Planning

Freight Agency Services

  • University Of Edinburgh

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-010603

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04f72c

Published 21 March 2025, 10:51am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

University Of Edinburgh

Charles Stewart House, 9-16 Chambers Street

Edinburgh

EH1 1HT

Contact

Iain Davies

Email

idavies@ed.ac.uk

Telephone

+44 1316502759

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.ed.ac.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00107

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Education


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Freight Agency Services

Reference number

EC1049

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 63521000 - Freight transport agency services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Requirement to procure the services of a supplier to provide a 4PL service facilitating an optimisation of the entire supply chain for UoE - from courier services for UK domestic, to import and export shipments. Must include a software solution which ideally will be able to integrate with UoE’s Oracle Fusion “People and Money” system and also comply with our “No PO No Pay” protocol.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £750,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 64120000 - Courier services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Requirement to procure the services of a supplier to provide a 4PL service facilitating an optimisation of the entire supply chain for UoE - from courier services for UK domestic, to import and export shipments. Must include a software solution which ideally will be able to integrate with UoE’s Oracle Fusion “People and Money” system and also comply with our “No PO No Pay” protocol. There is a significant level of fragmented spend with couriers from various colleges and schools at UoE. The new service will enable spend to be centralised through one service.

The appointed freight agent would act on UoE’s behalf as a 4PL logistics supplier and be responsible for sourcing multiple transit options and providers for each consignment. This would involve a software solution for UoE staff to book consignments on. All communication, billing and responsibility for delivering the service will reside with the supplier. This would provide 2 overarching benefits to UoE:

(1) Improved freight rates; one provider understanding our requirement will be able to be active in the freight market in the most advantageous way for UoE. Truly centralising the requirement will avoid UoE being subject to high one-off freight rates.

(2) Improved processes; a single stream of invoices and customs clearance instruction documents will simplify the paperwork process between stores, procurement operations and P&M system. Centralisation of the function will create efficiencies with existing teams and allow time to be redeployed into more effective areas to improve value streams elsewhere.

As well as financial benefits this solution should make it easier to group together sustainability goals in freight which has traditionally had a high carbon cost.

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

1 May 2025


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

The total estimated spend is over a three year period.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=793667.

(SC Ref:793667)