Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Social Security Scotland
3rd Floor, Agnes Husband House, 17 South Union Street
Dundee
DD1 4BF
UK
E-mail: Procurement@socialsecurity.gov.scot
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA30345
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
Social protection
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Provision of Best Start Foods
Reference number: CASE/563976
II.1.2) Main CPV code
98390000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
This notice is to confirm that Scottish Ministers, acting through Social Security Scotland, has extended the current Provision of Best Start Foods contract from 04 June 2026 to 02 March 2027
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
336 033.81
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This notice is to confirm that Scottish Ministers, acting through Social Security Scotland, has extended the current Provision of Best Start Foods contract from 03 June 2026 to 02 March 2027
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Technical
/ Weighting: 40
Price
/ Weighting:
60
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
This is not a fixed price contract therefore actual spend may vary from the value stated above.
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 procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Directive
Explanation
The continued provision of services under the current contract is essential to ensure that Social Security Scotland can continue to provide Best Start Foods benefit payments until a replacement contract can be put in place. A competitive process is underway to identify and put such a replacement in place, by March 2027. The extension of the current term is considered to be proportionate in the circumstances based on previous experience, and taking into account the need for a contingency to account for potential delays.
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 000-045240
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: CASE/563976
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
27/04/2026
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: 0
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
allpay Limited
Whitestone Business Park Whitestone
Hereford
HR1 3SE
UK
NUTS: UKG11
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 336 033.81
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
Award against framework: Crown Commercial Services Payment Solutions 2 Lot 2 - Prepaid Cards.
This contract award notice is for administrative purposes only. The original contract was awarded in 2022 and ended in June 2026. This award notice relates to a short extension from June 2026 to March 2027 to allow for the continued provision of services under the original contract to ensure that Social Security Scotland can continue to provide the Best Start Foods Benefit. A competitive process is underway to identify and put a replacement contract in place, by March 2027. The extension of the current term of the contract is considered to be proportionate in the circumstances based on previous experience and taking into account the need for a contingency to account for potential delays.
(SC Ref:839861)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court
27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
11/08/2026