Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Government
Scottish Procurement & Property Directorate (SPPD), Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH
EH6 6QQ
UK
Contact person: Marta Sito
E-mail: marta.sito@gov.scot
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.scotland.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: http://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:
www.publictenderscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
www.publictenderscotland.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
SPPD - Publishing, Print, Design & Associated Services (PPDAS) 2025
Reference number: SP-24-006
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79970000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
This Framework Agreement is for the Provision of Publishing, Print, Design & Associated Services (PPDAS) across the Scottish Public Sector.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
40 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79800000
79810000
22314000
30192700
30199700
31682230
32300000
34928470
39133000
39154100
39171000
39294100
71354100
79530000
79822500
79824000
79933000
79971000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Scottish Procurement & Property Directorate (SPPD) is the organisation tasked with procuring requirements on behalf of Scottish public sector bodies. The current Publishing, Print, Design & Associated Services (PPDAS) framework is due to expire on 30 September 2025. The agreement is for a period of 4 years. The Contractor must be able to provide the full range of services as detailed in the Invitation to Tender documents to Public Sector Bodies on a cost effective and best value basis.
These include (but are not limited) to the following:
- Design Services
- Publishing Services
- Print Services
- Display Materials
- Promotional Items
- Distribution Services
- Delivery Services
- Other Services
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 65
Cost criterion: Cost
/ Weighting: 35
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
40 000 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 48
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
The Framework will be placed for a 4-year period and may be subject to renewal at the end of the 4-year period.
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:
Bidders must demonstrate a Current Ratio of 0.8 or greater. See Part 4B question 4 of the SPD. Current Ratio will be calculated as follows: total current assets divided by total current liabilities.
There must be no qualification or contra-indication from any evidence provided in support of the bidders economic and financial standing as this may lead to exclusion by SG.
SPPD may seek audited accounts/Financial statements to support the bid.
In the event that the bidder does not meet the financial criteria for consideration but has a parent company that does, the tenderer may still be eligible for consideration where their Tender Submission is supported by a Parent Company Guarantee. Where the bidder does not have a Parent Company some other form of assurance such as a performance bond may be acceptable.
Minimum level(s) of standards required:
It is a requirement of this framework that bidders hold or can commit to obtain prior to the commencement of any subsequently awarded framework/contract the types and levels of insurance indicated below:
Professional Indemnity Insurance: 1 million GBP per incident - See Q4B.5.1a of SPD
Employers (Compulsory) Liability Insurance: not less than 1 million GBP, or in accordance with any legal obligation for the time being in force - See Q4B.5.1b of SPD
Public Liability Insurance: 1 million GBP per incident - See Q4B.5.2 of SPD
Bidders who do not currently have or cannot commit to obtaining the levels of Insurance requested may be excluded from the procurement process. In event of award of a Framework, Scottish Government will seek proof that these Insurance provisions have been fully complied with.
Bidders must provide a separate SPD response from entities upon whose capability/capacity they rely on in order to meet any selection criteria including economic and financial standing.
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
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 with a single operator.
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:
2024/S 000-029249
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
26/03/2025
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
Duration in months: 9 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
26/03/2025
Local time: 12:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published:
Within 4 years
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
The Framework agreement will be available for use by the Scottish Ministers (including Agencies), Scottish Non-Departmental Public Bodies, offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices, cross-border public authorities within the meaning of section 88(5) of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scotland Office, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, councils constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, bodies regulated as social landlords under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, Scottish health boards or special health boards, Student Loan Company Limited, the Commissioner of Northern Lighthouse operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board, Scottish Futures Trust, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Business Stream Ltd, the Business Gateway National Unit at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, further or higher education institutions being fundable bodies within the meaning of Section 6 of the further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, any public body established by or under the Scotland Act 1998 or any Act of the Scottish Parliament, any association of or formed by one or more of the foregoing, bodies financed wholly or mainly by one or more of the foregoing, bodies subject to management supervision by one or more of the foregoing and bodies more than half of the board of directors or members of which, or, in the case of a group of individuals, more thank half of those individuals, being appointed by one or more of the foregoing. In addition to the contracting authorities listed, the framework agreement will be available to charities entered on the Scottish Charity Register and voluntary organisations entered on the Membership Database of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation.
Information about agencies of the Scottish Ministers, Scottish Non-Departmental Public Bodies and offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices are listed at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/about/Bodies.
The estimated total value of 40,000,000 GBP advised at II.1.5 is a genuine estimate, which may be exceeded for services within scope, up to a value of 60,000,000 GBP.
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 (Sco) Regs 2015.
SPD Section 2: Sub-Contractors who are not being relied upon to meet Selection Criteria - Separate SPD will not be required at this
Stage.
SPD.4C.4: Ability of Suppliers to pay members of their supply chain promptly & effectively, including providing evidence.
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 28477. 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:
New Entrants
1. Work experience 16+ years: 2 per year, 4 Person Weeks per year
2. Apprentices - can be existing: 1 per year, 26 Person Weeks per year
3. Apprentices - new: 1 in total during life of Framework, 26 Person Weeks per year
4. Progression into employment: 1 in total during life of Framework
Existing Workforce
5. Continued professional development/training e.g. First Aid, Health, and Safety/Vocational Qualifications: Minimum 25% of workforce
Supply Chain Opportunities
6. SMEs in the Supply Chain: At least 50%
To the extent that it has not already done so, the Contractor shall support and shall ensure that its supply chain also support the Scottish Government's Community Benefits Initiative.
(SC Ref:787762)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court & Justice of Peace Court
27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
UK
Telephone: +44 1312252525
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/edinburgh-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
An economic operator that suffers or risks suffering loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or Court of Session.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
19/02/2025