First Manchester

[Nicholas]

RE: First Manchester
To answer your query, Mayneway, its de minimis as its a French term!

Anyway, back to topic, First have probably got it as it will have been awarded as a short-term emergency tender... its often in these cases where the incumbent gets it back as fewer operators will have submitted a bid or fewer alternative options will have been provided. D&G/SLT Chris may be able to provide better clarification on this!

Tenders are not necessarily awarded to the lowest bidder, as it is meant to go to the operator providing the best value. If you get an operator who submits a bid to run the basic requirement, but someone else submits a bid to provide an enhanced level of service (perhaps a couple of extra journeys or a small extension to a community facility such as a health centre or supermarket) for an extra £100, the authority may go for that bid instead. After all, this may mean more people using the service, resulting in a reduction in the "subsidy per head".