Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
VisitScotland
Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street
Edinburgh
EH8 8BG
UK
Telephone: +44 1314722222
E-mail: augustine.toppo@visitscotland.com
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.visitscotland.org
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00118
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
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:
www.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
Search Engine Optimisation Services (SEO)
Reference number: VSEH24013
II.1.2) Main CPV code
72000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Search Engine Optimisation services for VisitScotland
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
420 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
72212220
72212221
72421000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
Main site or place of performance:
Edinburgh
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The primary requirement is to provide Search Engine Optimisation Services (SEO) for https://www.visitscotland.com
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Data Analysis & Insights
/ Weighting: 20
Quality criterion: Technical Search Engine Optimisation
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Digital Outreach
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Key Word Research and Monitoring
/ Weighting: 15
Quality criterion: Content Optimisation
/ Weighting: 5
Price
/ Weighting:
40
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
420 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 12
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
Two 12-months extensions
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:
Due to the optional two one-year extensions – see II.2.7
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 the regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulation 2015.
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:
VS may seek a Parent Company Guarantee if available.
-
VS may carry out independent Financial Credit checks on your organisation. The checks undertaken shall provide VS with information on your organisation’s risk rating.
It shall be at VS discretion whether we deem the risk to be unacceptable and therefore may exclude your organisation from being taken any further in the Procurement process.
VS also reserve the right to request further information, if no information can be found within the Credit rating system, or the information is incomplete.
-
SPD Question 4B.5.1 – It is a requirement of this contract that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commence of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below:
Employer’s (Compulsory) Liability Insurance in accordance with any legal obligation for the time
being in force = 5,000,000(GBP)
Public Liability Insurance = 2,000,000(GBP) for any one incident and unlimited in total
-
Please add details of any other relevant insurance policies you may have, along with the level of cover held.
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria:
SPD Question 4C.1.2 – Bidders will be required to provide examples that demonstrate that they have the relevant experience to deliver the services/supplies.
-
Bidders are required to provide 2 recent case studies detailing their experience over the last 3 years of providing SEO services of similar scale and value.
Case studies should (where possible) also include client name/telephone/ e -mail address information, dates and contract values. VS will have discretion to choose from the list, and thereafter obtain at least two references from the bidder’s client base.
-
Bidders must demonstrate they have relevant experience of delivering a SEO similar to our requirements.
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing 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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
11/07/2025
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:
11/07/2025
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:
February 2028
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information
Question 2A.17 – Form of Participation (Notably as part of a group, consortium, joint venture or similar)
Any contract will be entered into with the nominated lead organisation and all members of the consortium, who will in these circumstances each be required to execute said contract together with all ancillary documentation, evidencing their joint and several liabilities in respect of the obligations and liabilities of the contract. It will be for members of the consortium to sort out their respective duties and liabilities amongst each other. For administrative purposes, any associated documentation will be sent to the nominated lead organisation.
Question 2D.1.2 – If a substantial proportion of the work would go to a subcontractor, we may ask for a completed SPD form for those subcontractors (only Sections A and B of Part II and Part III will
be requested). We will advise bidders if we require this information prior to the subcontractor commencing work on the contract.
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=801031.
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.
(SC Ref:801031)
Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=801031
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Sheriff Court (Edinburgh)
27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
11/06/2025