Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
The Common Services Agency (more commonly known as NHS National Services Scotland) (NSS)
1 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 9EB
Telephone
+44 1312756000
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM - Scotland
Internet address(es)
Main address
http://www.nss.nhs.scot/browse/procurement-and-logistics
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA11883
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
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Patient/Carer Feedback Service
Reference number
NP506626
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
NHS NSS is acting on behalf of the Scottish Government’s Healthcare Quality and Improvement Division in procuring the appropriate technology and services to create a Patient/Carer feedback website for NHS Scotland.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
NHS NSS is acting on behalf of the Scottish Government’s Healthcare Quality and Improvement Division in procuring the appropriate technology and services to create a Patient/Carer feedback website for NHS Scotland using the Open procurement process.
The Scottish Government supports a culture of learning, openness and transparency in NHS Scotland that welcomes feedback, both positive and negative, from people using services and then uses that feedback to drive and inform improvement.
The requirement is for a website that enables people to post their experiences of receiving health and care services publicly online. Although anonymous, the site should record where the person is based (by postcode) and what service they are offering feedback about. The feedback will then be sent by the Service Provider to the appropriate healthcare service manager or clinician for a response or responses, which will be published online alongside the original post. The system will enable any resulting dialogue to be published online in order to share learning and facilitate improvement. The service provider will be expected to provide training and support to organisations, throughout the contract, to encourage best use of feedback in improving services.
The service will be available to all fourteen NHS Territorial Boards and certain National Boards and agencies in Scotland. This will be Golden Jubilee National Hospital, NHS 24, Scottish Ambulance Service, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland, NHS National Services Scotland, and Public Health Scotland) and should include provision to allow other health and social care providers to become registered responders. It should be noted that NHS National Services Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland are due to merge in April 2026 to form NHS Delivery. The service provider will be expected to ensure that registration meets the needs of these newly merged Boards.
The site shall record whether each story is posted by a patient, service user, parent/guardian, family member, carer, member of staff, or someone posting on behalf of a patient or carer, and this information shall be made available in reports to registered organisations.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 85
Price - Weighting: 15
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
48
This contract is subject to renewal
No
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.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria
SPD Q.4B.1.1: Bidders are required to provide statement of accounts or extracts relating to their business for the previous 3 years. Where any are risks identified by NSS as part of the due diligence carried out on the above information NSS may require Bidders to provide additional information to demonstrate financial standing. Additional information can include but not be limited to:
- parent company accounts (if applicable)
- deeds of guarantee
- bankers statements and references
- accountants’ references
- management accounts
- financial projections, including cash flow forecasts
- details and evidence of previous contracts, including contract values
- capital availability.
Bidders who cannot provide suitable evidence of a secure financial standing may be excluded from the procurement.
Q.4B.5.1 and Q.4B.5.2: It is a requirement of this contract that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commence of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below:
Employers liability insurance: 5 000 000 GBP;
Public liability insurance: 1 000 000 GBP;
Professional indemnity insurance: 1 000 000 GBP
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria
4C.1.2 Please provide details of three relevant examples of services carried out during the last three years.
4.C.2 Bidders are required to confirm compliance with standards, such as ISO or equivalent, set by technical bodies, especially those responsible for quality control. Please provide examples such as the following:
- Cyber Essentials
- ISO 9001 - Quality Management Systems
- ISO 27001 - Information Security Management
- ISO 27017 - Code of practice for information security controls
- ISO 27018 - Code of practice for protection of personally identifiable information (PII) in public clouds acting as PII processors
- UK Government 14 Cloud Security Principles
Please state the relevance of any such educational and professional qualifications.
4C.6: Bidders will be required to confirm that they and/or the service provider have relevant educational and professional qualifications such as the following: ITIL qualifications [Helpdesk, etc] or equivalent other professional qualifications relevant to the Services outlined in the Contract Notice.
And:
4C.6.1: Bidders will be required to confirm that they and/or the service provider's managerial staff have relevant educational and professional qualifications such as the following: ITIL qualifications [Helpdesk, etc] or equivalent other professional qualifications relevant to the Services outlined in the Contract Notice.
4C.10: Bidders will be required to confirm whether they intend to subcontract and, if so, for what proportion of 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
23 January 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: 9 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
23 January 2026
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
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
ull details of the requirement and tender submission information is contained within the ITT and associated procurement documents on PCS-Tender
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 30795. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363
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:
It is a mandatory requirement that Bidders agree to support the concept, provision and ongoing development of community benefits provision in relation to this Agreement. Bidders are required to agree to this mandatory requirement. They are also requested to provide a brief summary of the community benefits that have recently been delivered within Scotland, and also what impact and outcomes these have achieved. Bidders are required to summarise any community/social benefits that will be delivered as part of this Agreement if successful, or, alternatively, Bidders confirm that they will engage with the NHS Scotland Community Benefits Gateway (CBG). This gateway, developed through requests from suppliers seeking opportunities to support the delivery of community benefits within the contracting region, provides information community benefit opportunities. The CBG is a free and easy to use online service that connects NHS Scotland suppliers with third sector community organisations within Scotland and will be used for tracking and reporting, and is an approved, compliant route to the realisation of community benefits. For further information please visit: https://www.nss.nhs.scot/procurement-and-logistics/sustainability/access-our-community-benefit-gateway/.
(SC Ref:816763)
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 30795. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
(SC Ref:818562)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Sheriff Court House
Edinburgh
Country
United Kingdom