Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
The Scottish Parliament, Procurement Services
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Contact
Euan Muirhead
Telephone
+44 1313486620
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10284
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
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Other type
Legislative Body
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Devolved Parliament
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Sign Language and Associated Services
Reference number
NIC-SER-456
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79540000 - Interpretation services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The SPCB requires a Contractor to provide Sign Language Interpretation services and other associated services. The main requirement is for interpreting for English to/from British Sign Language. The Contractor must provide simultaneous BSL interpreting for parliamentary business as requested. This will be filmed live, broadcast on the BSL Channel on SPTV, and archived. It will also be posted on the Parliament’s social media accounts and may be used by other broadcasters either live or later.
The Contractor must also provide other sign languages or supporting services as required. Additional sign languages and communication support services which will be in scope of the Contract, include, but are not limited to:
- Tactile BSL
- Electronic Notetakers
- Speech-to-text reporters
- Lip speakers
- Signalong (Sign-a-long)
- Sign Supported English
- International sign languages such as American Sign Language.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
The Scottish Parliament, Holyrood, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The SPCB require a Contractor to provide Sign Language Interpretation and associated services.
The objective of this Contract is to enable people living in Scotland who are hard of hearing, D/deaf or Deafblind, or who have other communication support needs, to engage with the Scottish Parliament and participate meaningfully in parliamentary business, public engagement activities and events.
The Contractor must work cooperatively with the SPCB to find a solution to all SPCB sign language requirements. As a minimum, the Contractor must provide the following Services:
- BSL interpreting of First Minister’s Questions (FMQs) which are broadcast live and shown to visitors within the Chamber gallery and Main Hall; BSL interpreting of other Parliamentary business, which may also be filmed or broadcast either live or later.
- Interpreting for Scottish Parliament events, including ceremonial events such as the opening of Parliament or engagement events such as the Festival of Politics. Some of these events will also be filmed, broadcast and archived.
- Interpreting and/or other communication support services for witnesses giving evidence to committees
- Interpreting and/or other communication support services for participants in engagement activities including workshops, focus groups, educational sessions, tours, and meetings
- Interpreting and/or other communication support services for visitors to the Scottish Parliament accessing parliamentary services and facilities.
Most requirements are expected to be for interpreting for English to/from British Sign Language. The Contractor must also provide other sign languages or supporting services as required. Additional sign languages and communication support services which will be in scope of the Contract, include, but are not limited to:
- Tactile BSL
- Electronic Notetakers
- Speech-to-text reporters
- Lip speakers
- Signalong (Sign-a-long)
- Sign Supported English
- International sign languages such as American Sign Language. It is understood this may require the Contractor to work with Sub-Contractors or freelancers who don’t usually work in Scotland on occasion; all such requirements will be discussed with the Contractor as required.
Parliamentary business and major events will normally be filmed and broadcast live on SPTV. Footage is subsequently made available through the Video Archive on SPTV and posted on the Parliament’s YouTube channel. Some requirements may also be broadcast by external broadcasters. Filmed parliamentary business and events that include BSL interpreting will also be posted on the Parliament’s BSL Facebook Group and shared through other social media channels. Requirements for live interpreting of parliamentary business which is broadcast will always be in BSL and are expected to be the main requirement of the Contract. The Contractor must be able to provide this Service to a high standard.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 50
Cost criterion - Name: Price / Weighting: 50
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
25
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
36 month extensions at the sole discretion of the SPCB.
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.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
In relation to the SPD:
4A.1: not used
4A.2: not used
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria
In relation to the SPD:
4B.1-4B.4: not used
4B.5: 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 and levels of insurance indicated below:
Employer’s (Compulsory) Liability Insurance = 5,000,000 GBP
Public Liability Insurance = 1,000,000 GBP
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf
4B.6: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) uses Creditsafe, an independent provider of online business credit reports, to assess the financial standing of tenderers. Tenderers are encouraged to review their financial performance on Creditsafe and read information about how that data is collected and used prior to submitting a tender. Information and the opportunity to run a free report can be found at http://www.creditsafe.com/products/business-credit-reports/
If a tenderer does not agree with the credit rating it has been given by Creditsafe it can provide supporting evidence to demonstrate its current position and this will be taken into account when the financial standing is being assessed.
If a tenderer is not listed on Creditsafe, for whatever reason, then it may be asked to submit equivalent accounts to enable the required assessment of financial standing to be carried out.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
Tenderers should have a Creditsafe credit rating of 40 or higher to demonstrate satisfactory financial standing. If a tenderer has a lower credit rating score and has the backing of a parent company with a credit rating of 40 or higher, then the provision of a Parent Company Guarantee prior to the award of any contract will be acceptable. If a tenderer has a lower credit rating score and no evidence to support a stable or improved financial standing then the tender may be rejected.
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria
In relation to the SPD:
4C.1.2: Bidders will be required to provide 2 examples that demonstrate that they have the relevant experience to deliver the services as described in part II.2.4 of the Find a Tender Service Contract Notice.
As a minimum, the examples must include evidence of the following:
- provision of conference style BSL interpreting services, i.e. where simultaneous BSL interpreting is provided for two or more speakers who are presenting to an audience, including BSL interpreting of unprepared questions and answers put to the speakers.
- provision of electronic notetaking.
- provision of tactile BSL for one or more Deafblind BSL users.
Failure to provide two examples demonstrating relevant experience in these areas will result in disqualification from the procurement process and the bidder's submission being evaluated no further.
4C.2 - 4C.5: not used
4C.6: Bidders will be required to confirm that they and/or the service provider have the following relevant educational and professional qualifications:
All interpreters who will provide BSL interpreting services and all others providing specified services must be registered (where relevant) as either:
Registered Sign Language Interpreters (RSLIs), or
Trainee Sign Language Interpreters (TSLIs),
with either:
The Scottish Register of Language Professionals with the Deaf Community (SRLPDC) and/or
The National Register of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD).
4C.7 - 4C.12: not used
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
In relation to the SPD:
4D.1 - 4D.2: not used
All BSL/English Interpreters provided under this Contract must be registered with either:
- The Scottish Register of Language Professionals with the Deaf Community (SRLPDC) [formerly the Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters (SASLI)], and/or
- The National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD).
All Interpreters must be registered as either:
- Registered Sign Language Interpreters (RSLIs), or
- Trainee Sign Language Interpreters (TSLIs)
Contractor Personnel providing any associated services, including but not limited to Interpreters for Deafblind people, Communicator guides, Communication support workers, Electronic notetakers, Speech-to-text reporters/Palantypists, Lipspeakers, Communication support/Interpreting Services using Sign Supported English (SSE), must be registered with the Scottish Register of Language Professionals with the Deaf Community (SRLPDC) and/or the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD), wherever relevant.
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
In order to ensure the highest standards of service quality in this contract the SPCB requires the contractor to take a positive approach to fair work practices. Full details of all performance conditions are set out 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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Originally published as:
Date
28 May 2021
Local time
12:00pm
Changed to:
Date
1 June 2021
Local time
12:00pm
See the change notice.
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
28 May 2021
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: March 2026
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
Please note that there are minimum requirements concerning Cyber Security for this contract to which a pass/fail marking will attach. Bidders will be required to complete an online Supplier Assurance Questionnaire using the Cyber Security Procurement Support Tool (CSPST). A link to CSPST can be found here: https://cyberassessment.gov.scot.
The questionnaire will be aligned to a Cyber Risk Profile that has been established for the contract, based on the SPCB’s assessment of cyber risk.
Further details can be found in the Tender Invitation Letter. A contract condition for this procurement requires the bidder to comply with minimum security requirements.
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 18555. 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: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2361
A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:
It is considered that a proportionate community benefit for this Contract would be for the Contractor to facilitate opportunities for work experience, training and skills development for students in Scotland through the delivery of this Contract.
(SC Ref:648951)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court House
Sheriff Court House, 27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
Country
United Kingdom