Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Historic Environment Scotland
Longmore House, Salisbury Place
Edinburgh
EH9 1SH
UK
E-mail: procurement@hes.scot
NUTS: UKM75
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://historicenvironment.scot
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00164
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
National or federal agency/office
I.5) Main activity
Other: Heritage, Tourism, Conservation, Built Environment
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Towards A National Collection – Digitisation Capability Pilot for N-RICH Prototype
Reference number: HES/C/4336
II.1.2) Main CPV code
73000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Towards A National Collection – Digitisation Capability Pilot for N-RICH Prototype
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
265 275.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM75
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Digitisation Capability Pilot is one of the two core work packages delivered through the N-RICH Prototype, alongside the Digital Research Infrastructure Prototype. Its role is to address the supply-side constraints that currently limit the use of cultural heritage collections in computational and data-driven research.
While digitisation activity across the UK GLAM sector has expanded access to collections, it has not consistently produced data that is structured, documented and interoperable enough to support large-scale analysis, AI-enabled methods or cross-collection research.
The Pilot responds to this gap by focusing on the creation of computation-ready digital collections data, providing a foundation for subsequent infrastructure development and research use.
The objectives of the Digitisation Capability Pilot are to:
- Define a shared, open and scalable digitisation standard for priority GLAM collection types, specifying baseline, enhanced and aspirational levels of practice;
- Ensure the standard is oriented towards interoperability, computational access and reuse, embedding FAIR and CARE principles;
- Support data creation, augmentation and computational readiness, including standards for rapid, rich and non-destructive digitisation appropriate to different collection types and research purposes;
- Design the standard to be modular and incrementally adoptable by institutions of differing scale, capacity and resource;
- Test and refine the standard through limited application with partner GLAM institutions;
- Generate evidence on cost, skills and organisational implications to inform future investment decisions;
- Publish the standard openly and propose an appropriate model for its future stewardship and evolution.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Technical
/ Weighting: 60
Quality criterion: Interview
/ Weighting: 30
Price
/ Weighting:
10
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
Historic Environment Scotland reserves the right to request additional deliveries by the Successful Tenderer, either intended as partial replacement of services or as extensions of existing services. Historic Environment Scotland may at it's sole discretion exercise this option.
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 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 000-004095
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: HES/C/4336
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
21/05/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 7
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 5
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 7
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 7
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Oxford University Innovation Limited
Buxton Court, 3 West Way
Oxford
OX2 0JB
UK
NUTS: UKJ14
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 265 275.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
(SC Ref:833235)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justic of the Peace Court
Edinburgh
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
29/05/2026