TenderSignal is the UK's most complete source of live transport and logistics tenders.
We aggregate transport procurement from 145+ portals — Department for Transport, Active Travel England, Transport for London, Transport Scotland, Transport for Wales, National Highways, Network Rail, HS2, every passenger transport executive, every UK council, MOD logistics, and major distribution-led private buyers. Coverage spans bus, rail, road, freight, last-mile and active travel.
Whether you're a small SEND transport operator chasing a council contract, an SME logistics provider bidding for NHS supply runs, or a major bus operator targeting bus service improvement programmes, TenderSignal surfaces opportunities daily. Sub-sectors include passenger transport, freight, fleet management, EV charging, parking enforcement, and active-travel infrastructure.
Passenger-transport contracts typically run 5–7 years. Pro users see expiring-contract and forecast notices — vital for bus, school transport and SEND where incumbency intelligence shapes winning bids.
What's covered
UK public transport spend exceeds £25bn annually across rail (Network Rail, train operators), bus (Bus Services Act 2017 and Bus Service Improvement Plans), highways (National Highways and councils), and council-commissioned services like SEND and home-to-school transport. The Procurement Act 2023 governs public buying above £213k (services) or £5.3m (works); rail concessions follow separate regulations.
Key frameworks include CCS's Vehicle Purchase, Hire and Fleet Management; the DfT's various transport-supplier frameworks; YPO's Passenger Transport and SEND frameworks; and TfL's specific contracting routes. Bus franchising (in Greater Manchester, Liverpool, West Yorkshire, the West Midlands) creates entirely new procurement pipelines.
Notable demand drivers include the Bus Service Improvement Plan rollout, bus franchising in combined authorities, the EV transition (CCS Charging Infrastructure Solutions), active-travel investment via Active Travel England, and the rail-reform programmes following the Williams-Shapps Plan.
Transport procurement uses PQQ + ITT for major contracts and direct mini-competitions for framework call-offs. Quality is typically scored 50–60% — covering operational plan, fleet, driver training, safeguarding (essential for SEND and school transport), social value and net-zero progress. Price weighting is higher than in consulting because operating costs are well-understood.
Sector accreditations matter: FORS Silver/Gold for fleet operators, DBS Enhanced for SEND/school transport drivers, Earned Recognition (DVSA) for HGV operators, ISO 39001 (road safety), plus the standard ISO 9001/14001/45001. For rail, RISQS approval is essential. For NHS patient transport, CQC registration is required.
Common pitfalls: under-priced bids that don't survive cost analysis (especially after fuel-cost spikes), weak driver-training and safeguarding evidence for SEND, missing EV/zero-emission roadmap, and poor depot-location analysis on bus tenders. Strong bids show realistic driver-pay rates, named operations managers, and credible decarbonisation milestones.
TenderSignal lets you filter by council, combined authority, passenger transport executive, or specific corridors. Transport is highly location-dependent — set your operating area during onboarding to see only relevant bus, SEND, parking and last-mile opportunities.
Council SEND and home-to-school routes typically £100k–£2m per year. Bus service operator grants and BSIP-funded contracts £500k–£20m. Bus franchise lots (e.g. Greater Manchester) exceed £100m. NHS patient transport contracts often £5m–£30m over 5 years.
For fleet purchase and EV charging, yes — CCS and YPO frameworks dominate. For passenger services, direct ITTs via Find a Tender, Contracts Finder and council portals are still standard. Bus franchising and BSIP funding create new direct-tender pipelines.
TenderSignal ingests around 150–250 transport opportunities per week. Volume rises in spring (council SEND re-procurement before the school year) and after bus-franchise milestones in combined authorities.
FORS Silver minimum for fleet operators; DBS Enhanced for SEND/school drivers; DVSA Earned Recognition for HGV; CQC for NHS patient transport; RISQS for rail logistics; ISO 9001/14001/45001 and 39001 widely required. Net-zero roadmap increasingly mandatory.
Yes — SEND, school transport, dial-a-ride and community transport are well-suited to SMEs and micro-operators. Councils often lot transport contracts by route to widen SME access. The Procurement Act 2023 strengthens this lotting requirement.
Services above £213,477 (central) or £164,176 (sub-central) must be advertised on Find a Tender. Concession contracts (e.g. bus franchises) have separate thresholds under the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, currently £5.3m.
Combined authorities running franchising (Greater Manchester is live; Liverpool, West Yorkshire, West Midlands rolling out) issue individual lot tenders for depot operations. TenderSignal Pro users see PIN notices and forecast pipelines — typically 12–18 months ahead.
Get started free · Browse Transport & Logistics tenders · All sectors