Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus
Inverness
IV2 5NA
Telephone
+44 1463245245
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM6 - Highlands and Islands
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00313
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.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
FTS048 Cleaning Services - Inverness Campus
Reference number
FTS048
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 90900000 - Cleaning and sanitation services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
HIE requires a suitable qualified and experienced supplier to provide cleaning services at a number of buildings at Inverness Campus.
The contract will be let from 1 June 2026 for the initial period of 3 years, unless terminated in accordance with the provisions of the Contract Conditions, with HIE having the option to extend for a further period of up to 12 months and another further period of up to 12 months following the Initial Term (i.e. the maximum contract length including the optional extension periods is 5 years).
The currently envisaged budget for the the first 2 years is GBP 127,800 - GBP 182,600 (excluding VAT). The prices will remain fixed for Year 1 and 2 of the contract, thereafter a price increase mechanism may apply, as per the tender documents.
The value stated in sections II.1.5 and II.2.6. refers to the estimated contract value over the maximum length of the contract (i.e. 5 years).
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £498,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 90910000 - Cleaning services
- 90919200 - Office cleaning services
- 90900000 - Cleaning and sanitation services
- 90911000 - Accommodation, building and window cleaning services
- 90919000 - Office, school and office equipment cleaning services
- 90911300 - Window-cleaning services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM62 - Inverness & Nairn and Moray, Badenoch & Strathspey
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The services required include cleaning and housekeeping, day cleaning and periodic cleaning services.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Q1 Prompt Payment Standard Clause / Weighting: pass/fail
Quality criterion - Name: Q2 Cyber Security / Weighting: pass/fail
Quality criterion - Name: Q3 Payment of the Real Living Wage / Weighting: pass/fail
Quality criterion - Name: Q4 Delivery Methodology / Weighting: 20%
Quality criterion - Name: Q5 Management and Quality Management Methodology / Weighting: 12%
Quality criterion - Name: Q6 Management and Delivery Team / Weighting: 11%
Quality criterion - Name: Q7 Net Zero / Weighting: 5%
Quality criterion - Name: Q8b Monitoring and Reporting of Community Benefits / Weighting: 2%
Quality criterion - Name: Q9 Fair Work Practices / Weighting: 5%
Price - Weighting: 45%
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £498,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
60
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
It is expected that the contract will be let from 1 June 2026 for the initial period of 3 years, unless terminated in accordance with the provisions of the T&Cs, with HIE having the option to extend for a further period of up to 12 months and another further period of up to 12 months following the Initial Term (i.e. the maximum contract length including the optional extension periods is 5 years).
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
HIE reserves the right, on giving reasonable written notice from time to time, to require changes to the Services (whether by way of the removal of Services, the addition of new Services, or increasing or decreasing the Services or specifying the order in which the Services are to be performed or the locations where the Services are to be provided). HIE shall not require any such change other than where it is permitted by Regulation 72 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.
The Contract may be modified for reasons including but not limited to (and are regardless of monetary value):
-Re-purposing of areas and/or change of furniture/layout of area result in increased/decreased services or change of cleaning tasks;
-Changes in occupancy level that require increased or reduced services, for example third party tenants occupying or vacating space, number of employees based in the office;
-Change in any lease agreements requiring increased or reduced services or resulting in no further services required e.g. relocation, building closure, tenant procuring cleaning services directly;
-Services required at additional buildings/sites within Inverness Campus and/or areas/zones in a building e.g. services required in Suite F2;
-Services required at a different building e.g. HIE moves to another office within the local area;
-Requests from occupiers or tenants to increase or decrease service provision, including number of days and number of hours required;
-Ad-hoc cleaning required in excess of the indicative number of hours per annum stated in the Pricing Schedule
-Increase or decrease tasks to meet additional hygiene measures and/or pandemic restrictions/public health emergency;
-Addition or removal of buildings within Inverness Campus e.g. via (partial) sale of building;
-Changes in building zone boundaries resulting e.g. in re-apportionment of costs.
-Removal of services if no longer needed;
-Addition/removal of tasks which also may result in increase/decrease in number of days/hours of services required;
-Changes to task frequencies and/or cleaning schedules;
-Reapportionment of cleaning hours between sites;
-Changes to HIE’s available budget to deliver these services;
-Change of the intended usage of building areas;
-Change in requirements to accommodate temporary works to the building;
-Change of occupancy levels require more or less consumables.
In these situations, HIE will agree a price variation based on the pricing submitted as part of your bid, for example, if we remove a site, then HIE’s cost per year will reduce by the cost associated in your submitted Pricing Schedule for that site.
Modifications may result in the overall contract value being lower or higher than stated in the contract notice/contract award notice which includes HIE’s estimate at the time of tendering.
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.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
4A2A Bidders must have and up-to-date Level 1 Disclosure Scotland Certificate for all personnel used to deliver this contract (including cleaning operatives, supervisors and contract managers) or commit to obtain the required certificates prior to contract start (e.g. when the cleaning operative has not been appointed yet).
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
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:
4B5B Employer's (Compulsory) Liability Insurance - GBP 5M for each and every claim.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf
4B5C Public Liability Insurance - GBP 5M for each and every claim
4B.6 (not scored)
HIE as a public body must comply with HMRC IR35 provisions. Therefore, where you are bidding as a personal service company (PSC) or will be using a personal service company to provide services under the contract please identify these PSC (s) in your response to 4B.6.
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria
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. Please refer to Scope of Requirements for full requirements. If bidders do not pay at least 95% of valid invoices on time and are unable to provide a proportionate and timely improvement plan, their organisation will not be selected to participate further in this procurement.(pass/fail)
4C10 Bidders will be required to confirm whether they intend to subcontract and, if so, for what proportion of the contract. (for info)
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
Refer to the tender documents.
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.1.8) 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
2 February 2026
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: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
2 February 2026
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: HIE reserves the right to re-tender for these services upon termination of the contract or at the end of the contract, including any extension period.
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
A site visit will take place on 13 January 2026. Refer to the Scope of Requirements and Tender Guidance document for further details.
The value stated in section II.1.5 & II.2.6.refer to the envisaged total contract value including any optional extension periods.
In order to participate, bidders should register, for free, on www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk and record their interest in this contract and download and complete all relevant documentation.
Tenders must be submitted via the PCS postbox and must be received by the published deadline. Late tenders will not be accepted and HIE will reject any submissions received after the deadline. Email or hard copy responses will not be accepted.
Where bidders rely on the capacity of other entities in order to meet selection criteria they are required to provide information relating to these entities with the relevant supporting SPD documentation being submitted.
SPD 3D.12 Bidders should refer to the "Conflict of Interest" Section within the Scope of Requirements when completing this question.
The Award criteria Questions 4-9 will be marked according to the following criteria - refer to the tender documents for the evaluation criteria for Questions 1-3 including the minimum threshold for Qs 4-9.
0 - Unacceptable - Nil or inadequate response which fails to demonstrate an ability to meet the requirement.
1 - Poor - Response is partially relevant but generally poor. It 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. It 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. It 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. It is comprehensive, unambiguous and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the requirement and provides details of how the requirement will be met in full.
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=815316.
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.
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:
see tender documents
(SC Ref:815316)
Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=815316
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Inverness Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
The Inverness Justice Centre, Longman Road
Inverness
IV1 1AH
Telephone
+44 1463230782
Country
United Kingdom