North Fife Local Bus Services - Contract Extensions

Concepts

• north fife
• road transport
• glenrothes
• local bus services
• contract extensions
• fife council
• extension of the existing contracts
• bus services
• st andrews bus station
• north fife area

Location

North Fife

Description

Fife Council organises local bus services as permitted by Section 63(2) of The Transport Act 1985. The Council wishes to provide bus services to provide links for communities either not served by the commercial bus network or not served by that network on particular days or at particular times of day. These bus services which are the subject of this Notice are in North Fife. North Fife is an area comprising, though not exclusively so, the boundaries of the former North-east Fife District Council. In general terms, this area is bounded by Newburgh, Gateside, Falkland, Freuchie, Star, Kennoway and Leven and all points to the north and east within the peninsula. The main urban centres are Cupar, St Andrews and Anstruther. Services may operate wholly within the North Fife area but are not limited by its boundaries and may operate further afield. On 1st March 2018, Fife Council confirmed to successful operators their place on the framework for the provision of North Fife Local Bus Services. Contracts initially awarded under the framework commenced on 13th August 2018 and ran to 16th August 2020 with the option to extend for one year to 15th August 2021. Information about the award of the framework and contracts awarded under it was published on 5th April 2018 under references: APR315670 / OCID:ocds-r6ebe6-0000512992. Those contracts were extended until 15th August 2021, when the framework expired, and then were further extended until 14th August 2022, a modification notice confirming this was published on 10th February 2021, reference: FEB406408 OCID:ocds-r6ebe6-0000643941. This notice is to extend these existing contracts with the incumbent suppliers for a period of 12 months until 13th August 2023 for the reasons detailed in section IV of this notice.

Total Quantity or Scope

These contracts are an extension of the existing contracts for the supply of local bus services in North Fife: NF/24-1 St Andrews – Guardbridge – Cupar – Pitlessie – Kettlebridge – Ladybank – Freuchie – Glenrothes NF/41 Kirkcaldy – Windygates – Kennoway – Craigrothie – Ceres – Cupar NF/53 Cupar – Balmullo – Tayport, Shandwell Road, Elizabeth Street – Dundee NF/64 A St Andrews – Strathkinness – Pitscottie – Craigrothie – Cupar – Ladybank – Aucthermuchty – Strathmiglo – Falkland – Glenrothes (circular within St Andrews) NF/68 Cupar Town Service NF/77-1 Dundee – Newport on Tay – Wormit – Gauldry – Balmerino NF/92 St Andrews, Younger Gardens – Hospital – South Street – Guardbridge – Leuchars Rail – Balmullo – St Michaels – Tayport – (Dundee) – Newport on Tay – Wormit – Gauldry – Balmerino – St Michaels – Balmullo – Leuchars Rail – Guardbridge – St Andrews, Market Street – Hospital – Younger Gardens – clockwise and anticlockwise NF/94 St Andrews Bus Station – Guardbridge – Leuchars – St Michaels – Dairsie – Cupar – Cuparmuir – Pitlessie – Kingskettle – Ladybank - Giffordtown – Collessie – Grange of Lindores – Newburgh NF/95A Leven – Lower Largo – Upper Largo – Colinsburgh – Elie – Anstruther – Crail – Kingsbarns – St Andrews NF/OS70 Tayport, Albert Street – Queen Street – Nelson Street – Elizabeth Street – Cupar NF/TAXIBUS-4 North Fife Flexi Zones

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 60112000 - Public road transport services

Indicators

Legal Justification

Covid-19, has reduced demand so fares information for specifications can’t be provided and it’s unclear when passenger numbers will return to pre-Covid levels, leading to difficulty in pricing bids because fare levels are unknown. By extending contracts, we have time to obtain more realistic passenger level data. - Covid-19 has prevented us undertaking on-bus passenger surveys, a more effective tool than online ones with regard to response numbers. Recovered passenger levels will enable accurate surveys. - The Covid Support Grant will be revised/ended at some point, which is likely to impact bus operators’ income. There is concern that, when the Government support ends, marginal commercial bus routes will be withdrawn, putting pressure on the Council to subsidise replacements. The impact isn’t yet known but we wouldn’t want any decisions/outcomes to force us to amend/abandon a procurement in the near future. - Delay to implementing the Under 22s Free Travel Scheme leaves unknowns re. provision of passenger and pupil fare estimates and continued uncertainty over what the Government will be funding with regard to pupils on our registered school buses. All are circumstances outwith the Council’s control. The expiry of the incumbent contracts while these circumstances apply makes assessing the need for services and consequently the specification of a longer term requirement impossible. It is proposed therefore to extend the existing contracts/service for a short time until the above circumstances resolve. It is considered these circumstances fall within the scope of Regulation 33(1)(c)- extreme urgency brought about by unforeseeable circumstances). The Urgency has been brought about by the combination of the above circumstances caused by Covid-19 which mean we are unable to accurately assess the pattern of bus usage needed to shape an appropriate future network of services, and the fact existing contracts are coming to an end. The circumstances also fall within the scope of Section 72(1)(c) which permits the modification of a contract, including extension, where all of the following conditions are fulfilled: (i) the need for modification has been brought about by circumstances which a diligent contracting authority could not have foreseen (See above); (ii) the modification does not alter the overall nature of the contract or framework; (iii) any increase in price does not exceed 50% of the initial contract value or framework agreement;

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. ** EXTENSION INFORMATION CONTRACT - OPERATOR - ANNUAL PRICE GBP NF/24-1 - Stagecoach - 42,670 NF/41 - Moffat & Williamson - 63,866 NF/53 - Stagecoach - 54,005 NF/64 - Moffat & Williamson - 435,392 NF/68 - Moffat & Williamson - 60,816 NF/77-1 - Stagecoach - 49,813 NF/92 - Moffat & Williamson - 144,472 NF/94 - Stagecoach - 300,593 NF/95A - Stagecoach - 125,806 NF/OS70 - Moffat & Williamson - 71,221 NF/TAXIBUS-4 - Moffat & Williamson - 410,420 NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=671801. (SC Ref:671801)