Contract

CivTech 7 - Challenge 7.5 - How might technology help match British Sign Language (BSL) users and their required interpreters more easily and equitably?

  • Scottish Government

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-026142

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-03f9f6

Published 5 September 2023, 8:44am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Scottish Government

4 Atlantic Quay, 70 York St

Glasgow

G2 8EA

Contact

Leigh Syme

Email

leigh.syme@gov.scot

Telephone

+44 1412420133

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM - Scotland

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.scotland.gov.uk

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.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

CivTech 7 - Challenge 7.5 - How might technology help match British Sign Language (BSL) users and their required interpreters more easily and equitably?

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Booking British Sign Language interpreters is of vital importance for BSL users, enabling them to be included and effectively participate in the workplace, social events and more. However, BSL users commonly cite an issue around low availability of interpreters. A review commissioned by the Scottish Government in 2019 uncovered evidence that this is often not based on interpreters being unavailable, but instead that current booking systems do not facilitate efficient or effective use of interpreter time. There is currently a fragmented community of BSL users, freelance interpreters and agencies with no market solution in place to support collaboration to address the issues faced by BSL users.

Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved:

https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply

https://www.civtech.scot/selection-process

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £350,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
  • 79540000 - Interpretation services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM - Scotland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

CivTech’s mission is to drive daring and innovation in the public sector by collaboratively solving Challenges that make people’s lives better – and in doing so create generations of sustainable, high growth businesses.

CivTech brings together public sector expertise and private sector innovation to solve real problems, develop new products, and deliver better, faster and easier services for everyone. Central to the approach is co-production with the citizen.

Part of the Scottish Government’s Digital Directorate, CivTech’s approach is helping transform public sector engagement with tech and innovation, delivering significant benefits to public services, producing genuine uplifts for the Scottish economy - and along the way, making lives better.

Across the country there are problems public sector organisations would like to solve and in the current environment the need for smart, efficient and effective products has never been greater. The Scottish Government is aware innovation is a good way to create them and is committed to ensuring a large part of its tech spend goes to smaller, innovative businesses. This is where CivTech comes in.

The CivTech Innovation Flow is designed to create products as quickly and effectively as possible, and uses a true Accelerator model at the heart of its Innovation Flow model. For you – whether you’re an individual, team or company – it’s an opportunity to take on a Challenge , solve it, and win contracts with a blue-chip public sector organisation. You’ll build a product, and a business to take it as far as possible. Because here’s the kicker: the Challenges we issue aren’t ‘single organisation’ problems – most exist worldwide.

In short: Open Challenges are set. Any organisation, team or individual can respond. Applications are assessed, and shortlisted proposals go into an Exploration Stage which runs from the 15th of August to the 2nd of September 2022, where they are then developed further [and for which participating applicants are paid]. The best go through to the Accelerator – a period of intensive work to create the solution, and through CivTech’s unique business workshop system, a business capable of taking the product to the world. The Accelerator Stage will run from the 3rd of October 2022 to the 28th of January 2023.

Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved:

https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply

https://www.civtech.scot/selection-process

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

Additional purchases may be required in order to complete the contract.

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 four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

Accelerated procedure

Justification:

required due to the timescales of the project

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: 2022/S 022-190617


Section five. Award of contract

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

31 March 2023

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 7

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 7

Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 7

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 7

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Deaf Action

Deaf Action, 49-51 Albany Street

EDINBURGH

EH1 3QY

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKM - Scotland
The contractor is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £350,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £277,742


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

Suppliers should read all documents associated with this opportunity

(SC Ref:733502)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Edinburgh Sheriff Court

27 Chambers Street

Edinburgh

EH1 1LB

Country

United Kingdom