Award of contracts under the Council's DPS for passenger transport services for the quarterly period 01 April 2026 to 30 June 2026. The requirements for passenger transport services are for a wide range of purposes including those listed below: Adult Social Care Transport Children's Social Care Transport Community Transport Services Subsidised Public Bus Services Taxishares and Carshares Home to school transport for both mainstream and SEN schools Emerging areas of ongoing transportation requirements from Education and Adult and Children's services e.g. Academics General transportation services e.g. school trips Coverage of the DPS : Most journeys procured through the DPS, where the commissioning authority is Hampshire County Council, will be within Hampshire. On occasions these routes can start in Hampshire but travel out of the county, or vice versa, to neighbouring counties. On occasion, a journey may be required to a destination which is a significant distance away, within another part of the UK, e.g. where SEN pupil placements are out of the county.

Please see the link below for the list of contracts awarded under this DPS in quarterly reports. These can be found under the right hand webpage heading: 'Supplier lists and contracts awarded' https://www.hants.gov.uk/transport/transportoperators/procurement#step-6

Dynamic Purchasing System for the provision of Passenger Transport Services 2023-2033

Hampshire County Council is re-procuring passenger transport services currently procured under three separate Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS). These are DPS 16 seats or less, DPS 17 seats or more and DPS Public Bus. The DPS is intended to run for 10 years and to be admitted to the DPS, suppliers must successfully pass the general questions for the DPS and at least one of the licencing categories. Some services require a specific licence and where a specific licence is required then only those suppliers who are within that licence category will be invited to tender. In addition to the licencing categories, there are further categories which meet certain specific needs of the passenger or service. These categories are identified as ´Flags´ and where a category of Flag is required, then only those suppliers who are within that Flag category will be invited to tender. Summary list of categories within the DPS: (suppliers must be admitted to at least one of the licencing categories below) Category 1- Suppliers operating Vehicle(s) with eight seated passenger capacity or less under a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Licence. Category 2- Suppliers operating Vehicle(s) with nine or more seated passenger capacity under a PSV licence or Community Organisations operating under a Section 19 or Section 22 permit. Category 3 - Suppliers operating Vehicle(s) that are CQC registered to provide transport Services under Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration Supplementary Flags: (optional, however you must be within a Flag to receive tenders which have Flag category requirements) Flag A - Public Bus Services Flag B - Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle(s) Flag C - Enhanced Quality Contracts Flag D - Passenger Transport Assistant/ Escort Flag E - Female Drivers Flag F - Drivers who can provide specialist assistance to Passengers Flag G - Category 2 licence applicants only; a choice on whether to receive Home address Pick-Up (door to door) tender invitations. Full details can be found in the Specification and DPS Governance document. Types of passenger transport: The Council´s requirements for passenger transport services are for a wide range of purposes including those listed below: Adult Social Care Transport Children´s Social Care Transport Community Transport Services Subsidised Public Bus Services Taxishares and Carshares Home to school transport for both mainstream and SEN schools Emerging areas of ongoing transportation requirements from Education and Adult and Children´s services e.g. Academics General transportation services e.g. school trips Coverage of the DPS : Most journeys procured through the DPS, where the commissioning authority is Hampshire County Council, will be within Hampshire. On occasions these routes can start in Hampshire but travel out of the county, or vice versa, to neighbouring counties. The starting point of the route will be clearly highlighted within the call-off documents that will be supplied as part of the tendering process. On occasion, a journey may be required to a destination which is a significant distance away, within another part of the UK, e.g. where SEN pupil placements are out of the county. External use: Other bodies, including some neighbouring Local Authorities, may also tender journeys through this DPS. These journeys are likely to be to, from or within their own authority areas. Call-off contracts for the delivery of services will be formed directly between the participating Authority named in the call-off competition documents and the winning supplier. Under this DPS, other Authorities may also purchase their requirement as part of or in addition to a service procured by HCC. In these circumstances HCC and the other Authority will have formed a separate agreement regarding the joint funding arrangement. In this situation HCC will be the contracting party. See section II.2.14 below for details of in-scope Authorities. The types of passenger transport requirements and short descriptions are listed below. Mainstream Home to School Transport Services The Passenger Transport Group´s Public Bus and Home to School Transport Team procures transport for approximately 9,300 mainstream school pupils, aged 4 - 16, across Hampshire attending Primary and Secondary education establishments, as well as more specialist destinations such as Educational Inclusion Service Units. Students may be picked up from home or walk to a pickup point close to their home. Whilst the majority of these journeys are on vehicles with more than 16 passenger seats, a small portion of these require smaller vehicles. Many of Hampshire´s schools and academies now provide their own home to school transport service for students who are not entitled to free transport assistance. The County Council may tender these services, on behalf of those schools, but it is the school that will be responsible for all aspects of managing the contract and Hampshire County Council will not be the contracting party. In addition to the home to school transport service, many schools also require transport for taking students on educational and recreational trips and the County Council may also tender these services on behalf of the schools. These may be one off journeys or regular trips i.e. taking students swimming each week. In some circumstances routes may be grouped together for example several school routes or Public Bus routes. Where routes are grouped with a single Supplier to provide transport to a single School or centre then the Supplier may be required to provide route planning and additional administration services as part of the contract. Full details of which will be set out in the call-off contract. Special Needs School Transport The Special Education Needs Team procures vehicles and arranges transport for around 3,300 pupils, aged 3 - 25, who have a range of special needs to enable them to attend various special schools and colleges in Hampshire but also some out of the County destinations. These educational establishments provide education for pupils with a wide range of special needs from physical disabilities, moderate and severe learning difficulties, autism, through to hearing, sight, and language impairment. It may be necessary for an adult to travel with the pupil. This adult will be a Passenger Transport Assistant or Escort, who has received appropriate training and is responsible for the pupils whilst they are travelling to school. Students with special needs are more likely to be picked up from their home. When pupils require the support of an escort, the escort may be provided by HCC or alternatively operators may be asked to supply their own. Community Transport Services The Community Transport team procures specialised door-to-door demand-responsive transport services for anyone who finds it difficult or impossible to use ordinary bus services. Some of these services may also be used by those who live more than 400 metres from an available bus service/stop or who do not have access to a car and do not have access to a bus service. These services are provided with wheelchair accessible vehicles. Wheelchair accessible vehicles may be provided by Hampshire County Council as part of the contract or operators may be required to supply an appropriate vehicle. Passengers need to pre-register and book in advance to use these services. The Community Transport Team also procure other Community Transport services including Minibus Group Hire Services and Community Buses. The Minibus Group Hire Services provide a pool of wheelchair accessible vehicles which are available for long and short-term hire by voluntary and community groups to support wellbeing in their local community. Community Buses operated under a Section 22 permit are an alternative form of public transport services. The Service requirements and minimum passenger capacity will be identified by the Service Purchaser during the tender process. Children Social Care Services Transport services are arranged for children who are under the care of Hampshire County Council Children´s Services Department. This can include home to school transport for both mainstream and special needs pupils. Vulnerable Children are described as children and young people who are Looked After Children (LAC) or assessed as being Children in Need (CIN). These children and young people may have a significant disability and/or additional needs that impact upon their daily lives. The Service may require a range of vehicle sizes including cars, people carriers, minibuses as well as wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Some children require transport outside of school hours for after school clubs or contact meetings with family members. When pupils require the support of an escort, the escort may be provided by HCC or alternatively operators may be asked to supply their own. Due to the nature of the care arrangements for looked after children, there are frequent and often last-minute changes to travel requirements. To ensure safeguards are in place, all changes and cancellations are processed by a social care transport team and at the end of each trip children must be passed into the care of a responsible adult. The nature of Children´s Social Care Transport is a combination of regular on-going trips and one-off journeys. The type of Service and requirements will be identified by the Service Purchaser during the tender process. Adult Social Care Transport services are made available to Hampshire residents aged 18 years and above who are under the care of and supported by Hampshire County Council Adults Services Department. This enables people to attend college, clubs, churches, and day centres, among other activities and destinations, usually on weekdays, thereby enhancing the quality of their lives. Day Centres in Hampshire provide support to adults who have a wide range of needs from physical disabilities, moderate and severe learning difficulties, autism, through to hearing, sight, and language impairment. Clients sometimes require transport to respite breaks or hospital appointments. The Service may require a range of vehicle sizes including cars, people carriers, minibuses as well as wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Passenger Assistants/Escorts may also be required on some routes to provide support to Service Users who have additional needs. Some clients require escorts to travel with them. When clients require the support of an escort, the escort may be provided by HCC or alternatively, operators may be asked to supply their own. Other clients will require a lower level of assistance, for example help in and out of the vehicle. Adult Social Care Transport is a combination of regular on-going trips and one-off journeys. Vulnerable adults may need to be placed into the care of a carer or responsible adult at the end of each trip. The type of Service and requirements will be identified by the Service Purchaser during the tender process. Taxishare/Carshare Services A Taxishare or Carshare (depending on whether the operator is licensed as private hire or hackney carriage) is like a bus service where passengers´ book in advance and are picked up by a taxi or private hire vehicle. Services run to a set timetable, just like a bus but passengers must register in advance and book with the operator. The service will only run if someone books to travel. Passengers get picked up from their nearest bus stop or in some cases from their home address, depending on the particular Taxishare/Carshare service. Passengers will then be taken to the designated drop off point, as per the timetable. Most services are available to anyone who needs to travel within the service operating area, however, to use some services, passengers need to meet extra criteria. Taxishare/Carshare services are usually operated in a vehicle with capacity to carry up to four passengers, with a larger second vehicle or minibus which might be needed to allow further passengers to travel. The type of Service and requirements will be identified by the Service Purchaser during the tender process. Public Bus services Hampshire County Council provides subsidised local bus services across Hampshire on routes or at times where there is no commercial (non-subsidised) bus service available. These services operate in urban and rural areas of Hampshire and on inter-urban routes. They may run on any day of the week, daytime, or evening, but currently priority is given towards subsidising services during Monday to Friday daytime. The Authority may also tender these services on behalf of other local authorities; in certain cases, the other authority may be responsible for all aspects of managing the contract. Some services convey students to and from school on behalf of Hampshire County Council for which the cost of carriage may be required to be included in the price(s) tendered. In addition to long-term regular local bus services, there may be shorter-period services or one-offs, e.g., due to road closures or special events.