The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) has opened the tender for Valys transport and Sports transport, which transport passengers with reduced mobility throughout the Netherlands for social and recreational excursions.
Interested parties can register for this lucrative assignment until September 4, 2025. The ministry has officially published the tender on the CTM platform, where government contracts are offered. With this tender, the ministry is looking for one or more parties that will not only take on the implementation, but also the management of the transport.
This means that carriers are not only responsible for the actual journeys, but also for their coordination and planning. Although the term of the contract is six years, the ministry offers the possibility to extend the cooperation twice. In total, a carrier can therefore remain responsible for Valys and Sport transport for twelve years.
details remain out
The new contract has a term of six years, with the possibility of two extensions. However, a crucial detail is left out: the financial size of the assignment. In the tender documents, the estimated value is set at just one euro, excluding VAT. This is a symbolic amount with which the ministry indicates that the actual value has not yet been definitively determined.
For interested parties this means that they register without knowing how much budget is available. This can lead to reluctance from some transport companies, while others see an opportunity to win one of the largest transport contracts in the Netherlands.
It is striking that the ministry has not released any financial details in the tender. The total value of the contract remains unknown for the time being, as well as the specific selection criteria that providers must meet. This means that interested carriers are uncertain about the exact terms of the agreement. Parties who want to know more can request additional information until 31 March 2025. request information at the National Purchasing Cooperation (RIS), which supervises the purchasing procedure on behalf of the ministry.
Valys is a vital transport system for people with reduced mobility who wish to travel outside their own region. The service is often used for family visits, cultural excursions and other social activities. The current transport scheme offers a range of travel options, including standard taxis and wheelchair accessible vehicles. The tender will determine which operators will be responsible for this vital service in the coming years.
valys in practice
The Valys system has been an indispensable link in the transport of people with disabilities in the Netherlands for many years. Travellers who qualify for Valys receive a personal pass and can make long-distance journeys at a reduced rate. Valys transport is currently in the hands of Transvision. The tender now offers other parties the opportunity to provide a more efficient and customer-friendly service, but of course Transvision itself may also remain in the race.
Transport companies in the Netherlands will undoubtedly keep a close eye on this tender. Valys is one of the largest transport contracts within social mobility and can mean a stable source of income for the winning party. At the same time, the contract entails considerable responsibilities, such as ensuring punctuality, accessibility and customer satisfaction.
battle between carriers
In the coming months, transport companies will consider their strategy to win the tender. Major players in the market, such as Connexxion and Munckhof, could show interest in the assignment, but smaller regional transporters could also make a bid for part of the contract. The question remains, however, which requirements the ministry will set and which parties can meet the conditions set.
For Valys users, this tender is of great importance. The coming years will show whether transport will be improved or whether old problems will persist. With the registration deadline of 4 September 2025 in sight, the tension in the transport sector will undoubtedly increase in the coming period.
