Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
The Scottish Parliament, Procurement Services
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Telephone
+44 1313486617
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
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
Other type
Devolved Parliament
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Legislative Body
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Independent Workplace Investigations
Reference number
SPCB-0478
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79720000 - Investigation services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) requires a contractor to provide a comprehensive investigations service into complaint made under the SPCB's Sexual Harassment policy and to provide an advice signposting and advocacy support services.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79720000 - Investigation services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
Scotland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SCPB) requires a comprehensive investigations service into complaint made under the SPCB's Sexual Harassment policy and to provide an advice signposting and advocacy support services. Alongside the Independent Support Service for the sexual harassment policy, the Contractor will provide a workplace investigation service to the SPCB and MSPs in their respective roles as employers.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60
Cost criterion - Name: Price / Weighting: 40
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
Up to 24 months 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
SPD question 4A.1 - not used
SPD question 4A.2 - not used
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria
For SPD question 4A.1 - not used
For SPD question 4A.2 - not used
For SPD question 4B.1 to 4B.4 - not used
For SPD question 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:
Employers’ Liability: 5,000,000GBP
Professional Indemnity: 5,000,000GBP
For SPD question 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. We highly recommend that tenderers review their financial performance on Creditsafe to understand their credit score rating which will be used by the SPCB to evaluate the financial standing of the tenderer and that they read the 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/
The SPCB requires tenderers to have a Creditsafe Risk Score of 40 or higher to demonstrate satisfactory financial standing. If a tenderer has a lower credit risk score than 40 on Creditsafe and has the backing of a parent company with a credit risk score of 40 or higher, then the provision of a parent company guarantee will be required prior to the award of any contract. If a tenderer has a lower credit risk score than 40 and cannot provide a parent company guarantee, they must submit evidence to support a stable and improved financial standing with their tender or the tender may be rejected. If no evidence is provided with the tender or the evidence provided is not sufficient to demonstrate a satisfactory financial position to the satisfaction of the SPCB (whose decision in this regard shall be final), then the tender will be rejected and will not be evaluated further.
If a tenderer is not listed on Creditsafe, for whatever reason, then it will be asked to submit equivalent accounts to enable the required assessment of financial standing to be carried out. If the information provided does not, in the SPCB’s opinion, demonstrate a satisfactory financial position, the bid may be rejected.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
The SPCB requires tenderers to have a Creditsafe Risk Score of 40 or higher to demonstrate satisfactory financial standing. If a tenderer has a lower credit risk score than 40 on Creditsafe and has the backing of a parent company with a credit risk score of 40 or higher, then the provision of a parent company guarantee will be required prior to the award of any contract. If a tenderer has a lower credit risk score than 40 and cannot provide a parent company guarantee, they must submit evidence to support a stable and improved financial standing with their tender or the tender may be rejected. If no evidence is provided with the tender or the evidence provided is not sufficient to demonstrate a satisfactory financial position to the satisfaction of the SPCB (whose decision in this regard shall be final), then the tender will be rejected and will not be evaluated further.
If a tenderer is not listed on Creditsafe, for whatever reason, then it will be asked to submit equivalent accounts to enable the required assessment of financial standing to be carried out. If the information provided does not, in the SPCB’s opinion, demonstrate a satisfactory financial position, the bid may be rejected.
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria
For SPD question 4C.1 - Not used
For SPD question 4C.1.2 - Bidders will be required to provide examples that demonstrate that they have the relevant experience to deliver the services/supplies as described in part II.2.4 of the Contract Notice or the relevant section of the Site Notice.
For SPD question 4C.2 to 4C.3 - Not used
For SPD question 4C4 - If bidders intend to use a supply chain to deliver the requirements detailed in the Contract 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.
For SPD question 4C.5 to 4C.6 - Not used
For SPD question 4C.7 - 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, including knowledge of their emissions sources and actions to address these. Accepted evidence includes but 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.
Guidance on how Bidder Climate Change Plans are evaluated is available on the Sustainable Procurement Tools: Sustainable Procurement (sustainableprocurementtools.scot)
For SPD question 4C.8 to 4C.9 - Not used
For SPD question 4C.10 - Bidders will be required to confirm whether they intend to subcontract and, if so, for what proportion of the contract.
For SPD question 4C.11 to 4C.12 -Not used
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-036422
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
11 July 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
25 July 2025
Local time
2:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: 2030
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
The bidder must be able to meet the SPCB’s minimum requirements in respect of Cyber Security for this Contract.
The Cyber Risk Profile for this contract is moderate, based on the Scottish Cyber Assessment Service. At tender stage the bidder must, by means of completion of the Supplier Assurance Questionnaire (SAQ) demonstrate and maintain cyber security measures to meet a pass mark against this assessment. For assurance purposes, the SPCB requires tenderers to hold Cyber Essentials certification(or equivalent).
Community Benefits are a requirement under the contract, full details are included in the tender information.
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 29542. 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:
Community Benefits are a mandatory part of this contract, for full details see tender information
(SC Ref:801582)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT
Holyrood Road
EDINBURGH
EH99 1SP
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Edinburgh Sheriff Court
Sheriff Court House, 27 Chamber Street
EDINBURGH
EH1 1LB
Country
United Kingdom