Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
The Highland Council
Glenurquhart Road
Inverness
IV3 5NX
UK
Contact person: Paul Adlinton
E-mail: socialcare10.contracts@highland.gov.uk
NUTS: UKM6
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.highland.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00045
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Children's Disability Short Breaks (Highland)
Reference number: HSCC23
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Short Break Care within the family home to include Waking Night Support, Sleeping Night and Day Support. Support to and from activities within the community. Help to support/maintain and/or establish/implement routine. Meet any additional specific requirements of the Child’s Individual Action Plan as per their Child’s Plan. The service is to be delivered across the Highland region.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
400 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85000000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM6
Main site or place of performance:
The Highland Council geographical area.
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The importance of recognising the family as the critical infrastructure for the wellbeing and development of children in society is at the heart of the Families 1st strategy. A happy life for children involves a loving family within a broader system of friendships, community networks and universal services. Families will get the right help, at the right time, by the right people. Families 1st is set within the national policy landscape of UN Convention on Rights of a Child (UNCRC), The Promise, underpinned by strong Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) roots in Highland. Support from out with the family network should be available when needed for as long as it is needed.
Section 23 of The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 introduced a legal framework for assessment, services and support to children with disabilities, children affected by disability and their families. The Act states that “Services for these children should be designed to minimise the adverse effects of disability and to enable them to lead lives which are as normal as possible. Specific provisions relating to children with or affected by disability do not stand alone”.
The service being tendered is Short Break Care within the family home to include Waking Night Support, Sleeping Night and Day Support. Support to and from activities within the community. Help to support/maintain and/or establish/implement routine. Meet any additional specific requirements of the Child’s Individual Action Plan as per their Child’s Plan.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 90
Price
/ Weighting:
10
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
400 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 36
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
The contract term is three years plus the option to extend by up to 12 months.
The maximum budget for the service (including one-year optional extension i.e., four years) is GBP400000.
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.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
Bidders must confirm that they are appropriately registered with the Care Inspectorate for the services required.
Bidders will be required to provide examples that demonstrate that they have the relevant experience to deliver the services as described.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria:
1.The Council shall obtain a Creditsafe credit check and will score bidders accordingly:
71 - 100 Very Low Risk – Accept
51 - 70 Low Risk - Accept
30 - 50 Moderate Risk – subject to further discussion internally with the option to reject.
21-29 High Risk – subject to further discussion internally with the option to reject.
1-20 Very High Risk – Reject.
*The following applies if no credit check can be undertaken:
2. Please state current turnover (if contract value is over 50% of reported turnover, further discussion will be had internally with the option
to reject).
3. If you are under no obligation to publish accounts on Companies House and/or do not have a comprehensive credit rating then provide
audited financial accounts for the previous two years. Both quick and current ratios should be a minimum of 1:1.5 for the two successive
years. Bidders whose ratios do not meet the minimum criteria will be rejected. Bidders who can provide audited accounts but chose not to
do so shall be rejected.
4. Bidders who have been trading for less than one year and cannot provide audited accounts must submit the cash flow for the current year
and a letter from the bank outlining the current cash and credit position for the current year and subsequent year. This will be subject to
internal discussion with the option to reject.
5. If bidder still does not meet the financial criteria for consideration but has a parent company that does, the firm may still be eligible for
consideration where their submission is supported by a parent company guarantee.
Minimum level(s) of standards required:
It is a requirement of this contract that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commencement of any subsequently awarded
contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below:
Employer’s Liability Insurance = GBP10m
Public Liability Insurance = GBP5m
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
Details of reviewing perfomance are contained in the tender documentation.
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 several operators.
Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 20
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:
13/08/2025
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:
13/08/2025
Local time: 12:00
Place:
Highland Council Headquarters, Inverness
Information about authorised persons and opening procedure:
Authorised Council officers opening on PCS-T.
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published:
Spring 2028
VI.3) Additional information
Tender will be uploaded onto PCST during week commencing 7th July 2025.
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 29636. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
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 including Fair Working Practices and Enviromental Benefits will form part of the evaluation criteria.
(SC Ref:803459)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Inverness Sheriff Court
The Inverness Justice Centre, Longman Road
Inverness
IV1 1AH
UK
Telephone: +44 1463230782
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
07/07/2025