United Kingdom-Edinburgh: Framework Agreement for the provision of General Office Supplies

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Ref: (2022/S 000-035231/EN)
Nature of contract: Supply contract
Procedure: Open procedure
Type of bid required: Global bid

Contract notice
Supplies

Section I: Contracting authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: Scottish Government
Postal address: Victoria Quay
Town: Edinburgh
Postal code: EH6 6QQ
Country: United Kingdom
Contact Person: Darren Russell
Email: darren.russell@gov.scot
Internet address(es):
Main address:
Address of the buyer profile:

The contract is awarded by central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge,at:www.publictenderscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from:
the above mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted:
electronically via:www.publictenderscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available.
Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible,free of charge,at:www.publictenderscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions
I.5) Main activity
General public services

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title: Framework Agreement for the provision of General Office Supplies

Reference number: SP-22-021
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 30192000
II.1.3) Type of contract: Supplies
II.1.4) Short Description: This Framework Agreement is for the provision of General Office Supplies, including Stationery, Office Paper, Electronic Office Supplies (EOS), Catering Goods and Consumables, Janitorial and Hygiene products to the Scottish public sector.
The framework agreement will be available for use by the Scottish Ministers (including Agencies), Scottish Non-Departmental Public Bodies, offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices, cross-border public authorities within the meaning of section 88(5) of the Scotland Act 1998, The Office for the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, councils constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, , bodies registered as social landlords under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, Scottish health boards or special health boards, Student Loans Company Limited, the Commissioner of Northern Lighthouse operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board, Scottish Futures Trust, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Business Stream Ltd, the Business Gateway National Unit at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, further or higher education institutions being fundable bodies within the meaning of section 6 of the further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, any public body established by or under the Scotland Act 1998 or any Act of the Scottish Parliament, any association of or formed by one or more of the foregoing, bodies financed wholly or mainly by one or more of the foregoing, bodies subject to management supervision by one or more of the foregoing and bodies more than half of the board of directors or members of which, or, in the case of a group of individuals, more than half of those individuals, being appointed by one or more of the foregoing. In addition to the contracting authorities listed, the framework agreement will be available to charities entered on the Scottish Charity Register and voluntary organisations entered on the Membership Database of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Information about agencies of the Scottish Ministers, Scottish Non-Departmental Public Bodies and offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices are listed at

Overview of the governance structure of public procurement for Scotland, including the Public Procurement Group.

II.1.5) Estimated total value:
Value excluding VAT: 60000000 Currency: GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots:
The contract is divided into lots: no
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
30192000, 30125100, 39222000, 39830000, 33771100, 30192113

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code:
II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
The Scottish Procurement & Property Directorate (SPPD) is the organisation tasked with procuring requirements on behalf of Scottish public sector bodies.
The Framework will cover the provision of General Office Supplies including stationery, office paper, EOS, janitorial supplies, sanitary products and catering supplies. The purpose of this agreement is to provide the Scottish public sector with a supply base with broad service coverage and the capacity, knowledge and experience to deliver a high-quality service.
II.2.5) Award criteria

II.2.7) Duration of the contract,framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 48
This contract is subject to renewalyes Description of renewals:The Framework will be placed for a 4 year period and may be subject to renewal at the end of the 4 year period.

II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: no
II.2.11) Information about options
Options: no
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:no

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria: Tenderers must demonstrate a current liquidity ratio. Ratio will be calculated as follows: –
total current assets divided by total current liabilities.
It is a requirement of the Framework Agreement that Tenderers hold or commit to obtain, prior to the commencement of any subsequently awarded Framework Agreement, the types of insurance detailed below:
Employers Liability Insurance.
Public Liability Insurance.
Professional Indemnity Insurance.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: Tenderers must demonstrate a current liquidity ratio of 0.9 or above (see question 4B.4 of the SPD). The ratio will be calculated as follows: net current assets divided by net current liabilities. There must be no qualification or contra-indication from any evidence provided in support of the bidders economic and financial standing. In the event that the bidder does not meet the financial criteria for consideration
but has a parent company that does, the tenderer may still be eligible for consideration where their Tender Submission is supported by a Parent Company Guarantee.
Levels of insurance detailed below:
Employers Liability Insurance: in accordance with any legal obligation for the time being in force.
Public Liability Insurance: Not less than 1 million GBP for any one incident and unlimited in total.
Professional Indemnity Insurance: Not less than 1 million GBP per incident and unlimited in total.

Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure:
Open procedure
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement

Framework agreement with a single operatorIV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement(GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date: 2023-01-31 Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted:EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tender must maintain the tender
Duration in months:9(from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening tenders
Date: 2023-01-31 Local time: 12:00

Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence:
This is a recurrent procurement: yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published:The framework may be relet at the end of the 4-year period.
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information:
All Tenderers are required to complete the Single Procurement Document (SPD), which incorporates the Selection Criteria questions for this Tender competition and is in the Qualification Envelope within the PCS-T system
Some questions will be subject to exclusion, in accordance with Regulation 58 (1) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.
Tenderers are asked to self-declare that they:
do not fall within a ground for exclusion;
meet the relevant selection criteria.
If it emerges that a Tenderer is in one of the situations which is a mandatory ground for exclusion or does not meet one of the minimum selection criteria, then that Tenderer will be excluded from the competition.
If it emerges that a business is in one of the situations which is a discretionary ground for exclusion, then the decision about whether to exclude that Tenderer will be at the Authority’s discretion.
Question 4.C.4 of the SPD requests that Tenderers state whether they intend, or do not intend, to use a supply chain to deliver the requirements detailed in the ITT.
If Tenderers intend to use a supply chain to deliver the requirements, they should provide evidence in the SPD that they have the relevant supply chain management and tracking systems in place to ensure a resilient and sustainable supply chain. This will include confirmation that the Tenderer has the systems in place to pay subcontractors through the supply chain promptly and effectively, including evidence of:
a) their standard payment terms
b) ≥95% of all supply chain invoices being paid on time (in accordance with the terms of contract) in the last financial year.
If the bidder is unable to confirm and evidence (b) they must provide an improvement plan, signed by their Director, which commits to improvements in the payment performance.
Acceptable evidence includes but is not limited to:
– Extract of the Tenderer’s terms & conditions detailing standard payment terms;
– A summarised accounts payable report showing payment on time performance;
– Payment Performance Statement Signed by External Auditor;
– Credit Score/ Credit Report; or
– An improvement plan, signed by a Director, which commits to improvements in payment performance. Improvement plan template and further evidence examples are held within the Supplier Journey.
Where a Tenderer does not intend to use a supply chain to deliver the requirements detailed in the ITT, they should clearly state this in response to Question 4.C.4.
Responses to Question 4.C.4 will be evaluated as a “Pass” or “Fail”. Tenderers who do not achieve a “Pass” for this question will not be considered further.
Some questions ask for documents to be included in response, please ensure that you upload all relevant documents.
Tenderers must confirm that they will pay all staff that are involved in the delivery of services under the framework agreement, and/or any subsequent call off contract, at least the real Living Wage. Tenderers who fail to answer “Yes” to this question will not have their tender considered further.
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 22914. For more information see:
A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see:
Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see:
A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:
The Contractor will be required, where practical, to:
– Consider relevant opportunities for community benefits;
– Consider opportunities for the involvement of SMEs and/or third sector organisations in supporting the delivery of this Framework;
– Provide assurance regarding fair work first matters.
(SC Ref:714652)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Official name: Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Postal address: 27 Chambers Street
Town: Edinburgh
Postal code: EH1 1LB
Country: United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 1312252525
Internet address:

VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
An economic operator that suffers or risks suffering loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or Court of Session.

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:2022-12-13