AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Devon County Council awarded the Thursday-only ND663 local bus service between Chulmleigh and South Molton to TAW AND TORRIDGE COACHES LIMITED following a mini-competition under Lot 5 of its passenger transport dynamic purchasing system.
Published outcomeThe award is marked active. The published award value is £90,576 for the single named supplier, with a stated contract period from 3 September 2026 to 3 September 2034.
Market significanceThis is a relatively small regional passenger-transport award for a defined weekly local bus service in South West England.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
TAW AND TORRIDGE COACHES LIMITED
99% confidenceAward ocds-b5fd17-6696860a-2f76-4aea-a361-853653e5c9d2-1 · Lots Lot 5 of the Devon County Council Passenger Transport Dynamic Purchasing System (CP1185-15) · 90576 GBP · active
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The active award names Taw and Torridge Coaches LTD as supplier. Supplier verification provides the legal name TAW AND TORRIDGE COACHES LIMITED (company number 01247327). The award value is £90,576.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceAwarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
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Published document is described as “Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder”.
Award status
99% confidenceActive
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Award record status is “active”.
Award decision date
95% confidence29 July 2026
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Award record date: 2026-07-29.
Notice publication date
99% confidence9 October 2026
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Award notice datePublished: 2026-10-09T10:14:24+01:00.
Stated contract period
99% confidence3 September 2026 to 3 September 2034
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Tender and award contractPeriod specify these start and end dates.
VALUES
Published values explained
Published award value
99% confidence£90,576
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The award value is 90576 GBP; the tender value is also 90576 GBP.
Value allocation
96% confidenceAllocated to the single published award and supplier
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One award is published, naming one supplier, with a value of £90,576.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Tender submission deadline
99% confidence29 July 2026, 12:00 BST
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Tender period endDate: 2026-07-29T12:00:00+01:00.
Award decision date
95% confidence29 July 2026
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Award date: 2026-07-29T00:00:00+01:00.
Stated contract start
99% confidence3 September 2026
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Award contractPeriod startDate: 2026-09-03.
Stated contract end
99% confidence3 September 2034
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Award contractPeriod endDate: 2034-09-03T23:59:59+01:00.
Award notice published
99% confidence9 October 2026
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Award notice datePublished: 2026-10-09T10:14:24+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Service
99% confidenceThursday-only local bus service 663 between Chulmleigh and South Molton, excluding public holidays
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Tender description states supply and provision of local bus service 663 Chulmleigh to South Molton on Thursdays only, except public holidays.
Procurement route
99% confidenceMini-competition under Lot 5 of Devon County Council Passenger Transport DPS CP1185-15
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Tender description explicitly identifies a mini-competition from Lot 5 of the DPS.
Category
99% confidenceTransport services, excluding waste transport (CPV 60000000)
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Primary classification: CPV 60000000.
Delivery area
95% confidenceSouth West, United Kingdom
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Tender item delivery address specifies South West, United Kingdom.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceOpen procedure
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Tender procurementMethodDetails is “Open procedure”.
Supplier suitability
99% confidenceSME suitable: yes; VCSE suitable: no
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Tender suitability records sme: true and vcse: false.
Competition information
99% confidenceNumber of bids and evaluation results not published
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Information not supplied in the published notice data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Stated duration
99% confidenceEight years
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The description says the projected duration is eight years; the stated dates span 3 September 2026 to 3 September 2034.
Termination provision
97% confidenceEither the contractor or Devon County Council may give notice to terminate under the applicable standard terms and conditions
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Tender description states that either party can give notice under the Devon County Council Passenger Transport Standard Conditions of Contract.
Extension or renewal terms
99% confidenceNot published
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Information not supplied in the published notice data.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Operating profile
98% confidenceThe requirement is narrowly defined as a weekly Thursday service, excluding public holidays.
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Tender description specifies Thursdays only and excludes public holidays.
Commercial certainty
96% confidenceThe notice presents £90,576 as the award value, but does not publish pricing, payment structure, service mileage, passenger volumes or performance measures.
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Award value is published; these further commercial details are not supplied in the notice data.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award versus contract execution
99% confidenceThe source is an active award notice with stated contract dates; it does not explicitly confirm that a contract has been signed.
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Notice type is an awarded contract notice; no explicit signature or contract-execution field is supplied.
Published information coverage
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice includes bid count, bidder identities, evaluation scores, award rationale, pricing breakdown and detailed service-performance requirements.
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These fields are absent from the supplied notice data.
Lot allocation detail
98% confidenceThe requirement refers to DPS Lot 5, but no separate lot record or granular lot allocation is published.
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No lots are supplied; the tender description references Lot 5.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award notice does not explicitly confirm contract signature or execution; the analysis therefore reports an award and stated contract period, not a signed contract.
- Information not supplied in the published notice includes bid count, bidder identities, scoring, award rationale, pricing breakdown, performance measures and detailed lot allocation.
- No extension or renewal provisions are published; the September 2034 procurement point is an estimate based on the stated end date, not a forecast.
- The stated eight-year period is qualified by a termination-on-notice provision under Devon County Council's standard conditions.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Devon County CouncilND663ChulmleighSouth MoltonTAW AND TORRIDGE COACHES LIMITEDbus service contractpassenger transport DPS
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who was awarded the ND663 Chulmleigh to South Molton bus service?
TAW AND TORRIDGE COACHES LIMITED is the verified legal supplier named for the active award.
What is the published value of the award?
The published award value is £90,576.
When is the stated contract period?
The notice gives 3 September 2026 to 3 September 2034, while noting termination may occur on notice under the applicable standard terms.
ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.