Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
APUC Limited
Unit 27, Stirling Business Centre, Wellgreen
Stirling
FK8 2DZ
UK
Contact person: Graeme Kerr
E-mail: gkerr@apuc-scot.ac.uk
NUTS: UKM77
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.apuc-scot.ac.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10402
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Education
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Student Assistance and Support Services
Reference number: SEC1008 AP
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85312320
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The Authority was seeking Contractor(s) for the provision of student assistance and support services to the Scottish HE/FE sector (https://www.apuc-scot.ac.uk/?#!/members). These services include: counselling sevices, student support helpline and online mental health and wellbeing support.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
200 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Full Student Support Service
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85312300
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM77
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This lot will combine:
- Counselling on a one-on-one basis given via SVC, telephone and in a face-to-face setting;
- Student support helpline (out of hours, 24/7 or as required) via telephone and/or online methods);
- Online mental health and wellbeing support: online peer to peer web portal, offering creative tools, courses and web-based therapy and online knowledge hub for students including, but not limited to, advice on wellbeing and self-help practises.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Technical
/ Weighting: 60
Price
/ Weighting:
40
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
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Student Wellbeing Tool
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85312320
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM77
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Provision of online mental health and wellbeing support: online peer to peer web portal, offering creative tools, courses and web-based therapy and online knowledge hub for students including, but not limited to, advice on wellbeing and self-help practises.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Technical
/ Weighting: 60
Price
/ Weighting:
40
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.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
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 000-039324
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 1
Title: Full Student Support Service
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
03/08/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 10
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 6
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 10
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 10
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
Yes
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
HealthHero Solutions Limited (formerly Validium)
10 Upper Berkeley Street, London
London
W1H 7PE
UK
Telephone: +44 7918478944
NUTS: UKI
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Uwill
1075 Worchester Street
Natick
01760
US
Telephone: +44 2921681856
NUTS: US
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Health Assured
The Peninsula , Victoria Place
Manchester
M4 4FB
UK
Telephone: +44 7815460008
NUTS: UKD
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 100 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 2
Title: Student Wellbeing Tool
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
03/08/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 6
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 4
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 6
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 6
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
Yes
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Togetherall
27 Old Gloucester Street
London
WC1N 3AX
UK
Telephone: +44 7701382566
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Spectrum Life
Huckletree Ancoats, 9 Great Ancoats Street
Manchester
M45AD
UK
NUTS: UKD33
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
TalkLife
Runway East, 1 Victoria Street
Bristol
BS1 6AA
UK
Telephone: +44 7788277927
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 100 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
Economic operators may have be excluded from this competition if they were in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.
Suppliers should confirm they will be in a position to complete (at point of award) the following:
Appendix A Form of Tender
Appendix B Freedom of Information
Appendix D APUC Sustain Supply Chain Code of Conduct
(SC Ref:844036)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Stirling Sheriff Court
Sheriff Court House, Viewfield Place
Stirling
FK8 1NH
UK
E-mail: enquiries@scotcourts.gov.uk
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
25/09/2026