SS15 124 - Home to School SEN Transport Provision - April 2018

The Kent County Council procures and manages transport for children/students with special educational needs in line with the requirements placed on it by Government, through the home to school statutory guidance. This opportunity is for the provision of transport services to safely transport children and vulnerable young adults to and from various establishments within and outside of Kent. Transport services include; home to school transport for children with special educational needs and home to college transport for young adults with special educational needs. There are three schools within scope with a Commencement date in April 2018.

There are 3 schools in scope being tendered for an April 2018 start. These are: Bower Grove School - Fant Lane, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8NL & Satellite at West Borough CP School, Greenway, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8QH (Lots 1 - 6, Taxi and PSV); Five Acre Wood School - Boughton Lane, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 9QL & Five Acre Satellite @ East Borough CP, Vinters Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5DX & Five Acre Wood 16+ Unit, Holmesdale Technology College, Malling Road, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5HS (Lots 7 - 12, Taxi and PSV) and Oakley School - Waveney Road, Tonbridge, Kent, TN10 3JU & Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 4NE (Lots 13-14, Taxi and PSV).

Tenderers will be required to register at www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk and express an interest in the opportunity to access the tender documentation. All management of the tendering process will be completed via the Kent Business Portal facility.

The initial contract term is 3 years (36 months), with the option to extend in two phases, the first for 1 year (12 months) and then for a further 1 year (12 months), resulting in a potential contract term of 5 years (60 months), unless terminated in accordance with the Conditions of Contract on the Kent Business Portal.

Only Electronic submissions received via the Kent Business Portal will be accepted. They will be electronically date stamped on receipt and opened on the date and time advised above. Tenderers must allow sufficient time to upload their tender responses as tenders received after this time will not be accepted.

Please note the estimated total value in II.1.5 and in each individual Lot is based on the initial three year contract term and an estimate for the additional potential two year extensions, i.e. a potential five year period.

Also note that routes/ vehicles/types may be varied by the Council accordingly to meet with an annual student churn in the region of 15% composed of starters/leavers and that move school and/ or address.

Additional information: Expressions of Interest will only be accepted via the Kent Business Portal (http://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk). In order to submit your interest in this opportunity please select the 'Login and register interest in this Opportunity'. Note that in order to successfully submit your interest you will first need to register for an account. After registration is complete and you have received your login details you should return to the advert for the opportunity and express your interest. You will then be emailed an invitation to submit a tender. Further guidance regarding how to use this portal can be found on the public attachments section on the Kent Business Portal.

A bidder briefing session will be held at County Hall Maidstone on Friday 5th January at 11:30am which tenderers are strongly advised to attend. This session is anticipated to run for approximately 2 hours and will provide an opportunity for contractors to understand how to complete the mandatory tender documentation. Operators are required to RSVP their attendance by email to: Procurement.TW@kent.gov.uk after registering their interest in the opportunity on the Kent Business Portal and reading the documentation provided.

Tenderers should consult the Forms for Completion and Service Specification and Instructions to Tenderers document for further information.

Please direct all question and communications through the Kent Business Portal via the messaging facility.