Readybike Cycle Hire Scheme - Early Engagement

Tender description

Reading Borough Council is seeking expressions of interest from suppliers that are able to continue delivering the town’s public cycle hire scheme – ReadyBike, under license. ReadyBike, which was launched in June 2014 as part of Reading’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund programme, is made up of 200 bicycles, across 30 docking stations and 355 docking points located at key destinations, including Reading Station, University of Reading, Royal Berkshire Hospital and Thames Valley Business Park. The Contractor will be responsible for the continued operation and maintenance of the scheme utilising the existing cycle hire infrastructure. The Contractor is expected to ensure that the scheme is self-financing through revenue income or alternative funding sources without any financial support from the Council, such as but not limited to scheme sponsorship and advertising. Contractors who believe they are capable of fulfilling these requirements should notify Reading Borough Council of their interest in writing. To register your interest, please provide a brief summary of your organisational experience and a proposal of how you intend to meet the Council’s requirements, including initial thoughts on how to make the scheme financially viable without financial support from the Council. This will be in the form of no more than two sides of A4 and sent no later than 5pm on Friday 16th December 2016 using the In-Tend e-tendering system The Council intends to use the information supplied to assess whether suitable contractors exist to meet the Council’s requirements to provide a self-financing Cycle Hire scheme. If the Council decides there is sufficient interest from contractors it may decide to proceed with a procurement exercise through further advertisement to formally invite tenders. The Council does not commit to enter into a formal procurement exercise at this stage.