Travel services

Tender description

The provision of a number of travel services which includes, but are not limited to, booking of scheduled and chartered flights and hotels for immigration purposes. The Home Office is responsible, under the Immigration Act 1971 and the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, for detaining and/or enforcing the removal of certain persons (returnees) from the UK. Returnees (and when required security escort staff) are transported either by scheduled flights with commercial carriers or via chartered aircraft. The core objective of the Travel Service is to manage the transport arrangements for those individuals being removed from the UK. There may also be a requirement to manage travel arrangements for other immigration/government purposes as required by the Authority e.g. for Prisoner Transfers overseas. The Home Office is seeking commercial partner(s) for the provision of a range of travel booking services. These services include (but are not limited to): — Provision of a comprehensive travel service that complies with requirements and restrictions imposed in relation to the transportation of immigration passengers by carriers for scheduled flights; — Provision of tickets for Service Users, taking into account restrictions imposed by individual airlines; — Following detailed and specific individual airline procedures for obtaining refunds; — Managing relationships with the carriers to maximise cost-effective opportunities — Provision of a complete Charter service as necessary. — Providing hotel bookings as necessary. The estimated contract value of 9 000 000 GBP, provided at Section II.3, is an estimated total value for the period of 7 years (5 years initial period and two years extension). This estimated total value does not include pass through cost of approximately 200 000 000 GBP which is associated with purchase costs for Tickets, chartering aircraft(s) and hotel bookings. With regards to Section I.3) Communication, in order to gain access to the procurement documents potential bidders are required to follow the instructions given at Section VI.3) Additional information.