Market Testing Client Transport Procurement (Buckinghamshire)

Buckinghamshire County Council was spending over £20 million on client transport of which £18m was for children and young people, significantly higher than many other similar authorities.

The Council therefore decided to undertake a range of activities to address this issue. These included more robust monitoring of the existing system, reviewing policy, integrating their transport planning and procurement systems, testing the market (identifying both private, public and 3rd sector interest) and entering into a competitive dialogue with a range of providers (including their existing in-house team). As a consequence an external provider has been selected; this should provide a more efficient service with improved quality and better value for money.