Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Government
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Contact
Freya Boyes
Telephone
+44 412425466
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM - Scotland
Internet address(es)
Main address
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
EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL
Reference number
Case 764539
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79530000 - Translation services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Scottish Government is seeking to establish a BSL/English Video Relay Service which enables BSL users to make short video calls using a BSL/English interpreter and emerging services on offer that complement a Video Relay Service. The Scottish Government requires a service that provides quality in terms of BSL/English interpreter translation and by reliable technical infrastructure. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate a high degree of cultural and linguistic awareness of Deaf and Deafblind BSL users who will use the service.
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: £3,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The existing service, Contact Scotland BSL, has been in operation since 2016 and has been expanded to provide a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year national service. BSL users are able to call any public service, third sector organisation, private service or friends and family and can also receive calls. The service also handles calls using a Braille display for deafblind people. It should be noted it is not an emergency service.
The objectives of the Contract are to:
- Ensure that, through the Contact Scotland BSL service, public services, third sector organisations, as well as private sector services and personal calls to family and friends in Scotland are made accessible to Deaf BSL users who need to interact with them;
- Ensure that the Contact Scotland BSL service is delivered to the highest possible standard, with optimal reliability, integrity and fitness-for-purpose; is future-proofed, continuously improved and able to be developed and scaled-up; is protected from inappropriate use or abuse;
- Provide value-for-money to the public purse through delivery of an effective, efficient, competitive and comprehensive service.
The service comprises four main elements:
- Comprehensive management of the service;
- software;
- hardware;
- BSL/English interpreting and interpreting personnel.
The service will go live on 1 December 2025 following an implementation period.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Ability to provide the requirement / Weighting: 15
Quality criterion - Name: Service Delivery / Weighting: 30
Quality criterion - Name: Technical Proposal / Weighting: 25
Quality criterion - Name: Staffing, Knowledge and Expertise / Weighting: 20
Quality criterion - Name: Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) / Weighting: 2.5
Quality criterion - Name: Fair Work First / Weighting: 5
Quality criterion - Name: Community Benefits / Weighting: 2.5
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The contract may be extended, at the sole discretion of Scottish Ministers by up to 24 months.
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 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: 2025/S 000-031063
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
Case 764539
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
18 September 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 6
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 5
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 6
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 6
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Sign Solutions
First Floor, Ipsley Barn,, Berrington Close
Redditch
B98 0TJ
Telephone
+44 1214479620
Fax
+44 8431780782
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £3,000,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Question Scoring Methodology for Award Criteria outlined in invitation to tender
0 Unacceptable. Nil or inadequate response. Fails to demonstrate an ability to meet the requirement.
1 Poor. Response is partially relevant but generally poor. The response addresses some elements of the requirement but contains insufficient/limited detail or explanation to demonstrate how the requirement will be fulfilled.
2 Acceptable. Response is relevant and acceptable. The response addresses a broad understanding of the requirement but may lack details on how the requirement will be fulfilled in certain areas.
3 Good. Response is relevant and good. The response is sufficiently detailed to demonstrate a good understanding and provides details on how the requirements will be fulfilled.
4 Excellent. Response is completely relevant and excellent overall.
Please note there are minimum requirements concerning Cyber Security for this contract.
Tenderers are also asked to confirm:
that they will pay staff that are involved in the delivery of services under the contract, at least the real Living Wage.
they will meet standards on payment of subcontractors
Tenderers who do not pass these questions will not be subject to Commercial Analysis. As a result the tender will not be considered further.
Bidders must complete the SPD (Scotland) to demonstrate adherence to the Exclusion and Selection Criteria for this procurement.
If there are named subcontractors/technicians upon which the bidder will rely to meet the selection criteria, these named parties must complete and reattach the SPD Supplier Response Form attached to SPD.
The contract value is estimated to be no less than 700,000 – 750,000 GBP per annum for each financial year. Subject to Ministerial commitments, Scottish Ministers reserve the right to increase the budget. Scottish Ministers reserves the right to purchase additional services on an annual basis. The volume of additional minutes should not exceed 50% the Bundled Monthly Package amounts per year. In the event of exceeding the normal annual amounts, the cost per minute value will be used to purchase additional services. If the extension option is applied a CPI uplift may apply as outlined in the Pricing Schedule.
(SC Ref:810808)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court
Sheriff Court House, 27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
Country
United Kingdom