Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus
Inverness
IV2 5NA
UK
Telephone: +44 1463245245
E-mail: hieprocurement@Hient.co.uk
NUTS: UKM6
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.hie.co.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00313
I.1) Name and addresses
Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd
Cairngorm Mountain, Cairngorm Ski Area
Aviemore
PH22 1RB
UK
Telephone: +44 1479861261
E-mail: info@caingormmountain.co.uk
NUTS: UKM62
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA30513
I.1) Name and addresses
Wave Energy Scotland Limited
An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus
Inverness
IV2 5NA
UK
Telephone: +44 1463245245
E-mail: wesprocurement@hient.co.uk
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.waveenergyscotland.co.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA24283
I.1) Name and addresses
Orkney Research and Innovation Campus LLP
The Robert Rendall Building, Franklin Road
Stromness
KW16 3AN
UK
Telephone: +44 7922426446
E-mail: facilitiesmanagement@orkneycampus.co.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.orkneycampus.co.uk/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA30475
I.1) Name and addresses
HIE Orkney
An Lochran, 10 Inverness Campus
Inverness
Iv12 5BU
UK
Telephone: +44 1463245245
E-mail: enquiries@hient.co.uk
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.hie.co.uk
I.1) Name and addresses
HIE Ventures
Ord House Cradlehall Business Park,Caulfield Road North
Inverness
IV2 5GH
UK
Telephone: +44 463713755
E-mail: enquiries@hient.co.uk
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.hie.co.uk
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local agency/office
I.5) Main activity
Economic and financial affairs
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Audit of HIE Group Companies
Reference number: FTS049
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79210000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE AND AS SUCH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS COMPLETE.
HIE has appointed a supplier to deliver audit services for its group. HIE currently has five active group companies that require annual audits and consolidation into HIE's Consolidation Pack. In addition, the supplier will be responsible for preparing and submitting the annual corporation tax returns.
The services are required from 1st April 2026 for an initial period of 3 years, with HIE having the option to extend for a period or periods together not exceeding 1 year following the Initial Term.
The value of the initial 3-year period is GBP 157,350 (excluding VAT).
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
209 800.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79212100
79212000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM6
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Framework will also be available for use by Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd SC614703; HIE Orkney SC126871; HIE Ventures SC156337; Orkney Research and Innovation Campus (ORIC) SO306277; Wave Energy Scotland (WES) SC493764 as well as any other Contracting Authority wholly or partly under the control of, or funded by HIE, at any point during the term of this Framework (subject to case-by-case approval by HIE).
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Prompt Payment Standard Clause
/ Weighting: Pass/Fail
Quality criterion: Payment of the Real Living Wage
/ Weighting: Pass/Fail
Quality criterion: Cyber Security
/ Weighting: Pass/Fail
Quality criterion: Delivery of Community Benefits
/ Weighting: Pass/Fail
Quality criterion: Management and Delivery Methodology
/ Weighting: 35%
Quality criterion: Management and Delivery Team
/ Weighting: 20%
Quality criterion: Fair Work Practices
/ Weighting: 5%
Price
/ Weighting:
40%
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
In accordance with Regulation 72(1)(a) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, HIE reserves the right to make changes to the volume, scope or location of the Services to be supplied under the Framework following a review of the Services by HIE, particularly with regard to demand and budgetary availability.
This may result in amendments to existing requirements under the Framework, including but not limited to:
-A reduction in HIE available budget may result in lower service levels.
-Changes in legislation may increase or decrease the required workload.
-The addition or removal of HIE group companies due to mergers or dissolutions will impact on the work required.
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
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 (Scotland) Regulations 2015.
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
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:
2026/S 000-001346
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: FTS049
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
30/03/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Saffery Champness LLP
Kintail House, Beechwood Park
Inverness
IV2 3BW
UK
Telephone: +44 1463219478
NUTS: UKM6
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 209 800.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
The value stated in sections II.1.7 & V.2.4 reflects the maximum framework value (ex VAT) including any extension options.
(SC Ref:827730)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Inverness Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
The Inverness Justice Centre, Longman Road
Inverness
IV1 1AH
UK
Telephone: +44 1463230782
E-mail: inverness@scotcourts.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/inverness-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
03/04/2026