DPS Transport for Education, Social care and other transport requirements (East Lothian Council)

East Lothian Council is establishing a Dynamic Purchasing System to procure transport services that will support education, social care, and other passenger needs primarily within the council’s area. The system will allow a range of vehicles, including taxis, private hire cars, minibuses, and larger buses, to be contracted, with a specific emphasis on ensuring that those services can accommodate passengers who use wheelchairs. Contracts will be awarded through mini‑competitions and will remain open for renewal after an initial 96‑month period, allowing the council to maintain flexibility for future transport requirements.

The dynamic purchasing system is divided into four distinct lots. The first lot covers multi‑purpose vehicles seating five to eight passengers, including salon cars; the second lot is for wheelchair‑accessible multi‑purpose vehicles with the same seating capacity; the third lot covers minibuses seating nine to sixteen passengers and includes wheelchair‑accessible options; and the fourth lot accommodates vehicles seating more than seventeen passengers. Each lot specifies the same quality and price criteria, where quality receives a 10% weighting and price a 90% weighting, and each provider must demonstrate the technical ability to meet the required vehicle specifications.

Participation is limited to operators holding a current Public Service Vehicle licence or a taxi/Private Hire licence under the Civic Government Act, and each tenderer must provide evidence of minimum insurance levels for employer liability, public liability, and third‑party motor vehicle cover. Operators must also ensure that all staff are properly vetted according to the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act, undergo Police Scotland checks, and comply with GDPR, while electronic ordering, invoicing, and payment will be mandatory. All vehicles must be capable of carrying wheelchairs and meet the required insurance and licensing standards.

East Lothian Council ("ELC") are responsible for the procurement of service transport contracts to meet the education and social care needs as well as other passenger requirements. Most of the transport will be within East Lothian area.
ELC is setting up a Dynamic Purchasing System ("DPS") to procure these contracts. A DPS is completely electronic system and is similar to a framework agreement but a key difference is that, unlike a framework agreement, suppliers can join a DPS at any time.
Contracts operated through this DPS can generally be undertaken by taxis, private hire cars, minibuses and buses, including the requirement for those of these vehicles to be capable of carrying passengers in wheelchairs.
The DPS will be split into the following categories:
-Category 1: MPVs (5-8 seats), including salon cars (4 seats).
-Category 2: MPV- Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV)- (5-8 seats)
-Category 3: Minibus (9-16 seats), including wheelchair accessible vehicles
-Category 4: Vehicles above 17 seats
Contracts under the DPS will be awarded following mini competitions.

Information about variants:

Variants will be accepted: No

Information about options:

Options: No

Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted:

EN

Information about recurrence:

This is a recurrent procurement: Yes

Estimated timing for further notices to be published:

This is a recurring requirement for East Lothian Council. It is anticipated the renewal process will commence 9 months before the expiry

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

Lot 1:
MPVs (5-8 seats), including salon cars (4 seats).
Description of the procurement:
East Lothian Council are responsible for the procurement of service transport contracts to meet the education and social care needs as well as other passenger or transport requirements. Most of the transport will be within East Lothian area.
This Lot is for MPVs (5-8 seats) including salon cars (4 seats).
Place of performance:
NUTS code:
UKM73
Award criteria:
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality / Weighting: 10
Price / Weighting: 90
Duration of the contract:
Duration in months: 96
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
Whilst it is not anticipated the period of the DPS will be extended, contracts awarded under it may be extended and may run beyond the original period of the DPS.

Lot 2:
MPV- Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV)- (5-8 seats)
Description of the procurement:
East Lothian Council are responsible for the procurement of service transport contracts to meet the education and social care needs as well as other passenger or transport requirements. Most of the transport will be within East Lothian area.
This Lot is for MPVs- Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV)- (5-8 seats).
Place of performance:
NUTS code:
UKM73
Award criteria:
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality / Weighting: 10
Price / Weighting: 90
Duration of the contract:
Duration in months: 96
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
Whilst it is not anticipated the period of the DPS will be extended, contracts awarded under it may be extended and may run beyond the original period of the DPS.

Lot 3:
Minibus (9-16 seats), including wheelchair accessible vehicles of this capacity
Description of the procurement:
East Lothian Council are responsible for the procurement of service transport contracts to meet the education and social care needs as well as other passenger or transport requirements. Most of the transport will be within East Lothian area.
This is is for Minibus (9-16 seats), including wheelchair accessible vehicles of this capacity.
Place of performance:
NUTS code:
UKM73
Award criteria:
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality / Weighting: 10
Price / Weighting: 90
Duration of the contract:
Duration in months: 96
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
Whilst it is not anticipated the period of the DPS will be extended, contracts awarded under it may be extended and may run beyond the original period of the DPS.

Lot 4:
Vehicles above 17 seats
Description of the procurement:
East Lothian Council are responsible for the procurement of service transport contracts to meet the education and social care needs as well as other passenger or transport requirements. Most of the transport will be within East Lothian area.
This Lot is for Vehicles above 17 seats.
Place of performance:
NUTS code:
UKM73
Award criteria:
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality / Weighting: 10
Price / Weighting: 90
Duration of the contract:
Duration in months: 96
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
Whilst it is not anticipated the period of the DPS will be extended, contracts awarded under it may be extended and may run beyond the original period of the DPS.