Minibuses - Purchase of 2nd hand vehicles

Description

The purchase of 3 x 2nd hand accessible minibuses

Key facts

Procedure

Direct award

Lots

1

Contact

centralprocurement@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Contract period

7 Nov 2026 → 31 Dec 2026

Value incl. VAT

£283k

Category

goods

Awarded suppliers

• Dawson Group Bus and Coach Limited T/A Ventura Bus and Coach Sales Wharley Road, Cranfield, Milton Keynes MK43 0AW · GB-PPON-PYRM-8325-WBYW · UKH25, GB

Ground given for limiting competition

The buyer’s own stated reason for awarding without open competition, as published. Their assertion, not a finding.

Accessible coach-built minibuses are specialist vehicles which can only be procured from a limited number of suppliers. Due to limitations around capital investment, it is much more cost effective to purchase second-hand vehicles as this maximises the number of vehicles which can be purchased at any one time. When purchasing second-hand vehicles this limits the supply even further and therefore the supplier that we procure from is dictated by the availability of the product we require. Carrying out a tender process would be futile as the market is quite static and no other availability has been found. In addition, these vehicles will have been sold to an alternative buyer prior to the conclusion of a full procurement process.