Skip to main content
Powered by Transport for Greater Manchester

TfGM tenders for contracts for the provision of general network bus services, school services and Local Link (flexi) services. These can be:

  • Minimum Subsidy Agreements (the contractor retains any revenue derived from the operation of the services and TfGM pays the balance of the cost of providing the service)
  • Cost Re-imbursement Agreements, (any revenue derived from operation of the services belongs to TfGM)

TfGM also procures replacement services for Metrolink during engineering or other scheduled works, and in cases where a current operator can no longer fulfil its service registration responsibilities, or part of a de-registered journey/route. TfGM may also procure shuttle bus services during major events to support existing transport.

To procure these services in line with the Public Contract Regulations 2015 we use a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) process to establish lists of pre-qualified operators to whom we can then issue tenders for services.


This process has three stages:

1 Qualification and admittance to the DPS supplier list

Suppliers must download, complete and return the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) document, plus at least one of the Lot Question packs, by email to: dps@tfgm.com

We will evaluate responses and score them according to the methodology in the PQQ. Operators must score at least 55% to gain entry onto the supplier lists. We will notify all operators of their application’s outcome within three weeks - and we will offer to work with unsuccessful operators to help them improve their score. Operators are welcome to reapply at any time.

2 Tenders for bus service contracts

Once operators are on our supplier lists, they must register on our eTendering system, Pro-Contract so we can add them to the distribution lists for tender opportunities.

We will invite those on the supplier lists to tender for contracts whenever opportunities arise.

3 Contract awards

As part of the new Public Contract Regulations we will publish all contract awards from the DPS on the new Government Contracts Finder Portal.


Useful documents:

Question pack lot A (general network and schools)
Question pack lot B (demand responsive transport
Question Pack lot C (replacement services)
PQQ-subsidised-services-2015