Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Government
5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw
Glasgow
G2 8LU
UK
Telephone: +44 412425466
E-mail: Kerry.Gubbins@Gov.Scot
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.scotland.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10482
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/
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/
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
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
COMMS-Family Advocacy Service for Bereaved Families following a Death in Prison Custody
Reference number: Case/799177
II.1.2) Main CPV code
98000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The Scottish Government seeks to commission an independent Family Advocacy Service to provide specialist support and representation to families following the death of a loved one in prison custody. The service will be independent, trauma-informed, and rooted in advocacy principles, ensuring families are supported, heard, and empowered throughout complex post-death processes.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
450 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Service Provider must:
- Manage, administer and coordinate the delivery of high-quality advocacy support to all eligible Service Users who request support following a death in prison custody.
- Design the service to deliver the activities within the Specification.
- Put in place systems, agreements and processes to ensure local delivery of advocacy support are consistently available across the whole of Scotland.
- Deliver the service independently of both Scottish Ministers, Scottish Prison Service, COPFS, and other statutory bodies.
- Monitor service delivery; provide the Purchaser with robust monitoring information; and act when needed to improve services.
- Ensure that Service Users, staff and other stakeholders are treated with dignity, fairness and respect.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 80
Price
/ Weighting:
20
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:
Scottish Government reserve the right to extend for up to two 12-month periods to a date no later than 31 July 2029.
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.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria:
Within the SPD, Scottish Government will ask the following criteria on economic and financial standing. Please respond with the appropriate information.
Bidders will be required to state the value(s) for the following financial ratio(s).
Current Ratio will be calculated as follows: total current assets divided by total current liabilities and shall be based on the previous financial year.
There must be no qualification or contra-indication from any evidence provided in support of the bidders economic and financial standing.
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. Such insurance must be maintained for the duration of the Contract and for a minimum of 5 years following the expiry or termination of the Contract.
Minimum level(s) of standards required:
Financial Ratio - Bidders must demonstrate a Current Ratio of no less than 1.0.
Employer’s (Compulsory) Liability Insurance = in accordance with any legal obligation for the time being in force.
Public Liability Insurance (in a sum not less) = 2,000,000 GBP
Professional Risk Indemnity Insurance (in a sum not less) = 2,000,000 GBP
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria:
- Supply Chain Management/Tracking Systems Used (MANDATORY)
- Environmental Management Measures (MANDATORY)
- Proportion (%) to be Sub-Contracted (MANDATORY)
Minimum level(s) of standards required:
- If bidders intend to use a supply chain to deliver the requirements detailed in the Contract Notice, they should confirm they have (or have access to) the relevant supply chain management and tracking systems to ensure a resilient and sustainable supply chain. This will include confirmation that they have the systems in place to pay subcontractors through the supply chain promptly and effectively, and provide evidence when requested of:
a) their standard payment terms
b) ≥95% of all supply chain invoices being paid on time (in accordance with the terms of contract) in the last financial year.
If the bidder is unable to confirm (b) they must provide an improvement plan, signed by their Director, which improves the payment performance.
Bidders will be required to provide evidence that their organisation has taken steps to build their awareness of the climate change emergency and how they will respond. Accepted evidence includes but is not limited to:
- a completed copy of the Bidder ‘relevant contract’ Climate Change Plan Template, including planned projects and actions to reduce the bidder’s carbon emissions. This does not need to contain calculated carbon emissions.
Bidders will be required to confirm whether they intend to sub-contract and if so, for what proportion of the contract.
If there are named subcontractors/technicians upon which the bidder will rely to meet the selection criteria, these named parties must complete and reattach the SPD Supplier Response Form attached to SPD questions 2C.1.1 (Technicians) and 2D.1.2 (Subcontractors) on PCS-T.
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
As detailed in the procurement documents.
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2025/S 000-081001
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
29/04/2026
Local time: 11:00
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:
29/04/2026
Local time: 11:00
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
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.
SPD will be scored on a pass/fail basis.
Bidders must complete the SPD to demonstrate adherence to the Exclusion and Selection Criteria for this procurement.
The contract award criteria will be Quality 80% Price 20%.
Question Scoring Methodology for Award Criteria outlined in Invitation to Tender:
0 Unacceptable. Nil or inadequate response. Fails to demonstrate an ability to meet the requirement.
1 Poor. Response is partially relevant but generally poor. The response addresses some elements of the requirement but contains insufficient/limited detail or explanation to demonstrate how the requirement will be fulfilled.
2 Acceptable. Response is relevant and acceptable. The response addresses a broad understanding of the requirement but may lack details on how the requirement will be fulfilled in certain areas.
3 Good. Response is relevant and good. The response is sufficiently detailed to demonstrate a good understanding and provides details on how the requirements will be fulfilled.
4 Excellent. Response is completely relevant and excellent overall.
Tenderers are also asked to confirm:
that they will pay staff that are involved in the delivery of services under the contract, at least the real Living Wage.
they will meet standards on payment of subcontractors
Tenderers who do not pass these questions will not be subject to Commercial Analysis. As a result the tender will not be considered further.
Bidders must complete the SPD (Scotland) to demonstrate adherence to the Exclusion and Selection Criteria for this procurement.
If there are named subcontractors/technicians upon which the bidder will rely to meet the selection criteria, these named parties must complete and reattach the SPD Supplier Response Form attached to SPD.
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 31472. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363
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 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: how the delivery of the contract will deliver community benefits that strengthen local capacity to support families bereaved following a death in prison custody, including improved access to trauma‑informed information and advocacy. These benefits should contribute to greater community understanding of the challenges faced by bereaved families and support wider system learning.
(SC Ref:818732)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH11LB
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
25/03/2026