Electric Hackney Carriage: Purchase or Leasing Scheme

Birmingham City was 1 of 5 cities when in December 2015, the UK Government announced plans to implement Clean Air Zones in five cities by 2020. These zones aim to improve local air quality, targeting the most polluted areas whilst minimising the impact on business. Birmingham City Council recognises that smaller businesses and people who are self-employed may need extra incentives to prepare for the Clear Air Zone and have developed several initiatives to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the CAZ area. The council has been awarded 38 000 000 GBP from the Government’s Clean Air Fund to pay for a support package one of these being 2 500 000 GBP for a Hackney carriage support package. With this grant the Council intends to procure a significant number of electric hackney carriage taxis coupled with a financially attractive leasing scheme to attract\enable operators who work within the Birmingham City area to purchase these vehicles. The City Council aims to undertake the procurement process in the most efficient and effective manner but in order to achieve this objective it requires feedback from the market as to whether to run 2 separate tenders one for purchase and another for leasing targeting those 2 markets or just the one tender incorporating both options. As a soft market testing exercise those suppliers declaring an interest will be asked to complete a short questionnaire to help the Council to determine the right procurement strategy to adopt. Birmingham City was 1 of 5 cities when in December 2015, the UK Government announced plans to implement Clean Air Zones in five cities by 2020. These zones aim to improve local air quality, targeting the most polluted areas whilst minimising the impact on business. Birmingham City Council recognises that smaller businesses and people who are self-employed may need extra incentives to prepare for the Clear Air Zone and have developed several initiatives to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the CAZ area. The council has been awarded 38 000 000 GBP from the Government’s Clean Air Fund to pay for a support package one of these being 2 500 000 GBP for a Hackney carriage support package. With this grant the Council intends to procure a significant number of electric hackney carriage taxis coupled with a financially attractive leasing scheme to attract\enable operators who work within the Birmingham City area to purchase these vehicles. The City Council aims to undertake the procurement process in the most efficient and effective manner but in order to achieve this objective it requires feedback from the market as to whether to run 2 separate tenders one for purchase and another for leasing targeting those 2 markets or just the one tender incorporating both options. As a soft market testing exercise those suppliers declaring an interest will be asked to complete a short questionnaire to help the Council to determine the right procurement strategy to adopt.