How to win: Supply & Maintenance of College Minibuses

About this contract

East Durham College invites tenders from suitably qualified and experienced vehicle leasing providers for the supply of five new wheelchair accessible minibuses under a fully maintained operating lease arrangement. Tenderers are invited to submit proposals for a 5-year lease inclusive of a fully maintained package. The college intends to award the contract to the supplier submitting the Most Advantageous Tender, considering both quality and price. Contract Scope The successful supplier shall provide: • Five (5) new minibuses. • Delivery to the College. • Fully maintained lease agreement. • Ongoing servicing and maintenance support. • Breakdown and recovery services. • MOT testing and statutory inspections. • Fleet management support throughout the contract term. The contract shall be fully inclusive except where exclusions are expressly identified within the tender response.

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — East Durham College scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓At £250,000, expect quality and social value to carry a large share of the score — price alone rarely wins goods work.
• ✓Show recent, comparable delivery: name similar goods contracts you've delivered for public bodies, with measurable outcomes.
• ✓Start early: it closes 17 October 2026 and a strong bid takes iteration.

BidWriter drafts your responses from your company profile, scores them against the marking scheme, and tracks your whole pipeline. Free to start — no card needed.

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