Bus Framework 2025: Upcoming Opportunities Ahead

Preliminary Market Engagement Opportunity – TPPL & CSKL Bus Framework

2 July 2025

TPPL are working alongside Commercial Services Kent Ltd (CSKL) for the creation of a new 48-month Bus, Minibus, and Coach procurement Framework, scheduled to be available from December 2025, until December 2029. This will be the first TPPL jointly developed Framework to be created under the new Procurement Act 2023! With that, we have now launched a Preliminary Market Engagement for the Bus Framework 2025, as one of the pre-requisite stages of Frameworks being created under the Act.

Buses and coaches to be supplied shall include, but are not limited to, chassis (converted and unconverted), van conversions, and coach built on. Buses and coaches available shall be for any range/number of seats and with any required fuel type (e.g. petrol, diesel, biodiesel, HVO, electric, hydrogen) and drivetrain.

The framework will incorporate scope to include the provision of community and/or passenger transport services. Contracts awarded under the framework are expected to be for the provision 9 or more passenger carrying vehicles for this service. Vehicles used in the provision of services to include minibuses, buses and coaches. Wheelchair accessible variants will be required. Passenger assistants/escorts may be required by Contact Authorities for some services. To view this notice, please click here:

The scope of preliminary market engagement for this new iteration of the framework is a questionnaire based survey. The purpose of the questionnaire is to inform the market of the upcoming opportunity and seek views from the supply-chain on issues that may impact on the final specification, lot structure, and the scope for delivering social value outcomes.

The information gathered will be used for the following:

To build capacity within the supply chain to bid for the proposed framework
To engage with partners on the overall general scope of the specification and requirements prior to issuing the tender documents.
To provide feedback in relation to the appetite of the market together with information that will allow the exercise to be shaped to elicit a positive response from suppliers.

The benefits to your organisation in participating in this process include:

The chance to assess whether the opportunity will be suitable and of interest to you.
Ensuring that the specification is realistic and market focused.
The chance to raise any risks, concerns or issues regarding the potential opportunity.

Your responses will assist us in creating a process which is well-framed, focused, feasible, and likely to be of interest to the market. There is no commercial advantage or disadvantage to your organisation as a result of being involved in this market engagement. This process focuses on the market rather than on the merits of individual suppliers. It involves no element of supplier selection or bid evaluation. The questionnaire is available for completion upon request via TPPL during the period 27th June 2025 to 11th July 2025 at 17:00. Completed engagement questionnaires must be submitted no later than 5:00pm on the 11th of July 2025.

The questionnaire is accessible below.