Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Food Standards Scotland (FSS)
4th Floor, Pilgrim House, Old Ford Road
Aberdeen
AB11 5RL
UK
Telephone: +44 1224285172
E-mail: Bethany.Gold@gov.scot
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.foodstandards.gov.scot
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA24524
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
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
FSS-2025-020 Online Guidance on Charcuterie Safety
II.1.2) Main CPV code
73110000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Technical content and assessment aspects of a new online safety tool.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
58 650.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73110000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
FSS is the public sector body responsible for ensuring food safety in Scotland, and producing guidance to support businesses to produce safe food is a core activity of the organisation. Businesses producing ready-to-eat (RTE) foods can experience problems in controlling microbiological risks, potentially leading to outbreaks and product recalls. The RTE foods most commonly contaminated with pathogenic bacteria are fresh produce (including salads and leafy greens), cooked sliced meats (cold cuts, charcuterie), soft cheeses and smoked fish.
Recognising the higher risk of ready-to-eat foods, and the particular challenges faced by some types of RTE foods, FSS previously produced two online risk assessment tools to help businesses in Scotland to evaluate their processes and to promote best practice. The Safe Smoked Fish and Fresh Produce tools were well received by industry, and FSS received positive feedback for the provision of guidance in this interactive online format. The tools contain relevant scientific evidence and legal requirements to help FBOs assess their practices and provide clear and objective advice to reduce the risk of microbiological contamination of their product.
FSS now wish to produce a new online risk assessment tool focused on the safe production and processing of meat charcuterie products (i.e. deli meats/cold cuts etc). This new tool will be of similar structure to the existing tools, containing an interactive risk assessment function to allow FBOs to review their practices, alongside useful resources, in an easy-to-use format. In contrast to the existing tools, this one will consider relevant chemical as well as microbiological hazards because these types of products often use chemical agents as part of their production.
FSS require a Supplier to produce the technical content and assessment aspects of the tool.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 80
Price
/ Weighting:
20
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 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 000-037557
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: FSS-2025-020
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
25/08/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 3
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 2
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Hutchison Scientific Ltd
17 Marlee Road, Broughty Ferry
Dundee
DD5 3EZ
UK
Telephone: +44 7756125950
NUTS: UKM71
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 58 650.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
(SC Ref:812493)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Aberdeen Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Aberdeen
AB10 1WP
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
08/10/2025