Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Food Standards Scotland (FSS)
4th Floor, Pilgrim House, Old Ford Road
Aberdeen
AB11 5RL
UK
Telephone: +44 1224285172
E-mail: lucy.wright@gov.scot
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.foodstandards.gov.scot
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA24524
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
National or federal agency/office
I.5) Main activity
Other: Food Safety
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Support for the SAFER Food Business Interests Technical Advisory Group
Reference number: FSS/2025/037
II.1.2) Main CPV code
75130000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
SAFER is one of FSS’s key strategic priorities which aims to reform and modernise the delivery of food law in Scotland to ensure safe and authentic food for consumers by:
- Creating a delivery system that is sustainably resourced.
- Being intelligence-led, risk-focused and assurance-driven.
- Harnessing data and digital technologies to improve compliance.
- Driving efficiency and effectiveness across the system.
SAFER objectives are to:
1. Review and reform the food law delivery model for Scotland, benchmarked against leading international approaches to ensure ambition and best practice.
2. Develop options to sustainably fund delivery of official controls and consider a transparent and proportionate cost recovery system.
3. Explore innovative regulatory strategies for reform, focused on risk, assurance, increased efficiency, and measurable public health outcomes.
4. Utilise new technologies to support food safety professionals, incentivise business compliance, and enhance consumer protection.
The SAFER Programme Team will establish the Food Business Interests TAG (FBI TAG) which is needed to provide subject matter expertise from Scottish Food Industry in the co-design of a modernised food law delivery model and a sustainably funded Target Operating Model (TOM).
The establishment of the FBI TAG is to ensure food businesses have a voice and play a key role in co-designing the new TOM and shaping any cost recovery options should they be introduced.
In order to secure the FBI TAG’s specialist expertise, a dedicated resource to lead the work of the TAG is required, ensuring subject matter expertise is available to the SAFER Programme Team in a timely manner so work can be delivered at pace.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
290 900.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
SAFER is one of FSS’s key strategic priorities which aims to reform and modernise the delivery of food law in Scotland to ensure safe and authentic food for consumers by:
- Creating a delivery system that is sustainably resourced.
- Being intelligence-led, risk-focused and assurance-driven.
- Harnessing data and digital technologies to improve compliance.
- Driving efficiency and effectiveness across the system.
SAFER objectives are to:
1. Review and reform the food law delivery model for Scotland, benchmarked against leading international approaches to ensure ambition and best practice.
2. Develop options to sustainably fund delivery of official controls and consider a transparent and proportionate cost recovery system.
3. Explore innovative regulatory strategies for reform, focused on risk, assurance, increased efficiency, and measurable public health outcomes.
4. Utilise new technologies to support food safety professionals, incentivise business compliance, and enhance consumer protection.
The SAFER Programme Team will establish the Food Business Interests TAG (FBI TAG) which is needed to provide subject matter expertise from Scottish Food Industry in the co-design of a modernised food law delivery model and a sustainably funded Target Operating Model (TOM).
The establishment of the FBI TAG is to ensure food businesses have a voice and play a key role in co-designing the new TOM and shaping any cost recovery options should they be introduced.
In order to secure the FBI TAG’s specialist expertise, a dedicated resource to lead the work of the TAG is required, ensuring subject matter expertise is available to the SAFER Programme Team in a timely manner so work can be delivered at pace.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 50
Price
/ Weighting:
50
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
Option to extend for an additional 12 months at the sole discretion of FSS
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 IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason: absence of competition for technical reasons
Explanation
The requirement is not generic stakeholder engagement or consultancy. It is technically specific and relates to the ability to provide whole system industry representation and legitimacy in the co design of a future food law delivery and charging model. In practice, this requires:
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: FSS/2025/037
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
31/03/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Scotland Food & Drink
1F1 Ratho Park One , 88 Glasgow Road
Newbridge
EH28 8PP
UK
Telephone: +44 1313350940
NUTS: UKM73
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 290 900.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
(SC Ref:828236)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Aberdeen Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Castle Street
Aberdeen
AB10 1WP
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
01/04/2026