Procurement collaborative newsletter: June 2020

1. COVID-19: respond, reset, restart and recovery

Over the past months, we have been working hard to respond to the crisis and support organisations, suppliers and their communities. Much has been achieved in challenging times and we remain ready to respond quickly to challenges and priorities. We have sought to maximise resources through releasing colleagues from our collaborative teams to directly support our Health Directorate and NHS in the purchase of key product lines during the pandemic.

Many of our collaborative agreements have been influential in supporting the wider effort (see articles elsewhere in this newsletter) and a flavour of this is detailed below:

• ICT Product suppliers (HP and Capito) are collecting and refurbishing surplus computers and redeploying these to vulnerable and digital excluded groups.
• Our framework supplier for Stationery (Lyreco) provided the NHS with logistics support during the crisis. Lyreco collected vital safety and hygiene products and delivered on behalf of the NHS.
• Our Tablet Client Device (XMA) and Mobile Voice (Vodafone) suppliers have been supporting the Connecting Scotland initiative that has seen unprecedented demand for mobile devices and connectivity to support vulnerable and digitally excluded groups and also the education sector to support the return of schoolchildren in the new term.

In terms of supply chain management, we continue to monitor any impacts to minimise disruption, we have undertaken full impact assessments on our agreements and have an open dialogue with our key suppliers on SG led agreements. We continue to work with the sectoral procurement Centres of Expertise and our UK Government commercial colleagues to enable an aligned approach and share knowledge.

We are also supporting our suppliers through the crisis by offering relief where appropriate, prioritising demand and helping to address potential cash flow issues.

Our focus is now inevitably turning towards restart and our recent blog on Respond, Reset, Restart and Recovery is worth referring to.

We recognise that, as a result of the continued disruption caused by Covid-19, you may have critical, unusual or one-off procurement requirements. If you are in doubt about securing goods and services from our collaborative arrangements, please contact the appropriate framework manager.

Wider Scottish Government advice on COVID-19  is available on our website

2. Edinburgh taxi framework

An Invitation to Tender (ITT) for this new framework for Central Government and APUC was issued on 30 January 2020. Tenders received for this are currently under evaluation, however the award has been delayed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

As the existing contract was due to end on 29 June 2020, provision has been put in place to formally extend the contract until 30 September 2020 on existing terms.

Should you have any questions in relation to this contract, please do not hesitate to contact Neil.mactavish@gov.scot (0141 242 5589) or Martin.mooney@gov.scot (0131 244 4437

3. Recruitment advertising and public information notices framework

An Invitation to Tender for a Recruitment Advertising and Public Information Notices framework agreement was issued on 27 January 2020. Tenders received for this are currently under evaluation, however due to the current Covid-19 outbreak, we are pausing the tender exercise to allow us to focus our efforts on other priorities.

As the existing framework is due to end on 18 April 2020, provision has been put in place to formally extend the framework until 10 July 2020 on existing terms.

Should you have any questions in relation to this framework, please do not hesitate to contact Paul.Brydon@gov.scot  (0131 244 3718) or Alastair.Dougall@gov.scot  (0141 242 5594).  

4. Collaborative procurement construction team

The collaborative procurement construction team was established in October 2019.  We have produced a Construction Portfolio Review, analysing a £14 billion spend portfolio nationally, and have drafted a procurement strategy for Civil Engineering. We will be seeking endorsement of this very soon, from centres of expertise, in accordance with SG’s collaborative ways of working.

Early development work is also currently underway for the procurement of a national Civil Engineering framework. Our aim is to award this early 2021. We have concluded our Request for Information exercise, and we thank you for your input to this. We are currently in the process of forming our Civil Engineering User Intelligence Group (UIG) and a UIG webinar will take place June 2020. If you haven’t already volunteered to be part of this exercise and your organisation has experience of/or is likely to procure civil engineering projects in the future please consider supporting us.

Construction will play a key part in Scottish Government’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 outbreak. We are working closely with SG Construction Policy, collaborating extensively with industry and professional bodies, centres of expertise and key stakeholders across the framework public body community to ensure we maximise opportunities for the construction industry.

To facilitate planning and share best practice in construction matters we have also established a National Portfolio Forum (NPF) for construction and framework public bodies are invited to join this forum. Read our latest newsletter.

For further details on any of the above please contact Jan.tyczynska@gov.scot (07825 905947 ) or Brendan.little@gov.scot (07773 626356).

5. Construction and building consultancy services and engineering and technical consultancy services frameworks

Scotland Excel is about to commence their relet procurement exercises for their Construction and Building Consultancy Services and Engineering and Technical Consultancy Services frameworks. Our collaborative procurement construction team has sought to maximise collaboration and secured agreement that Central Government, their agencies and NDPBs will be named on the new frameworks so they can access the extensive range of services they offer. We have agreed to act as an initial focal point for the Central Government sector’s requirements from this procurement and are seeking representatives from the sector to support on this.

If you would like more information or can support the UIG for this procurement exercise, please contact Jan.tyczynska@gov.scot (07825 905947) or Brendan.little@gov.scot (07773 626356).

6. Minor new works

NHS National Services Scotland has commenced their relet procurement exercise for Minor New Works valued £50k to £4m. Our collaborative procurement construction team has sought to maximise collaboration and has secured agreement that Central Government, their agencies and NDPBs will be named on the new framework. Normally only available to NHS Boards and a few named organisations, they can access a range of suppliers who deliver these types of project. We have agreed to act as an initial focal point for the Central Government sector’s requirements from this procurement and are seeking representatives from the sector to support on this.

If you would like more information or can support the UIG for this procurement exercise, please contact Jan.tyczynska@gov.scot (07825 905947) or Brendan.little@gov.scot (07773 62635 ).

7. Mobile voice and data services ramework

The ICT team is pleased to confirm that the tariffs have been built and all services are now available from our new single supplier Mobile Voice and Data Services Framework with the successful supplier being Vodafone Ltd. As a single supplier framework, there is no need for any further competition and a straight forward direct call-off contract is all that is required.

This national framework agreement offers excellent value for money for a wide range of mobile voice and data services. Public sector organisations are able to benefit from savings of between 30% to 40% against current public sector prices. 

Further information is available on our website including a buyer’s guide or you can contact David Box (07919 014604) or Margaret Anne McKeown (07901 102899).

8. Dynamic Purchasing Systems

 The ICT Networks team has three Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) currently in place as detailed below. We have recently extended the Telephony Services DPS which now expires in December 2021. Dynamic Purchasing Systems offer a flexible way of procuring the relevant services and have a wide range of pre-approved suppliers. 

Telephony Services
Network Advice
Internet of Things

More information can be found on our website or by contacting David Box (07919 014604) or Margaret Anne McKeown (07901 102899).

9. ICT products - framework/contract extensions

The following ICT product frameworks have been extended and will end on the dates stated:

IT Peripherals (Computacenter): March 2021
Office Equipment  (multi supplier): June 2021
Mobile Client Devices (HP): August 2021

Further information on the scheme can be obtained from Bryan Dodds or James Gray.

10. Non Domestic Energy Efficiency (NDEE) over £1 million projects framework

We have concluded the relet for Non Domestic Energy Efficiency (NDEE) over £1 million projects framework. The new multi supplier framework is designed to deliver NDEE retrofit, in its broadest sense, to public sector buildings and grounds via an Invitation to Mini Competition from the framework, for individual projects over £1 million. This is to include the installation of a wide range of energy efficiency assets that may include, but not limited to:

• Prefabricated energy centres
• Combined heat and power units
• Energy efficient boilers
• Voltage management units
• Controls outstations
• Luminaires, lighting controllers and other lighting assets

The framework duration is 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2024.

Further information can be found on our website or by contacting the Utilities Group Mailbox or the framework manager Billy Lawson (0141 242 0108 or mobile 07465 699654).

11. Non Domestic Energy Efficiency Project Support Unit (NDEE PSU)

We have concluded the relet for Non Domestic Energy Efficiency Project Support Unit (NDEE PSU).

The framework is designed to support public bodies calling off from the NDEE over £1 million projects and NDEE under £1 million project frameworks in securing value for money through works and services that will: maximise energy savings, cut fuel bills and reduce carbon emissions in non-domestic public sector buildings in Scotland. The single supplier framework has been awarded to Mott MacDonald Limited, the previous incumbent.

The framework duration is 15 May 2020 to 14 May 2024.

The Project Support Unit (PSU) is a contract designed to guide customers through the varying energy efficiency measures they may be presented with through the NDEE frameworks. The PSU can only be used to provide support for NDEE call-off contracts.

The role of the PSU will be to support users of the NDEE frameworks (NDEE over £1 million projects and NDEE under £1 million projects) to develop documentation and issue tenders for available services and support framework public bodies through the implementation of their retrofit projects. The NDEE PSU will provide specialist project management, procurement and technical advisors across a range of services. These include but are not limited to: energy efficiency services, technical and energy and buildings related services and related procurement support to deliver and/or procure delivery of Energy Performance Contracts (EnPCs) from the NDEE framework across all regions of Scotland including the Highlands and Islands

Note: Non Domestic Energy Efficiency (NDEE) sub £1 million projects framework is in the final stage of evaluation, and will be awarded in the third quarter of 2020 subject to standstill.

Further information can be found on our website or by contacting the Utilities Group Mailbox or the framework manager Billy Lawson (0141 242 0108 or mobile 07465 699654).

12. CivTech 5.0 – Scottish Government

The Scottish Government are launching the next iteration of CivTech challenges – CivTech 5.  The CivTech team are calling on government departments, NDPBs and the third sector to bring their problems, develop them into CivTech 5.0 challenges and have them addressed by Scotland’s brightest innovators.

Covid-19 related issues and other wider problems are encouraged, from focused single-issue questions to the re-engineering of complete areas, such as health, education, transport, justice, environmental, finance or infrastructure.

We are planning to issue the contract notices in early July. The aim is to have contracts awarded in January 2021.

13.  Circular economy in action

Our framework supplier for mobile and desktop client devices, Hewlett Packard (HP) Inc., and their service partner Capito Ltd are implementing a scheme to collect and refurbish old surplus desktop and laptop computers. The aim is to redeploy these within Scottish public sector organisations to provide interim support to enable mobile working.

The scheme was initiated at the end of March 2020. Devices will be refurbished and securely wiped of data prior to being redeployed and a number of organisations have already benefitted from the initiative including the Manda Centre. The centre provides support for families and friends affected by trauma, loss and personal crisis, Dumfries and Galloway College and the Ayrshire Hospice.  

The scheme is provided free of charge by Capito. This is an excellent example of the value of the relationship Scottish Procurement has established with its suppliers and their commitment to delivering innovative, added value solutions using circular economy principles.

Further information on the scheme can be obtained from Bryan Dodds or James Gray

14. Connecting Scotland

We have been working with our framework providers for Web Based/Proprietary Devices (XMA) and Mobile Voice and Data Services (Vodafone) to support and deliver devices and connectivity to the Connecting Scotland project.

The aim of the Connecting Scotland project is to equip, train and support households which currently lack access to computer devices and the internet at home due to poverty and those which are in the most vulnerable population groups. This will improve digital access to learning, health and other public services and information and tackle digital exclusion amongst learners.

Further information on the scheme can be obtained from David Box or James Gray.