Public sector travel is no longer just about booking flights and hotels. Buyers want duty of care, data, carbon reporting, inclusivity, and the ability to flex between “routine travel” and sudden operational needs without losing control of spend.
That’s why this Travel Management Solutions framework, published by Kent County Council (t/a Procurement Services), should be on the radar for TMCs, events specialists, accommodation providers and platforms that support booking, management and reporting.
The headline numbers are meaningful: the total estimated value is £50m (ex VAT) over an estimated four-year term (1 July 2026 to 30 June 2030), and the framework is set up with unlimited suppliers.
The basics you need to plan around
You can read the published details in the Travel Management Solutions notice on Find a Tender. The key deadlines are:
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Enquiry deadline: 6 March 2026 (5:00pm)
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Tender submission deadline: 2 April 2026 (5:00pm)
Those dates matter because travel frameworks typically generate clarifications around pricing models, service levels, reporting, and safeguarding. Leave the detail to the last week and you often end up answering in a rush (which is where compliance errors creep in).
Three lots, three different buyer problems
This framework is split into three lots with estimated lot values of £30m (Lot 1), £10m (Lot 2) and £10m (Lot 3) excluding VAT.
Lot 1: Core Travel Services
This lot is positioned around enabling customers to research, book, and manage travel, plus add-ons such as carbon emissions reporting and offsetting, traveller tracking and alerts, consolidated invoicing, and accessibility / special assistance.
Where bids tend to score well:
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a clear operating model for booking channels (online + offline), exceptions, and approvals
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robust duty of care and disruption management
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reporting that turns travel data into decisions (not just dashboards)
Lot 2: Event and Venue Services
This one is more about planning and delivery of meetings, conferences and events, including venue sourcing and logistics.
What buyers usually care about most:
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governance and cost control (avoiding scope creep)
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supplier management (venues, AV, catering)
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consistent service across locations and event sizes
Lot 3: Emergency Accommodation Services
Lot 3 is explicitly geared to 24/7 emergency response with a heavy emphasis on safeguarding, vetting, and suitability for vulnerable groups, including DBS checks and protocols.
This is where generic hospitality language fails. You’ll likely score higher if you can show:
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a repeatable risk assessment approach (property, location, and guest profile)
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escalation and incident processes that are clear and tested
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evidence you can mobilise quickly and still meet safeguarding expectations
“Unlimited suppliers” is a gift, but only if your value is obvious
An unlimited-supplier framework can be easier to get onto, but harder to extract value from. Buyers have more compliant options, so they shortlist the suppliers whose offer is easiest to trust.
Two details in the notice hint at how the framework may be run:
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Maximum number of suppliers: unlimited
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Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers: 1%
Suppliers often focus on “getting appointed” and underinvest in the parts that drive call-off selection later: pricing clarity, mobilisation, reporting, and what you do when things go wrong.
A short pre-submission checklist that actually moves the needle
Before you finalise the response, pressure-test your bid against these questions:
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Can an evaluator quickly see which lot(s) you are best suited for, and why? (Not just “we can do it”, but “we’ve done it in comparable settings”.)
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Is your duty-of-care story operational, not aspirational? (Who monitors, what triggers escalation, what happens at 2am.)
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Do your reports link to public sector outcomes? (Spend control, compliance, carbon reporting, service performance.)
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Is your pricing explanation clean enough to be audited? (Assumptions, fees, pass-through costs, rebates if relevant.)
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Have you removed avoidable compliance risk? (Submission requirements, attachments, formatting, and portal checks.)
How Thornton & Lowe helps suppliers compete with confidence
Travel and accommodation tenders can look straightforward until you see the scoring criteria: method statements, service KPIs, reporting, social value delivery, and sometimes safeguarding or information assurance.
Thornton & Lowe supports suppliers to turn capability into a submission that scores, with structured bid management, sharper win themes, and a QA process that reduces last-minute errors. If you’re building your pipeline of framework opportunities, our experienced team can provide the support you need to secure your next win.
And if you want hands-on support (from planning through to final review), our bid writing services are designed to make your response clearer, more persuasive, and easier for evaluators to mark highly.
Are you ready to bid?
If you’re planning to bid for one (or more) of the lots, start by reviewing the Find a Tender notice and mapping your evidence to the services and outcomes described. Then, if you’d like a quick sense-check before you commit internal time, speak to Thornton & Lowe. We can help you choose the right lot strategy, tighten your compliance, and sharpen the parts of your submission that typically drive scores on travel management tenders.
