Reserved Procurement - Provision of an Onsite Minibus Service

This tender for an onsite minibus service is clear in its operational requirements but suffers from significant issues regarding legal compliance, fairness due to a restrictive geographical eligibility criterion, and a lack of transparency in evaluation.

The tender's 'Reserved Procurement' title combined with an 'Open' procedure and a mandatory 'registered office in Caithness' eligibility requirement raises significant concerns regarding non-discrimination and proportionality under procurement law, especially without clear justification. The absence of specified mandatory exclusion grounds and financial requirements also detracts from full compliance.

The description of the minibus service scope and technical requirements is exceptionally clear and unambiguous. However, the complete absence of specified evaluation criteria significantly hinders bidders' understanding of how their proposals will be assessed.

While basic information, deadlines, value, and duration are provided, the tender is incomplete due to the explicit lack of evaluation criteria, specific financial requirements, and mandatory exclusion grounds.

The requirement for a registered office in Caithness is highly restrictive and appears to unduly limit competition, potentially tailoring the tender to local businesses without clear justification, thus severely impacting fairness. The absence of evaluation criteria further compromises transparency and objectivity. The lack of e-submission also creates barriers.

The tender clearly specifies the contract start date and duration. However, the lack of electronic submission support is a significant practical drawback in modern procurement, potentially increasing administrative burden for bidders.

Key dates and durations are logical and consistent. Most essential fields are populated, with only minor omissions like procedure codes and liable person. No disputes or suspensions are reported.

The tender does not include any explicit green procurement, social, or innovation criteria. While titled 'Reserved Procurement', the specific Caithness eligibility does not inherently align with broader sustainability or social enterprise objectives without further context.