SPS-02206 Justice Partners Escort and Court Custody (Scotland)

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is seeking a competent service provider to undertake the delivery of the SPS-02206 Justice Partners Escort and Court Custody (Scotland) (JPECCS) contract. The SPS is the ‘lead’ authority in terms of managing the contract on behalf of the Scottish Government, led by the Criminal Justice Partners (including the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Services and Police Scotland). The Criminal Justice Partners will be seeking a service provider to deliver the full requirements of the JPECCS contract which covers all prisoner escorts in Scotland, including court movements, police custody unit movements, hospital appointments, inter-prison transfers, community work placements and transportation for home leave, together with court custody operations.

In addition, there are a number of secure movements from police stations and prisons elsewhere in the UK to Scotland and vice versa. The service provider will also provide hospital watch escorts for those prisoners admitted to hospital. In 2023/24 there were approximately 37,000 secure and community movements transporting over 125,000 individuals under the contract.

In addition, the service provider will require to have robust data collection systems and reporting tools to support the delivery of the contract and to measure performance.

Bidders should note that legislative compliance in the following areas will be evaluated as part of the award criteria:

The Service Provider shall comply with, and demonstrate how it will ensure compliance with, inter alia:

Criminal Justice and Public Order (CJ&PO) Act, 1994;

The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016;

The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012;

The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971; and

The Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989.

Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011.

Bidders will also be required to comply with, and ensure that their operational instructions, processes and procedures and the delivery of the services ensure compliance with the relevant regulatory and legislative obligations including, but not limited to those relating to:

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974;

Food Safety Act 1990;

Employment;

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR);

Equality Act 2010;

Data Protection Act 2018;

The Human Rights Act 1998;

Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 (RIP(S)A);

United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT); and

Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016.