Slightly off-topic "tenders"

[YSV-205]

Slightly off-topic "tenders"
Can someone please explain how tenders are won & lost by various bus companies. For example, what's involved, what goes into them, costs, what needs to be proven, are there reasons why a route could be in a position where no company is willing to tender for the route; what happens then, reasons why one loses a tender & another one gains one, how often are tenders up for renewal, etc. I would appreciate an example if someone can use figures (£ figures) so I have a better understanding

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Slightly off-topic "tenders"
i can help u on tender years, merseytravel these days normally tender a route for 8 years whereas greater manchester its normally 5 however the bolton night stuff are up again as the tender was only 12 month for some reason am yet to find out

[wirralbus]

RE: Slightly off-topic "tenders"
Why such large differences on there tenders , if a vehicle can not be used for more than 15 years on a tender in the first place , Merseytravel have put extra costs on the operators by saying that if they use a vehicle on the first 8 yrs of a contract , the vehicle has to be replaced before the second 8 yrs is up , whereas TfGM can get full utilisation out of a vehicle for the full cycle of upto 3 tenders , strange as it may seem , some vehicles can easily make the 3 full cycles but some envitably wont be fit enough though.

[motormayhem]

RE: Slightly off-topic "tenders"
To put a bid in for a tender there are a few steps u have to work out to table your bid:
1.drivers wages for the term of the contract (including any overtime or pay rises involved).
2.amount of fuel usage for the term of the contract (including any fuel rises that may occur).
3.machanical costs for the term of the contract (including broken windows etc).
4.cost of how many buses are to be used on the pvr.
5.any profit you may want to obtain from the contract.

Some tenders state wether they want new buses or second hand buses to be used on the tender which could result in the company needing to lease buses to operate the contract which will result to needing to put into your tender process and costs.
I yhink merseytravel require buses to be within 15 years old,low floor,correct destinations,etc.

Tenders get issued to the sometimes cheapest tenderer or the more suited tenderer who can fit the criteria.

Companies are normally allowed a bedding in period to get everthing sorted in the first month of operating the contract and after the bedding in period they will get points deducted for different things:
1.early running/late running with out good reasoning.
2.displaying incorrect destinations.
3.using incorrect buses (non compliant of terms and conditions set out in the contract).
Nornally they are given 100 points to start off with then thats what the points get taken away from and when they reach 00 the contract may result in being taken away from the operator and given out on an emergency tender.