Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Police Authority
2 French Street
Glasgow
G40 4EH
UK
Telephone: +44 1786895668
E-mail: jean.iyinikkel@scotland.police.uk
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.spa.police.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA19762
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.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Public order and safety
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
DNA Sequencer
Reference number: PROC-25-2961
II.1.2) Main CPV code
33950000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
The Scottish Police Authority (known as the “the Authority”) is required to tender an opportunity to appoint a suitably experienced and competent Contractor to provide DNA Sequencers for STR Analysis using capillary electrophoresis plus post installation, training and an associated maintenance package.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
3 500 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
33950000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
SPA Forensic Services has a requirement to procure and install an automated liquid handling system plus post installation training, an associated maintenance package and consumables. The instrument must be able to precisely and accurately sample, dilute and dispense solvated certified drug reference materials to produce complex drug mixes for the purpose of calibration and quality control samples for quantification purposes.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 70
Price
/ Weighting:
30
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 84
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
Option to extend the Contract for a further Three (3) periods of up to Twelve (12) months at the sole discretion of the Authority.
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
II.2.14) Additional information
The duration of the contract will be Seven (7) years with the option to extend the Contract for a further Three (3) periods of up to Twelve (12) months at the sole discretion of the Authority.
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:
SPD Question 4B5 Insurances
SPD Question 4B6 Financial Standing
Minimum level(s) of standards required:
SPD Question 4B5 Insurances:
Bidders require to confirm they are already have or can commit to obtain, prior to the commencement of the contract, the levels of insurance cover indicated below:
Employers (Mandatory) Liability Insurance = 10 million GBP in respect of each claim without limit to the number of claims.
Public (Mandatory) Liability Insurance = 5 million GBP in respect of each claim without limit to the number of claims.
Product(Mandatory) Liability Insurance = 5 million GBP in respect of each claim and in the aggregate.
Professional (Mandatory) Indemnity Insurance = 1 million GBP in respect of each claim and in the aggregate.
Documentation requested for the above insurances should include name of insurers, policy numbers, expiry date and limits of any one incident and annual aggregate caps and the excesses under the policies.
SPD Question 4B6 Financial Standing:
The Authority will access a Credit safe report for a Tenderers organisation and use the information contained within to assist with the assessment of the Tenderer’s economic and financial standing. Tenders are asked to provide their company number within the ESPD to allow the Authority to access a Credit Safe Report.
Within such reports, the risk of business failure is expressed as a score of 30 or below (high risk of business failure). In the event that a company is determined to have a risk failure rating of 30 and below i.e. that the company is considered to have a high risk of business failure, the submission will not be considered further.
If you are successful in the award of this contract and your risk failure rating falls below 30 then the SPA reserve the right to remove you from this contract. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure that the information held by Credit Safe is accurate and up to date.
For the avoidance of doubt, the SPA will request a report from Credit Safe following the closing date for the receipt of the Tenders to ensure that the most up to date information is used. Where you are not registered on credit safe e.g. charitable organisations or new start companies/ Sole Traders with less than 3 years trading history, discretionary powers are available to the Director of Finance to consider abbreviated accounts along with bankers references etc.
Tenderers should be aware that any outstanding County Court Judgements will have a detrimental effect on the rating held by Credit Safe and it is your responsibility to ensure that the information held by Credit Safe is accurate and up to date - failure to do so will result in rejection of your submission.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This requirement is not applicable to Sole Traders/ Charities. Sole Traders/ Charities may be required to provide a bankers reference if successful.
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction will be used
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
29/09/2025
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
29/09/2025
Local time: 12:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=808628.
The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.
Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.
The Contracting Authority does not intend to include a sub-contract clause as part of community benefits (as per Section 25 of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014) in this contract for the following reason:
Single requirement
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:
Community Benefits can be offered to any geographical area of Scotland.
Tenderers should consider the following Community Benefit areas and where possible allocate the benefit intended to be offered against these areas;
-Improving education and skills – apprenticeships
-Improving local employability – new jobs
-Work experience placements/programmes
-Delivering training and development
-Enhancing & Improving local community projects
-Other; Sponsor Charity work, etc.
Returns should focus on what your organisation can deliver over the duration of this contract period and will be evaluated accordingly.
During the term of the Contract, the Authority will request management information to support the delivery of community benefits. This will be monitored and reported during the lifetime of the Contract
(SC Ref:808628)
Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=808628
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Glasgow Sheriff Court
Glasgow
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
29/08/2025