Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Government
Victoria Quay, Area 3A South
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
UK
E-mail: Colin.Anderson@gov.scot
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.scotland.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10482
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/esop/pts-host/public/pts/web/login.html
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/esop/pts-host/public/pts/web/login.html
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Recruitment Advertising and Public Information Notices - 2024
Reference number: SP-23-015
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79341000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
This Framework Agreement is for the provision of Recruitment and Public Appointments Advertising and Public Information Notice Adverts. The Contractor will be required to work with the Framework Public Bodies to meet all requirements of the service, this will include providing copy-writing and type-setting services, advice on digital advertising options, along with advice relating to the wording, branding and placement of adverts and use of various media routes.
The framework agreement will be available for use by the Scottish Ministers (including Agencies), Scottish Non-Departmental Public Bodies, offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices, cross-border public authorities within the meaning of section 88(5) of the Scotland Act 1998, The Office for the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, councils constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, , bodies registered as social landlords under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, Scottish health boards or special health boards, Student Loans Company Limited, the Commissioner of Northern Lighthouse operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board, Scottish Futures Trust, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Business Stream Ltd, the Business Gateway National Unit at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, further or higher education institutions being fundable bodies within the meaning of section 6 of the further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, any public body established by or under the Scotland Act 1998 or any Act of the Scottish Parliament, any association of or formed by one or more of the foregoing, bodies financed wholly or mainly by one or more of the foregoing, bodies subject to management supervision by one or more of the foregoing and bodies more than half of the board of directors or members of which, or, in the case of a group of individuals, more than half of those individuals, being appointed by one or more of the foregoing. In addition to the contracting authorities listed, the framework agreement will be available to charities entered on the Scottish Charity Register and voluntary organisations entered on the Membership Database of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Information about agencies of the Scottish Ministers ,Scottish Non-Departmental Public Bodies and offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices are listed at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/about/Bodies
Overview of the governance structure of public procurement for Scotland, including the Public Procurement Group.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/public-procurement-governance/
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
12 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Scottish Procurement and Property Directorate (SPPD) is the organisation tasked with procuring requirements on behalf of Scottish Public Sector Bodies. The Framework will cover the provision of Recruitment Advertising and Public Information Notices, for the booking of advertisements to run in Scotland, UK and Overseas, in support of activities including, but not restricted to, public information and recruitment advertising. The purpose of this agreement is to provide the Scottish Public Sector with an open and transparent approach to Recruitment Advertising and Public Information services, with the contractor providing the best possible outcomes for campaign activity.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 70
Price
/ Weighting:
30
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
12 000 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 48
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria:
This Section refers to Section B of Part IV of the SPD
Minimum level(s) of standards required:
4B.5.1 to 4B.5.3 - It is a requirement of this framework that bidders hold or can commit to obtain prior to the commencement of any subsequently awarded framework the types and levels of insurance indicated below:
Employers (Compulsory) Liability Insurance = not less than 5 million GBP, or in accordance with any legal obligation for the time being in force.
Public Liability Insurance = 1 million GBP per incident
Professional Indemnity Insurance = 1 million GBP per incident
Bidders who do not currently have or cannot commit to obtaining the levels of Insurance requested may be excluded from the procurement process. In event of award of a Framework, Scottish Government will seek proof that these Insurance provisions have been fully complied with.
Bidders must demonstrate a Current Ratio of 1.0 or greater. See Part 4B question 4 of the SPD. Current Ratio will be calculated as follows: total current assets divided by total current liabilities.
Bidders must also have a minimum general yearly turnover of 3 million GBP for the last two years. See Part 4B question 1.1 of the SPD.
In the event that the Bidder does not comply with this requirement, they will not be considered any further in this tendering exercise. As evidence for the SPD (Scotland) question 4B.1.1, the Procurement Officer may ask for annual accounts from the bidder.
There must be no qualification or contra-indication from any evidence provided in support of the Tenderers economic and financial standing. The Authority has the right to request copies of financial accounts and insurance certificates which are not held electronically.
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement with a single operator.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2023/S 000-033747
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
14/05/2024
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
14/05/2024
Local time: 12:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published:
Within 4 years
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information
Full details of award criteria and the weightings and scoring can be found in the Invitation to Tender.
In the event of a tie, the Authority reserves the right to appoint the tenderer with the highest quality score, if the tenderers are tied with the same quality score, the Authority reserves the right to appoint the tenderer with the highest quality score in section 2.2 Delivery of the Services of the tenderers bid.
Tenderers must confirm that they will pay staff that are involved in the delivery of services under the framework agreement, and/or any subsequent call off contract, at least the real Living Wage. Tenderers who fail to answer “Yes” to this question will not have their tender considered further.
Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Sco) Regs 2015.
SPD Section 2: Sub-Contractors who are not being relied upon to meet Selection Criteria - A separate SPD will not be required at this Stage.
SPD Q4.C.4 - Tenderers must state whether they intend, or do not intend, to use a supply chain to deliver the requirements detailed in the ITT.
If Tenderers intend to use a supply chain to deliver the requirements, they should provide evidence in the SPD that they have the relevant supply chain management and tracking systems in place to ensure a resilient and sustainable supply chain. This will include confirmation that the Tenderer has the systems in place to pay subcontractors through the supply chain promptly and effectively, including evidence of:
a) their standard payment terms
b) ≥95% of all supply chain invoices being paid on time (in accordance with the terms of contract) in the last financial year.
If the bidder is unable to confirm and evidence (b) they must provide an improvement plan, signed by their Director, which commits to improvements in the payment performance.
Acceptable evidence includes but is not limited to:
- Extract of the Tenderer’s terms & conditions detailing standard payment terms;
- A summarised accounts payable report showing payment on time performance;
- Payment Performance Statement Signed by External Auditor;
- Credit Score/Credit Report; or
- An improvement plan, signed by a Director, which commits to improvements in payment performance. Improvement plan template and further evidence examples are held within the Supplier Journey.
Where a Tenderer does not intend to use a supply chain to deliver the requirements detailed in the ITT, they should clearly state this in response to Q4.C.4.
Responses to Q4.C.4 will be evaluated as a “Pass” or “Fail”. Tenderers who do not achieve a “Pass” for this question will not be considered further.
If you are an SME or 3rd sector organisation interested in working with the public sector, the Supplier Development Programme can help. Attached is a link to the Supplier Development
Programme:https://www.sdpscotland.co.uk/?utm_source=pcs&utm_medium=frontpage&utm_content=march16&utm_campaign=SDP03
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 26441. For more information see:
http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 26441. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363
Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/
A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:
See ITT documentation contained within PCS-T
(SC Ref:763125)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
UK
Telephone: +44 1312252525
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/edinburgh-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
An economic operator that suffers or risks suffering loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts(Scotland)Regulations 2015 may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or Court of Session
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
11/04/2024