How to win: West Yorkshire Bus Franchising - Round 2 Opportunities

About this contract

A decision was made on the 14th of March 2024 by Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire, to bring buses back under local control in the biggest shake-up of the region's transport network in decades. Since that decision, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has continued to engage with bus operators and prepare for the transition to franchising. Contracts for Round 1 are expected to be awarded in August 2026, with Round 2 scheduled to launch in early July 2026. The previous notice indicated that the franchising programme would be delivered through nine geographic baskets of contracts. The first three baskets are currently being evaluated, and WYCA is now preparing to launch the procurement process for the next three baskets, each comprising a varying number of contracts depending on size and operational complexity.

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — West Yorkshire Combined Authority scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓Lead with evidenced capability and social value — for services work these usually outweigh price.
• ✓Show recent, comparable delivery: name similar services contracts you've delivered for public bodies, with measurable outcomes.
• ✓Start early: it closes 5 June 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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