PART 3Award and modification of public service contracts
Direct award of passenger services contracts under the de minimis exception15.
(1)
A competent authority may award a public service contract directly—
(a)
where its average annual value is estimated at less than £875,000 or, in the case of a public service contract including public passenger transport services by rail, less than £6,500,000, or
(b)
where it concerns the annual provision of less than 300,000 kilometres of public passenger transport services or, in the case of a public service contract including public passenger transport services by rail, less than 500,000 kilometres.
(2)
In the case of a public service contract not including public passenger transport services by rail, tramway or other track-based mode directly awarded to a small or medium-sized enterprise operating not more than 23 road vehicles, those thresholds may be increased to either an average annual value estimated at less than £1,750,000 or to an annual provision of less than 600,000 kilometres of public passenger transport services.