Bus Franchising and Procurement Insights

The process of implementing a bus franchising programme will, for all authorities taking this approach to bus reform, be a challenging one – requiring the adoption of new skills and an understanding of the sector that is being engaged with. Add to this the imperative that the procurement process must be compliant with the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023. There is much for procurement teams and, equally importantly, operators bidding for franchise agreements and local service contracts to appreciate.

Within Freeths, as a contribution to understanding of best procurement practice in relation to bus franchising, we are producing a series of guides focussing on particular topics. Guides published so far can be accessed below. Future guides will cover topics that include direct awards, understanding requirements for specifications, the evaluation and contract award procedure and new transparency requirements in connection with contract performance monitoring.