Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Social Security Scotland
3rd Floor, Agnes Husband House, 17 South Union Street
Dundee
DD1 4BF
UK
E-mail: James.mcguigan@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.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/esop/pts-host/public/pts/web/login.html
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/esop/pts-host/public/pts/web/login.html
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at:
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/esop/pts-host/public/pts/web/login.html
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
Debt Management System
Reference number: S/26/005
II.1.2) Main CPV code
72000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Social Security Scotland has a requirement to place a contract with an external service provider for the provision of a Debt Management System.
The contract is for the provision, implementation, support and continuous improvement of a strategic Debt Case Management System. The system must support the end‑to‑end debt lifecycle.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
48000000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
It is intended that this will be a open procedure to procure a Debt Management System.
Stages in the procurement are:
1. Prior Information Notice issued.
2. Contract Notice/ Call for Competition
3. Invitation to Tender
4. Contract Award
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Technical
/ Weighting: 50
Price
/ Weighting:
50
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 72
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
The contract is scheduled for renewal prior to the expiry date to ensure continuity of service.
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:
Yes
Description of options:
Option to extend for up to an additional 24 month period
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
72 month initial period includes a 12 month implementation period, with the service to start in month 13 of the contract.
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 Part 4B Economic and Financial Standing
Insurances
Other Economic or Financial
Minimum level(s) of standards required:
The bidder must have a Dun and Bradstreet failure score of no less than 40.
The bidder confirms they already have or can commit to obtain, prior to the commencement of the contract, the levels of insurance cover indicated below:
Employer’s Liability Insurance - The Contractor shall maintain employer’s liability insurance with a minimum indemnity limit of 5000000 GBP or the minimum required by law in force at the time (for a single event or a series of related events and in the aggregate in a single calendar year) for the duration of the Contract.
Public Liability Insurance - The Contractor shall maintain public liability insurance with a minimum indemnity limit of 5000000 GBP (for a single event or a series of related events and in the aggregate in a single calendar year) for the duration of the Contract.
Professional Indemnity Insurance - The Contractor shall maintain professional indemnity insurance with a minimum indemnity limit of 10000000 GBP (for a single event or a series of related events and in the aggregate in a single calendar year) for the duration of the Contract.
The insurance shall cover liability arising from software development, systems integration, advisory services, and delivery of services using agile, iterative, DevOps or continuous deployment methodologies.
Cyber Security and Data Protection Insurance - The Contractor shall maintain cyber security and data protection insurance with a minimum indemnity limit of 10000000 GBP (for a single event or a series of related events and in the aggregate in a single calendar year) for the duration of the Contract.
This requirement may be satisfied by:
(a) a standalone cyber liability insurance policy; or
(b) professional indemnity insurance which expressly includes equivalent cyber security and data protection cover, provided that the insurance covers, as a minimum:
- unauthorised access to systems;
- loss, compromise or corruption of data (including Personal Data );
- cyber security incidents impacting availability of the Services;
- incident response, remediation, and regulatory investigation costs; and
- third party claims arising from such incidents.
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.
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
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 000-039222
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
18/08/2026
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:
18/08/2026
Local time: 12:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published:
In 72 months time
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this Procurement exercise. The Project code is project_32332. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
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=829260.
Indicative timetable
Invitation to Tender Published – 17 July 2026
Closing Date for Tender Questions – 28 July 2026
Tender Return Date – 18 August 2026
Tender Evaluation Period – 25 August 2026 – 25 September 2026
Contract Award – 30 November 2026
Contract Start Date – 11 December 2026
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 32332. 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 will be a requirement for the contract. The supplier will be required to deliver a minimum of 80 Community Benefit Points (CBPs). These points must be aligned with the "Generating Employment Opportunities for Priority Groups" outcome category, as defined in the Community Benefits Outcome Menu.
(SC Ref:837614)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court House
27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
17/07/2026