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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

Tamar Bridge Toll Collection Service

Cornwall Council · Tender notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 27 Sept 2026, 00:22.

Opportunity overview

Tamar Crossings and Cornwall Council, on behalf of the parent authorities of Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council, invites tender submissions from suitable suppliers to provide a replacement contract for toll collection services at Tamar Bridge, as the current contract is reaching the end of its full term. Tolls collected at the Tamar Bridge represent the major source of income for the Tamar Bridge and a physical presence is still required in each of the five mixed mode toll lanes and to support our two automated lanes. Tolls are collected in one direction only following crossing, from a plaza located on the eastern (Plymouth) side of the river. A secondary element of office and rest facility cleaning has allowed contractors to productively engage reserve support staff in this activity. The routine presence of contractor’s supervisors and the pool of capable staff ensures cleaning is completed to appropriate levels of quality and there is robust continuity for both toll collection and cleaning provided by the appointed contractor. This high-profile 24/7/365 service has been contracted out since 1986, with the current contract expiring on 31 March 2027 a new arrangement is required with an initial contract term of three years, with optional extensions of up to five years in total, in any combination, giving a maximum possible duration of eight years. The structure and flexibility of the extension options are necessary due to ongoing investigations into the potential implementation of an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system. Introduction of ORT would directly affect future service requirements, and the potential for change requires that the Authority retain discretion over if, and for how long, the extension options are exercised. For the avoidance of doubt, suppliers should be aware that Tamar Bridge have a maximum available budget of £944,671 for the initial year of this opportunity and that no contingency beyond this sum exists. An inflation mechanism exists within the contact, allowing adjustment to apply annually from the first anniversary of the starting date to take account of cost inflation with the percentage change to the National Living Wage applied to 50% of the contract price and the percentage change over 12 months to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) applied to 50% of the contract price. Any such adjustment will be facilitated by discussion and agreement with the contract manager. Please refer to the Invitation to Tender and Contract document for further information. It should be noted that the estimated total value of the requirement over the maximum available term of eight (8) years as advertised in this notice is a value of £8,350,221. This figure is without VAT and includes an allowance of 4% per annum compound indexation of the contract price and should be taken as best estimate only. The Authority anticipates that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) may apply to this contract. It should also be noted the Authorities reserve the right on giving written notice to the Supplier from time to time to require changes to the Services (including by way of the removal of Services, the addition of new Services, or increasing or decreasing the Services or specifying the order in which the Services are to be performed or the locations where the Services are to be provided) for any reason whatsoever. In the event of a Variation the Contract Price may also be varied. Such variation in the Contract Price shall be calculated by the Supplier and agreed in writing with the Authorities and shall be such amount as properly and fairly reflects the nature and extent of the Variation in all the circumstances.

Classification

  • CPV63712311 — Bridge toll services
  • CPV79941000 — Toll-collection services

Lots

  • Lot 1£8.4m

Documents and notices

  • Tender notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗
  • Tender documents are available from the 'Supplying the South West Portal': https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ DN803005 Tamar Bridge Toll Collection Services 2027.Open source ↗
  • Tender documents are available from the 'Supplying the South West Portal': https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ DN803005 Tamar Bridge Toll Collection Services 2027.Open source ↗

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
DN803005
Status
active
Procurement Method
open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Main Procurement Category
services
Above Threshold
Yes
How to submit
This opportunity can be found on https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk - Search Latest Opportunities - Search for Project reference DN803005 (Tamar Bridge Toll Collection Services 2027) Direct Link: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=54386ea3-af7e-f111-813c-005056b64545&p=696a9836-1895-e511-8105-000c29c9ba21
Published risks
The principal risks to contract performance relate to workforce availability and retention in a labour‑intensive 24/7 operational environment (with TUPE applying, including risks associated with the transfer of the existing workforce), failure to meet required service schedules, and maintaining consistent performance against defined service levels and KPIs, recognising that service failure may directly impact toll revenue collection. Additional risks include demand variability requiring operational flexibility, cost pressures over the contract term, incident and operational management on site, and ensuring service continuity during mobilisation and ongoing delivery. There is also a strategic risk associated with potential future changes to the tolling model, which may impact service delivery requirements during the contract term. These risks are managed through contractual performance mechanisms, including KPIs, service levels and associated remedies, together with requirements for robust workforce planning, mobilisation, incident management and operational management by the supplier. Low Service Credit obligations are associated with some of the KPIs. Please review tender documents for further information.

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Covered By

GPA
CPTPP

Submission terms

Electronic Submission Policy
allowed

Languages

en

Tender Period

Ends
26 Aug 2026, 12:00

Enquiry period

Ends
19 Aug 2026, 12:00

Expected award period

Ends
7 Dec 2026, 23:59

Contract terms

Financial Terms
Contract terms and risks: The contract will be a services contract for toll collection services with a secondary cleaning element and will have an initial term of three years and options to extend for up to five further one-year periods, either cumulatively or flexibly as required. The contract incorporates the successful supplier’s tender submission and is based on a fixed annual price model subject to indexation. Key risks are allocated to the supplier, including workforce provision (with TUPE applying), delivery of service schedules, performance against KPIs and service levels, and service continuity during mobilisation. Contractual remedies, including service credits, will apply where performance requirements are not met. The contract also includes flexibility to accommodate future changes to the tolling model, including potential early termination. For detailed information please refer to the tender documents including the invitation to tender, the draft contract and specification. Payment terms: Payment will be made monthly in arrears within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice. For detailed information please refer to the draft contract within the tender document

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
active
Has Renewal
Yes

Value

Including VAT
10,380,265
Amount
8,350,221
Currency
GBP

Award criteria

Weighting Description
The award will be based on a Price per Quality Point (PQP) methodology. Supplier's responses to quality and social value criteria will be scored and weighted to generate a total weighted quality score. The tender price will then be divided by the total weighted quality score to calculate a Price per Quality Point score. Tenders will be ranked based on this calculation, with the contract awarded to the supplier achieving the lowest Price per Quality Point score, representing the Most Advantageous Tender. Please refer to the Invitation to Tender for full details of assessment criteria.

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
quality
Name
PQP
Description
Supplier's responses to quality and social value criteria will be scored and weighted to generate a total weighted quality score. The tender price will then be divided by the total weighted quality score to calculate a Price per Quality Point score. Tenders will be ranked based on this calculation, with the contract awarded to the supplier achieving the lowest Price per Quality Point score, representing the Most Advantageous Tender. Please refer to the Invitation to Tender for full details of assessment criteria.

Selection criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
economic
Description
Suppliers must demonstrate sufficient economic and financial standing to perform the contract. This will be assessed through financial information, including turnover, liquidity, gearing and profitability, based on the supplier’s last two years’ accounts, no more than 18 months old. Suppliers must pass at least three of the four financial tests and achieve a minimum score of 70 in order to meet the conditions of participation. Full details are set out in the procurement documents. Suppliers may rely on other entities (e.g. group companies or guarantors) to meet these requirements, subject to provision of appropriate evidence and guarantees. Confirmation of, or commitment to obtain, the following minimum insurance levels: Employer’s Liability: £10,000,000 Public Liability: £10,000,000 Full details are set out in the procurement documents.
Criterion 2
Type
technical
Description
Suppliers must demonstrate sufficient technical and professional ability by providing up to three contract examples from the last three years evidencing delivery of similar services, including at least one example or a clear explanation where this is not possible, together with verifiable customer references. Suppliers must also be able to evidence one of the following: - You have within the last twelve months successfully completed a prequalification application undertaken by an assessment provider able to demonstrate that its information gathering process conforms to CAS (Common Assessment Standard). - You have within the last twelve months, successfully met the assessment requirements of a scheme in registered membership of the Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) forum. - You hold a UKAS or equivalent, accredited independent third-party certificate of compliance, such as ISO 45001. Where subcontracting is proposed, suppliers must also demonstrate effective supply chain management, including performance monitoring and prompt payment practices. These requirements will be assessed on a pass/fail basis as conditions of participation. Full details of all requirements are set out in the procurement documents.

Suitability

Sme
Yes

Contract period

Starts
1 Apr 2027, 00:00
Ends
31 Mar 2030, 23:59
Max Extent Date
31 Mar 2035, 23:59

Renewal

Description
Due to ongoing investigations into the potential implementation of an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system. Introduction of ORT would directly affect future service requirements, and the potential for change requires that the Authority retain discretion over if, and for how long, the extension options are exercised. Therefore the procurement includes five one year optional extensions providing a maximum extension of up to five years in total. For clarity these may be taken cumulatively or flexibly as required, meaning multiple extension periods might be taken up simultaneously and in any combination, giving a maximum possible duration of eight years including the initial term. The Authority gives no guarantee that the Contract will be extended in line with the available options.

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
63712311
Description
Bridge toll services
Entry 2
Scheme
CPV
Id
79941000
Description
Toll-collection services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKK41
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Published documents

Entry 1
Id
L-1
Document Type
biddingDocuments
Description
Tender documents are available from the 'Supplying the South West Portal': https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ DN803005 Tamar Bridge Toll Collection Services 2027.
Entry 2
Id
L-2
Document Type
technicalSpecifications
Description
Tender documents are available from the 'Supplying the South West Portal': https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ DN803005 Tamar Bridge Toll Collection Services 2027.
Entry 3
Id
conflictOfInterest
Document Type
conflictOfInterest
Description
Not published
Entry 4
Id
066943-2026
Document Type
tenderNotice
Notice Type
UK4
Description
Tender notice on Find a Tender
Published
15 Jul 2026, 16:31
Format
text/html

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Name
Cornwall Council
Id
GB-PPON-PYRH-9827-DWLP

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PYRH-9827-DWLP

Address

Street Address
County Hall
Locality
Truro
Postal Code
TR1 3AY
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKK30

Contact

Name
Mr James Howarth

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Id
publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Description
Public authority - sub-central government
Organisation 2
Name
Plymouth City Council
Id
GB-PPON-PBQP-8499-TLMP

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PBQP-8499-TLMP

Address

Street Address
Ballard House
Locality
Plymouth
Postal Code
PL1 3BJ
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKK41

Contact

Name
Mr James Howarth

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Id
publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Description
Public authority - sub-central government

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Truro · UKK30 · TR1 3AY · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKK41 · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

3 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

3 VERSIONS
  1. 003829-2026Pipeline notice on Find a Tender ·
  2. 006085-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
  3. 066943-2026Tender notice on Find a Tender ·