Tenders

Transport for Greater Manchester E-Scooter Trial

Open
Deadline
1 days left
March 04, 2026
Contract Details
Category
Other
Reference
007406-2026
Value
£207,720
Location
United Kingdom
Published
February 23, 2026
CPV Code
Project Timeline

Tender Published

January 28, 2026

Deadline for Questions

February 25, 2026

Submission Deadline

March 04, 2026

Contract Start Date

May 31, 2026

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Budget
£207,720
Duration
25 months
Location
United Kingdom
Type
Other
68
Quality Score/100
Good

Original Tender Description

Greater Manchester is building the Bee Network; an integrated transport network across Bus, Tram Active Travel and eventually rail, by 2028. Greater Manchester has a developing network of micromobility schemes, which have grown in a patchwork regulatory environment. Greater Manchester is at a critical juncture with regards to the provision of bike and e-scooter hire. The English Devolution Bill sets out new regulations for micromobility licensing, and with a framework due in the near future. Before this legislation comes into force, the Department for Transport has offered local authorities the opportunity to apply to run e-scooter trials in their areas up to 2028. Greater Manchester operates a proprietary bike-hire service as part of the Bee Network. TfGM launched the GM Cycle Hire scheme, now known as Starling Bank Bikes, in 2021. The scheme is provided by the micromobility operator Beryl, and operates via a docked system, with controls over pricing, branding, and integration. Salford City Council have a non-proprietary e-scooter trial, provided by Lime, in Salford. The operator takes responsibility for setting prices and branding through a concession. TfGM are in the process of understanding the current appetite from districts to launch e-scooter trials, through the latest Department for Transport call for new rental e-scooter trial areas, which are likely to be approved if they demonstrate innovation or learning opportunities. Greater Manchester operates a proprietary bike-hire service as part of the Bee Network. TfGM launched the GM Cycle Hire scheme, now known as Starling Bank Bikes, in 2021. The scheme is provided by the micromobility operator Beryl, and operates via a docked system, with controls over pricing, branding, and integration. TfGM seek to understand more about current operators in the UK micromobility market and how they would approach an e-scooter scheme in Greater Manchester as part of these new trials, as well as future opportunities for micromobility more generally between now and 2028. Respondents must be an accredited operator as approved by CoMoUK.

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Requirements & Qualifications

7 requirements across 5 categories

Submission (2)
Mandatory (1)
Compliance (1)
Technical (2)
Financial (1)
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS2
--Responses must be submitted by the deadline of 2026-03-04T00:00:00.
--Bidders must respond to the preliminary market engagement to outline their approach to e-scooter schemes and future micromobility opportunities.
MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS1
--No specific mandatory exclusion grounds are explicitly stated in the provided information.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS1
--Respondents must be an accredited operator as approved by CoMoUK.
TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS2
--Bidders must be able to provide insights into their approach for potential e-scooter trials in Greater Manchester.
--Bidders must be able to demonstrate their approach to future micromobility opportunities in Greater Manchester between now and 2028.
FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS1
--No specific financial requirements for bidders (e.g., minimum turnover, insurance) are explicitly stated in the provided information.

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Documents

4 documents available with AI summaries

Planning NoticeHTM
007406-2026.html

Transport for Greater Manchester is conducting preliminary market engagement to understand current UK micromobility operators' approaches to e-scooter trials and future opportunities in Greater Manchester, requiring respondents to be CoMoUK accredited.

OCDS RecordDOC
007406-2026_ocds_record.json

Transport for Greater Manchester seeks accredited CoMoUK operators to understand their approach to e-scooter schemes for new trials and future micromobility opportunities in the region up to 2028.

OCDS Release PackageDOC
007406-2026_ocds_release.json

Transport for Greater Manchester is seeking accredited CoMoUK operators to understand their approach to e-scooter schemes and future micromobility opportunities within the Bee Network by 2028.

Official PDF VersionPDF
007406-2026_official.pdf

Transport for Greater Manchester is conducting preliminary market engagement to understand how CoMoUK-accredited micromobility operators would approach e-scooter trials and future schemes in the region by 2028, with an estimated contract value of £207,720.

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68
Good

Tender Quality Score

This tender, described as preliminary market engagement, provides a clear context for e-scooter trials but suffers from significant gaps in formal procedure definition, evaluation criteria, and potentially restrictive eligibility requirements.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance75/100

The tender is in 'planning' status and explicitly for 'preliminary market engagement,' which mitigates some formal legal compliance requirements. However, the 'Type: None' and 'Procedure: None' fields are unpopulated, which is poor practice even for market engagement. The CoMoUK accreditation requirement, while potentially ensuring quality, could be seen as restrictive.

Missing formal procedure type (e.g., RFI, Market Sounding)
Lack of explicit mandatory exclusion grounds
Clarity80/100

The description of the project, its context within the Bee Network, and the purpose of the market engagement are very clear and detailed. However, the complete absence of specified evaluation criteria significantly reduces overall clarity for potential respondents.

No evaluation criteria specified
Completeness70/100

Basic information such as title, reference, organization, value, duration, and deadlines are well-defined. Documents are available. However, the critical absence of evaluation criteria and the undefined formal procedure type are notable gaps.

Missing formal procedure type
No evaluation criteria
Fairness45/100

Fairness is significantly impacted by the complete lack of evaluation criteria, making the assessment process opaque. The mandatory CoMoUK accreditation requirement, while potentially ensuring quality, is highly specific and could unduly restrict competition, potentially favoring existing market players. The absence of electronic submission also hinders equal access.

No evaluation criteria specified
CoMoUK accreditation requirement is potentially restrictive and could be seen as tailored
Practicality65/100

The tender provides clear contract start and duration details. However, the lack of electronic submission support is a significant practical drawback in modern procurement, potentially increasing administrative burden for respondents.

No electronic submission support
Data Consistency80/100

Most key fields are populated and consistent, including dates and financial information. The primary inconsistency lies in the unpopulated 'Type' and 'Procedure' fields, which contradict the detailed description of preliminary market engagement.

'Type' and 'Procedure' fields are unpopulated/undefined
Sustainability60/100

The tender description explicitly mentions demonstrating 'innovation or learning opportunities' and exploring 'future opportunities for micromobility,' indicating a focus on innovation. However, there are no explicit criteria or mentions of green procurement or social aspects.

No explicit green procurement criteria
No explicit social criteria

Strengths

Clear and detailed project description and context
All basic tender information (title, reference, organization, value, duration) is provided
Focus on innovation and future micromobility opportunities
Documents are available for review
CPV code is appropriately assigned

Concerns

Absence of specified evaluation criteria
Undefined formal procedure type ('Type: None', 'Procedure: None')
Mandatory CoMoUK accreditation potentially restricts competition
Lack of electronic submission support
No explicit green or social procurement criteria

Recommendations

1. Clearly define the formal procedure type (e.g., Request for Information, Market Sounding) to enhance legal clarity.
2. Develop and publish clear evaluation criteria, even for preliminary market engagement, to ensure transparency and fairness.
3. Re-evaluate the mandatory CoMoUK accreditation requirement to ensure it is proportionate and does not unduly limit competition, or provide strong justification for its necessity.

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