Tender

International Technical Support Framework

  • Scottish Enterprise

F02: Contract notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-018479

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-050b80

Published 1 May 2025, 2:55pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Scottish Enterprise

Atrium Court, 50 Waterloo Street

Glasgow

G2 6HQ

Contact

Gordon Hutton

Email

gordon.hutton@scotent.co.uk

Telephone

+44 1414686024

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM82 - Glasgow City

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/

Buyer's address

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00398

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://www.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.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local Agency/Office

one.5) Main activity

Economic and financial affairs


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

International Technical Support Framework

Reference number

P26-0007

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79411100 - Business development consultancy services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The purpose of this ITT is to appoint a single supplier, operating under a Framework Agreement, to provide Services to Scottish Enterprise (“SE”), and the respective subsidiary and associated companies and undertakings, and public bodies sharing complementary economic development and/or training objectives (together, the “Purchasers”).

Scottish Enterprise (therein referred to as SE) is seeking to tender a package of support to service the demand from Scottish based exporting companies with trade process and regulatory enquiries which are complex or technical in nature. The main objective is to assist companies to overcome real time challenges and issues to help them continue to export goods and services.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £300,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM - Scotland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The purpose of this ITT is to appoint a single supplier, operating under a Framework Agreement, to provide Services to Scottish Enterprise (“SE”), and the respective subsidiary and associated companies and undertakings, and public bodies sharing complementary economic development and/or training objectives (together, the “Purchasers”).

Scottish Enterprise (therein referred to as SE) is seeking to tender a package of support to service the demand from Scottish based exporting companies with trade process and regulatory enquiries which are complex or technical in nature. The main objective is to assist companies to overcome real time challenges and issues to help them continue to export goods and services.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

36

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

The Framework Agreement will be award for an initial period of 24 months with the option to extend by 1 period of 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

two.2.14) Additional information

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 (Scotland) Regulations 2015.


Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information

three.1) Conditions for participation

three.1.2) Economic and financial standing

List and brief description of selection criteria

Q4B.1.b - Bidders will be expected to have an average yearly turnover of a minimum of GBP100,000 for the last 2 years. Scottish Enterprise reserves the right to exclude bidders who don’t meet this requirement.

Q4B.3 - Where turnover information is not available for the time period requested, the bidder will be required to state the date which they were set up or started trading. Scottish Enterprise reserves the right to exclude bidders who don’t meet this requirement.

Q4B.4 - Bidders will be expected to state the value(s) for the following financial ratio(s): Liquidity ratio, greater than or equal to 0.80. The liquidity ratio is calculated as current assets minus inventory (stock) divided by current liabilities for each of the last two years and the average of these equals the ratio. Scottish Enterprise reserves the right to exclude bidders who don’t meet this requirement.

Q4B.5.1 - Please confirm below whether you already have or can commit to obtain, prior to the commencement of the contract, the appropriate levels of insurance for this contract. Bidders that do not already have, or cannot commit to obtain insurances may be excluded from further participation in this procurement exercise. Scottish Enterprise reserves the right to exclude bidders who don’t meet this requirement.

- Employer's (Compulsory) Liability Insurance - GBP5,000,000

- Public Liability Insurance – to an appropriate level determined by the bidder

- Professional Indemnity Insurance – to an appropriate level determined by the bidder

three.1.3) Technical and professional ability

List and brief description of selection criteria

Q4C.1.2 - Bidders will be required to provide 2 relevant examples of similar commissions in which they have been involved. Each example should be no more than 200 words and include a description of the key outputs delivered, duration, value and the customer/client. Bidders can submit examples in a separate document to allow room to provide details of the service provided. These will be evaluated on a PASS/FAIL basis. Pass equals providing 2 examples detailing relevant experience to deliver the service. Fail equals failure to provide 2 examples detailing relevant experience to deliver the service.

Q4C.4 - If bidders intend to use a supply chain to deliver the requirements detailed in II.2.4 in the Find a Tender Service, Contract Notice or relevant section of the Site Notice, they should confirm they have (or have access to) the relevant supply chain management and tracking systems to ensure a resilient and sustainable supply chain. This will include confirmation that they have the systems in place to pay subcontractors through the supply chain promptly and effectively, and provide evidence when requested of:

a) their standard payment terms

b) ≥95% of all supply chain invoices being paid on time (in accordance with the terms of contract) in the last financial year

If the bidder is unable to confirm (b) they must provide an improvement plan, signed by their director, which improves the payment performance.

Q4C.7 - Bidders will be required to confirm that they will employ environmental management measures that meet the following requirements:

Bidders will be required to provide evidence that their organisation has taken steps to build their awareness of the climate change emergency and how they will respond. Accepted evidence includes but is not limited to:

- a completed copy of the Bidder ‘relevant contract’ Climate Change Plan Template, including planned projects and actions to reduce the bidder’s carbon emissions. This does not need to contain calculated carbon emissions.

This will be evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis as follows:

PASS – Production and submission of a Bidder Climate Change Plan that has been reviewed and signed off by the Board of Directors (or equivalent management body)

FAIL – No Bidder Climate Change Plan produced and submitted that has been reviewed and signed off by the Board of Directors (or equivalent management body)

Q4C.10 - Bidders will be required to confirm whether they intend to subcontract and, if so, for what proportion of the contract.

three.2) Conditions related to the contract

three.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract

Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system

The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement

Framework agreement with a single operator

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

Date

5 June 2025

Local time

11:00am

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: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

5 June 2025

Local time

11:00am


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

This is a relevant climate change contract, bidders are required to complete and return the attached Climate Change Plan template.

SPD Statement for 2A.17 – Form of Participation (Notably as part of a group, consortium, joint venture or similar).

Any contract will be entered into with the nominated lead organisation and all members of the consortium, who will in these circumstances each be required to execute said contract together with all ancillary documentation, evidencing their joint and several liability in respect of the obligations and liabilities of the contract. It will be for members of the consortium to sort out their respective duties and liabilities amongst each other. For administrative purposes, any associated documentation will be sent to the nominated lead organisation.

SPD Statement for 2C.1 - Where the main bidder relies on the capacities of other entities in order to meet the selection criteria, the bidder must provide a separate SPD response setting out the information required under SPD (Scotland): Part II (sections A and B); Part III exclusion grounds; the relevant part of Section IV selection criteria; and Part V (if applicable) for each of the entities concerned.

SPD Statement for 2D.1 – If the bidder proposes to subcontract any part(s) of the service and those sub-contractors are not relied upon, they should arrange for a separate SPD response from each potential subcontractor. The subcontractors must complete the relevant parts of the SPD (Scotland) (Sections A and B of Part II and Part III only) to self-declare whether there are grounds for their exclusion. [This may be requested at the selection stage or prior to the subcontractor commencing work on the contract.]

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=796708.

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

(SC Ref:796708)

Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=796708

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Glasgow Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court

Sheriff Clerk’s Office, PO Box 23, 1 Carlton Place,

Glasgow

G5 9DA

Telephone

+44 1414298888

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/glasgow-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court

six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures

Scottish Government

5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw

Glasgow

G2 8LU

Email

SPOEprocurement@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 1412425466

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Government/Procurement/Selling/supplier-enquiries

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

In the first instance, contact the Head of Facilities Management and Procurement at Scottish Enterprise, with any concerns or enquiries. Email: https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/help/contact-us.

An economic operator that suffers, or risks suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, may bring proceedings that will be started in the High Court.

six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

Scottish Government

5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw

Glasgow

G2 8LU

Email

SPOEprocurement@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 1412425466

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Government/Procurement/Selling/supplier-enquiries