Education Scotland - Organisation's contracts register: FOI release

Information requested

Request for information related to the organisation's contracts register, procurement strategy document, and contact details. Please find the detailed requests below:

1. Contract Register Request:

I am seeking the full and entirety of the organisation's contract register or database. The register should include the following columns/headings or something similar:

• Contract Reference -Unique reference number associated with the contract.
• Contract Title
• Procurement Category 
• Supplier Name
• Spend (Total, Annual or contract value)
• Contract Duration
• Contract Extensions
• Contract Start Date
• Contract Expiry Date
• Contract Description [Please provide me with as much detail as possible.
• Contact Owner (Person that manages the contract register)
• Contact details of section 151 officer
• CPV codes/Pro-Class
• How many contracts are currently held on the contract register

If any of the headings within your contract register has not been provided, please state this within your response. 

Please provide the contract's register file in Excel format.

2. Procurement Strategy Document Request:

• Can the organisation provide a full version of their Procurement Strategy for the fiscal year 2024-2025?
• If the Procurement Strategy is a strategic direction (2022-2025) instead of an annual plan, please provide an update document for 2023-2024. If an update cannot be provided, please provide information on when an update is planned to be published.
• We require the full document. If any parts of this document have been removed, please state this within your response.

3. Contact Details Request: 

• Provide contact details of the person responsible for API or data sharing, including [Name, Job Title, Telephone, Email Address].
• Provide contact details of the person responsible for the actual contract's register, including [Name, Job Title, Telephone, Email Address].

IMPORTANT:

1. If the organisation has a CRM system or a similar system, ensure there is a facility to download and extract contract data.
2. If providing a weblink to a portal, ensure that all contracts are included, as some organisations may only upload a small portion of their contracts.
3. For organisations planning to make an exemption around spend, clarify that the spend information requested is an overall figure, and a complete breakdown is not required. 

Please provide the contract's register file in Excel format.

Response

Education Scotland publishes details of live contracts each quarter. The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 requires that public bodies publish information on regulated procurements, which means that all contracts of £50,000 and above need to be published. However, where possible, Education Scotland is committed to providing additional information and took the view that we should go further and publish details of contracts over £2,500. This information is available on Education Scotland’s website. https://education.gov.scot/about-educationscotland/policies-and-information/procurement/ 

An excel spreadsheet is attached listing the information you requested. Education Scotland’s policy is that purchases under £2,500 do not fall within the remit of procurement, and there is a separate process for purchasing. Therefore, the contract register covers only spend above the £2,500 threshold.

Education Scotland also uses Scottish Government contracts and frameworks which allows us to make purchases from suppliers without the need for a separate Education Scotland contract. Information on these contracts has been provided in the form of spend during 2023-24. Scottish Government frameworks and contracts. https://www.gov.scot/publications/frameworks-and-contracts/

I have provided the information in a format which is broadly as per your request in Excel format and lists 42 contracts. At heading 10 you ask for a ‘Contract Description’ however, Education Scotland describes the contract under Contract Title (heading 2) so this should provide you with the information you need. At heading 11 you ask for the ‘Contract Owner’- it is Education Scotland’s policy that general enquiries on specific contracts must be made via the Procurement mailbox. I have therefore not provided details of contract owners however, I have attached a link to the Procurement mailbox - edsprocurement@educationscotland.gov.scot

I hope you find this information helpful.

2. Procurement Strategy Document Request:

The procurement strategy is available to download from the Education Scotland website - https://education.gov.scot/about-education-scotland/policies-and-information/procurement/

3. Contact Details Request:

Please note that we do not provide names or contact details of staff as standard but have provided the main point of contact for each area of work.

• Contact details of the person responsible for API or data sharing: Head of Governance and Financial Management - governance@educationscotland.gov.scot
• Provide contact details of the person responsible for the actual contract's register: Procurement and Grants Lead - edsprocurement@educationscotland.gov.scot

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI - 202400420619 - Information released - Annex A

File type

2 page PDF

File size

211.7 kB