EU & UK Procurement Directives & Regulations and Kent County Council's Standing Orders, the Council wishes to create a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) listing of approved suppliers of Supported Local Bus and Home to School Transport Services. The DPS is anticipated to commence upon January 2016, and will continue for a period of ten (10) years. The estimated value of work through this DPS is £100m but no guarantee is given to the actual value of any call-off contracts. Further background and technical information can be found within the tender documentation.

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