Bus Franchising in the Liverpool City Region: Tranche 2 Category 1

On 10 February 2025 Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) issued a Qualification system - utilities notice on Find a Tender to establish a Passport System by which potential suppliers can apply for inclusion on the Qualification System and pre-qualify so that they can bid for Liverpool City Region Category 1 franchises.

This notice is to inform potential bidders that the Expression of Interest (EOI) Stage for Tranche 2 Category 1 will be issued to Passport holders on 10 November 2025.

Tranche 2 Category 1 franchises covers services in Liverpool, Sefton and Knowsley.

If you have applied and been accepted onto the Passport system you do not need to take any action. Automatic notifications will be sent to all operators who have been appointed a place on the Bus Franchising in the Liverpool City Region - Category 1 Passport System when the EOI is published. The messages will go to the email address on the account you used to apply to the Passport system.

For those who have not yet applied and are interested in making an application please make an application via the e-tendering portal the Chest. You can get to the relevant opportunity by copying and pasting the below into your web browser:

https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=77fc27e6-b3e7-ef11-8134-005056b64545&p=e0cc5631-4690-e511-80fb-000c29c9ba21

The time and date by which Potential Suppliers must submit their Category 1 Passport Application to be guaranteed that their application will have been processed in time to be a Passport Holder entitled to compete in the LCRCA Tranche 2 Category 1 Bus Franchise competition is 11am on 31 October 2025.

This is the final application date before the EOI for Tranche 2 Category 1 is launched.

For further information on the Passport System and Franchises please refer to the notice for the F07: Qualification system "Bus Franchising in the Liverpool City Region - Category 1 Passport System" located on Find a Tender. You can get to the relevant notice by copying and pasting the below into your web browser:

https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004340-2025?_gl=1*en0m33*_ga*NTY1NTkxNDAzLjE3NDQ2Mjg5MzM.*_ga_SK4BZ95L7T*czE3NjA2MTM0MDgkbzI2JGcxJHQxNzYwNjEzNDIxJGo0NyRsMCRoMA..