Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Borders Council
Council Headquarters
Newtown St Boswells
TD6 0SA
UK
Contact person: Procurement
Telephone: +44 1835824000
E-mail: procurement@scotborders.gov.uk
NUTS: UKM91
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.scotborders.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00394
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Default.aspx
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Default.aspx
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
School Counselling Service
Reference number: 1001384
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85312300
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Scottish Borders Council (the Council) is seeking Bidder responses to this Invitation to Tender (ITT) to appoint an external Service Provider who is experienced and appropriately qualified to deliver a School Counselling Service for children and young people aged 10 years and over (up to and including young people aged 18 years).
This procurement is being carried out in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 under the “Light Touch Regime”.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85312300
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM91
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Scottish Borders Council (the Council) is seeking Bidder responses to this Invitation to Tender (ITT) to appoint an external Service Provider who is experienced and appropriately qualified to deliver a School Counselling Service for children and young people aged 10 years and over (up to and including young people aged 18 years).
This procurement is being carried out in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 under the “Light Touch Regime”.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 90
Price
/ Weighting:
10
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start:
01/08/2025
End:
31/03/2028
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
There is the option to review and extend on a 3-x rolling 12-month contract basis until 31st March 2031. Extension of the contract beyond the initial contract term will be dependent on achieving satisfactory performance against the KPIs, subject to continued funding being available and positive evaluation.
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:
Please refer to SPD and tender documents.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.1) Information about a particular profession
Participation is reserved to a particular profession: Yes
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision:
Please refer to SPD and tender documents.
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
Contract performance will be managed using a Performance Management Plan, further details are included within the tender documents.
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:
22/04/2025
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
Tender must be valid until:
20/06/2025
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
22/04/2025
Local time: 13:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
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
This procurement is being carried out in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 under the “Light Touch Regime”.
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=791355.
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.
A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363
(SC Ref:791355)
Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=791355
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Jedburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Castlegate
Jedburgh
TD8 6AR
UK
Telephone: +44 1835863231
E-mail: jedburgh@scotcourts.gov.uk
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
The contracting authorities will incorporate a minimum 10 day standstill period at the point of information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. The Public Contract (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (SSI,2015 No446) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or at risk of harm by a breach of the rule to take action in the Sherriff Court or Court of Session. A claim for an ineffectiveness order must be made within 30 days of the award being published on the Find a Tender service (FTS) or within 30 days of the date to those who expressed an interest in or otherwise bid for the contract were informed of the conclusion of the contract or in any other case within six months from the date on which the contract was entered into.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
13/03/2025