Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Government
5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw
Glasgow
G2 8LU
Contact
Laura Vivian
Telephone
+44 412425466
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM - Scotland
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10482
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.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 above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
DPH: Health and Care Experience Survey 2025-26
Reference number
CASE/747380
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 73110000 - Research services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Scottish Government has a requirement to place a contract with an external service provider for the provision of the Health and Care Experience Survey 2025. The scope of the contract will be to undertake the survey fieldwork and the transfer of a clean data set. The survey is being undertaken as part of the Scottish Government’s Care Experience Programme and will be managed by Health and Social Care Analysis Division in the Scottish Government, in partnership with the Public Health Scotland (PHS).
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £635,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79300000 - Market and economic research; polling and statistics
- 79310000 - Market research services
- 79311000 - Survey services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Scottish Government has a requirement to place a contract with an external service provider for the provision of the Health & Care Experience Survey 2025.
Making healthcare more person centred lies at the heart of the NHS Scotland Quality Strategy ambitions. The Scottish Care Experience Survey Programme has been designed to support this ambition by giving people the opportunity to comment systematically on their experience of healthcare and its impact on their quality of life. The programme comprises a suite of surveys, including inpatient, health and care, maternity and cancer care.
The Survey is a biennial postal survey which first ran in 2009. The Survey, which originally focused on primary care services, was expanded in 2013 to accommodate questions on social care and carers, reflecting the move towards health and social care integration in Scotland and further refined in 2017 to reflect new policy priorities.
The 2025 survey content will be reviewed prior to the commencement of fieldwork to ensure that the survey questions are still relevant and meet user needs, however we are not anticipating any substantial changes from the 2023 survey.
The scope of the contract will be to undertake the survey fieldwork and the transfer of a clean data set. The initial survey pack will include a letter with QR code providing a link to the online survey and an information leaflet in a range of languages. A reminder pack will be sent to people who had not responded to this initial letter after a couple of weeks. The reminder pack will include a reminder letter, an information leaflet and a paper copy of the questionnaire.
This involves printing and posting the survey packs to around 500,000 to people registered with a GP practice in Scotland, which requires the services of an experienced survey contractor with specialist equipment. The survey contractor will be required to scan and capture the completed questionnaires, and carry out agreed validation checks on the data before securely transmitting a clean data set to the Scottish Government. There is no in-house facility to administer such a large volume of surveys.
In order to encourage online completion of the Survey, the Supplier will be required to setup an accessible online version of the Survey and facilities to support other means of access to the Survey (including, but not limited to, telephone, textphone, Language Line service) and a telephone helpline.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Methodology / Weighting: 60
Quality criterion - Name: Staffing, Project Management And Sub-Contractor Arrangements / Weighting: 25
Quality criterion - Name: Climate Emergency / Weighting: 5
Quality criterion - Name: Fair Work First / Weighting: 5
Quality criterion - Name: Approach To Managing Risk/Ethical Issues / Weighting: 5
Price - Weighting: 40
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 August 2025
End date
31 May 2026
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Initial duration will be 10 months with an option to extend the contract for an additional 12 months.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
Bidders must demonstrate a Current Ratio of no less than 1.0. Current Ratio will be calculated as follows: Net current assets divided by net current liabilities.
There must be no qualification or contra-indication from any evidence provided in support of the bidders economic and financial standing.
Bidders who do not comply with the above financial requirements but are part of a Group, can provide a Parent Guarantee if the Parent
company satisfies the financial requirements stipulated above.
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 of insurance indicated below.
Employer's (Compulsory) Liability Insurance = 5 000 000 GBP.
Public Liability Insurance = 2 000 000 GBP.
Professional Indemnity Insurance = 2 000 000 GBP.
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2025/S 000-001440
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
8 April 2025
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.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)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
8 April 2025
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.3) Additional information
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. The response is comprehensive, unambiguous and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the requirement and provides details of how the requirement will be met in full.
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.
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 28596 and the ITT code is 58275. For more information see:
http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
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:
The tenderer must provide a Community Benefits proposal that is relevant to the subject matter of this contract and supports the Scottish Ministers’ commitment to contributing to the social, economic & environmental well-being of the people of Scotland, as described in the specification.
targeted employment support, recruitment and work-related training for priority groups within the community (for example long-term
unemployed and young people) as part of your proposed workforce for this project;
support for existing Charity and Third Sector Organisations that deliver benefits to the communities
Use of SMEs or supported businesses as part of your supply chain
up-skilling the existing workforce;
equality and diversity initiatives;
educational support initiatives.
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 28596. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
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:
The tenderer must provide a Community Benefits proposal that is relevant to the subject matter of this contract and supports the Scottish Ministers’ commitment to contributing to the social, economic & environmental well-being of the people of Scotland, as described in the specification.
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 28596. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
(SC Ref:791445)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
Country
United Kingdom