Tender

CT1542 Sheriff Officer Services

  • The City of Edinburgh Council

F02: Contract notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-052812

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04c135

Published 1 September 2025, 1:47pm



The closing date and time has been changed to:

7 October 2025, 12:00pm

See the change notice.

Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

The City of Edinburgh Council

Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street

Edinburgh

EH8 8BG

Email

nicole.sherry@edinburgh.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00290

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

Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at

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

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

CT1542 Sheriff Officer Services

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79940000 - Collection agency services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The City of Edinburgh Council (the Council) is seeking to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of Sheriff Officer Services. This service recovers funds from debt streams including unpaid Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing Benefit Overpayments, Parking Fines and Sundry Debt.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £1,750,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

Tenders may be submitted for all lots

Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 1

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

All Debt Streams - Primary Collection

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 75242110 - Bailiff services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of
Main site or place of performance

The city of Edinburgh.

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The City of Edinburgh Council (the Council) is seeking to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of Sheriff Officer Services. This requirement recovers funds from debt streams including unpaid Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing Benefit Overpayments, Parking Fines and Sundry Debt.

The Lot 1 Provider will receive the majority of debt cases.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70

Cost criterion - Name: Cost / Weighting: 30

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

Duration in months

84

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

This Framework Agreement will run for a period of four years with the option to extend for a further 24 month period and a further 12-month period (4+2+1).

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

Please see tender documentation for further information.

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

All Debt Streams - Secondary collection

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 75242110 - Bailiff services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of
Main site or place of performance

The city of Edinburgh.

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The City of Edinburgh Council (the Council) is seeking to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of Sheriff Officer Services. This service recovers funds from debt streams including unpaid Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing Benefit Overpayments, Parking Fines and Sundry Debt.

The Provider for Lot 2 shall receive cases from the Council where the collection and recovery efforts of the Lot 1 Provider have been unsuccessful. If a customer's case has been passed to the Lot 2 Provider and a new debt arises from the same customer, this debt will also be passed to the Lot 2 Provider for consistency and to ensure the case is dealt with in its entirety.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70

Cost criterion - Name: Cost / Weighting: 30

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

Duration in months

84

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

This Framework Agreement will run for a period of four years with the option to extend for a further 24 month period and a further 12-month period (4+2+1).

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

Part IV: Selection criteria – A: Service Contracts- Professional & Trade Registers – Question 4A2 Tenderers must be members of the Society of Messengers-At-Arms and Sheriff Officers (SMASO). Tenderers are required to be registered to the SMASO and adhere to its Code of Conduct.

Part IV: Selection criteria – A: Service Contracts- Professional & Trade Registers – Question 4A2 It is a mandatory requirement that Sheriff Officers and Messengers-At-Arms involved in the delivery of this Framework Agreement are commissioned to operate in Edinburgh.

three.1.2) Economic and financial standing

List and brief description of selection criteria

This refers to Section B of Part IV of the SPD (Scotland).

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required

Part IV: Selection criteria - B: Economic and financial standing – Question 4B.1 - Tenderers are required to meet the following financial thresholds:

Lot 1 - a minimum “general” annual turnover of GBP 300,000 for the last two financial years. Where a Tenderer does not have an annual turnover of this value, the Council may exclude the Tenderer from the competition or may apply discretion seeking supporting evidence to determine the Tenderer’s suitability to proceed in the competition.

Lot 2 - a minimum “general” annual turnover of GBP 200,000 for the last two financial years. Where a Tenderer does not have an annual turnover of this value, the Council may exclude the Tenderer from the competition or may apply discretion seeking supporting evidence to determine the Tenderer’s suitability to proceed in the competition.

Part IV: Selection criteria - B: Economic and financial standing – Question 4B.4 - Tenderers will be required to provide the following information in response to 4B.4:

Current ratio for Current Year: greater than 1.10

Current ratio for Prior Year: greater than 1.10

The formula for calculating a Tenderer’s current ratio is current assets divided by current liabilities. The acceptable range for each financial ratio is greater than 1.10. Where a Tenderer’s current ratio is less than the acceptable value, the Council may exclude the Tenderer from the competition or may apply discretion seeking supporting evidence to determine the Tenderer’s suitability to proceed in the competition.

Part IV: Selection criteria - B: Economic and financial standing – Question 4B.5 - Tenderers are required to hold, or commit to obtaining prior to the commencement of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below:

- Employers (Compulsory) Liability Insurance - GBP 5 million

- Public Liability Insurance - GBP 5 million

- Professional Indemnity - GBP 5 million

Where a Tenderer does not hold or commit to obtaining the types and levels of insurance indicated, the Council will exclude the Tenderer from the competition.

three.1.3) Technical and professional ability

List and brief description of selection criteria

This refers to section C and D of Part IV of the SPD (Scotland).

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required

Part IV: Selection criteria – A: Service Contracts- Professional & Trade Registers – Question 4A2 - It is a mandatory requirement that Messengers-At-Arms and Sheriff Officers are commissioned to operate in Edinburgh.

Part IV: Selection criteria – A: Service Contracts- Professional & Trade Registers – Question 4A2 - Tenderers must be members of the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers (SMASO) and are required to be registered and adhere to its Code of Conduct.

Part IV: Selection Criteria – C: Technical and Professional Ability – Services – Question 4C1.2 - It is a mandatory requirement that Provider’s have experience of high-volume local government revenue collection and/or experience in Edinburgh, or a city with a similar demographic composition. Please provide one example of a similar contract that you have delivered. Your response should consider:

- The contracting authority/organisation

- Approximate value of debt collected

- Overview of the contract delivered

Your response must not exceed 500 words.

Part IV: Selection criteria - C: Technical and Professional Ability – Living Wage – Question 4C.4 - Tenderers are asked to confirm that they will pay staff that are involved in the delivery of the Framework Agreement, and/or any subsequent call off contract (including any agency or sub-contractor staff directly involved in the delivery of the Framework Agreement, and/or any subsequent call off contract), at least the real Living Wage. Please note that tenderers who fail to answer “Yes” to this question will not have their tender considered further or proceed to the Price/Quality ratio calculation.

Part IV: Selection criteria - C: Technical and Professional Ability – Prompt Payment – Question 4C.4 - Tenderers are asked to confirm that they will include the standard clause in all contracts used in the delivery of the requirements, ensuring payment of sub-contractors at all stages of the supply chain within 30 days and include a point of contact for sub-contractors to refer to in the case of payment difficulties. This will require you to actively monitor payment performance and provide evidence and reports to the contracting authority on a regular basis. If you do not intend to use any sub-contractors, please answer N/A.

Part IV: Selection criteria - C: Environmental Management Measures – Question 4C.7 - Tenderers 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 “CT1542 Climate Change Plan” attached to this question including planned projects and actions to reduce the bidder’s carbon emissions. This does not need to contain calculated carbon emissions. Where a Tenderer’s response is of a less than the acceptable standard, the Council may exclude the Tenderer from the competition or may apply discretion seeking supporting evidence to determine the Tenderer’s suitability to proceed in the competition.

Part IV: Selection criteria – C: Quality Control – Question 4C.12 - It is a mandatory requirement that organisations have a code of conduct in place. The code of conduct should include commitments and supporting procedures, including the mechanisms in place to secure compliance and to highlight and address non-compliance. Please attach your organisation’s code of conduct.

Part IV: Selection criteria - D: Quality Assurance Schemes & Environmental Management – Question 4D.1 - It is a mandatory requirement that Tendering Organisations with more than 5 employees have in place a Health & Safety Policy which is approved at a senior level within the Organisation and is reviewed regularly. Tenderers should confirm that this condition has been met within the response to this question. Where a Tenderer does not have a Health & Safety Policy and is required to do so, the Council may exclude the Tenderer from the competition.

three.2) Conditions related to the contract

three.2.1) Information about a particular profession

Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession

Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision

Tenderers must be members of the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers (SMASO) and are required to be registered and adhere to its Code of Conduct.

three.2.2) Contract performance conditions

Please refer to the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) provided in the document entitled CT1542 Key Performance Indicators.

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 several operators

Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 2

In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years:

It can take the Provider years to fully recover debt and work through cases. It would significantly affect the success of the debt recovery process if a short-term Framework Agreement was introduced that required changing Providers, the recovery process for client cases in progress would have to be restarted and this process would be lengthy.

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 000-038628

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Originally published as:

Date

2 October 2025

Local time

12:00pm

Changed to:

Date

7 October 2025

Local time

12:00pm

See the change notice.

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 4 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

2 October 2025

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: If extension options are not used then this opportunity is likely to be published in the third quarter of 2029. If extension options are utilised then the third quarter of 2032.

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 see tender documentation for further information.

The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 29530. 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:

Please see document entitled CT1542 Community Benefits Guidance.

(SC Ref:802280)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Sheriff Court

27 Chambers Street

Edinburgh

EH1 1LB

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

An economic operator that suffers or risks suffering loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or Court of Session. A claim for an ineffectiveness order must be made within 30 days of the Contract Award Notice being published in the Find a Tender Service or within 30 days of the date those who expressed an interest in or otherwise bid for the contract were informed of the conclusion of the contract or in any other case within 6 months from the date on which the contract was entered into.