Open Framework for Transportation Of Children, Young People & Adults (up To 8 Passenger Seat Vehicles)
Framework Description
Blackpool Council's Open Framework for Transportation of Children, Young People & Adults covers vehicles with up to eight passenger seats. Operators transport passengers, many with special educational needs (SEN), alongside council passenger assistants to establishments across Blackpool and the surrounding area. It has three lots and runs to 31 July 2034.
Context & Use Case
The council uses it to meet its statutory duties for home to school transport and social care trips, plus other ad hoc trips, calling off routes as needs change through the year. As an open framework, it can be reopened to admit new operators during its term, which helps the council keep enough capacity over a long contract.
Scope of Services
Lot 1 - Home to School Transport Lot 2 - Ad Hoc Social Care related Transport Lot 3 - Ad hoc Transport (non-social care related) Vehicles with up to eight passenger seats Working alongside council passenger assistants
Lots
Lot 1 - Home to School Transport; Lot 2 - Ad Hoc Social Care related Transport; Lot 3 - Ad hoc Transport (non-social care related)
Who Can Apply
Taxi and private hire firms and small minibus operators with the right licences, insurance and enhanced DBS checks suit this framework. As an open framework, it admits new suppliers when it is reopened rather than at any time; check Find a Tender for the current or next window.
Buyer Benefits
The council needs reliable, safeguarding-aware drivers for vulnerable passengers, and enough providers to cover school runs and short-notice social care trips. An open framework running to 2034 lets it add operators as demand changes while keeping consistent standards across all of them.
Next Steps
Read Blackpool Council's notice on Find a Tender (066973-2026) to see whether the framework is currently accepting applications. Prepare operator and vehicle licences, insurance, enhanced DBS checks for drivers, safeguarding policies and SEN transport references, and decide which lots and areas you can cover.
How Athena Can Help
Passenger transport bids are judged closely on safeguarding and reliability, and a strong application can lead to years of route work. Athena's open framework application support prepares your selection answers, policies and evidence with a compliance check, ready for each reopening window.
Once appointed, our help pricing and writing call-offs improves your route bids, and our SEN transport bid advice covers bid/no-bid choices across the three lots and how to present social value.
