Employability Services Procured Service Arrangement - Phase 4

The Council is seeking to appoint service providers to the Employability Procured Service Arrangement (PSA). This is a bespoke arrangement/flexible framework which has been developed primarily for Employability Services but can be accessed by all services within the Council.

The PSA will be procured using the “light touch” procedure set out in Regulations 74 -76 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (“the 2015 Regulations”). This allows the Council to carry out a selection process which adopts the principles of equal treatment, non-discrimination and transparency and complies with procurement best practice without requiring the use of the traditional open or restricted procedure set out in the 2015 Regulations.

The PSA has a broad scope of service delivery with the opportunity for many providers to be appointed. There is no limit on the number of providers who can be appointed to any of the lots under the PSA. The PSA remains open for its lifetime which allows for new providers to be added over its term, at regular intervals which will be advised by the Council. Applicants to the PSA will be evaluated in ‘Phases’, based on the closing date for each Phase. Following the closing of each Phase, the PSA will re-open for new applications for the next Phase.

Exclusion Criteria

Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

SPD Questions 3A – 3C have been identified as mandatory exclusion grounds and SPD Questions 3D have been identified as discretionary exclusion grounds. All the exclusion grounds will be assessed on a PASS/FAIL basis. For the mandatory exclusion grounds a bid will be excluded where the Applicant fails to provide either a positive response or to provide details to the satisfaction of the Council of the self cleansing measures undertaken. For the discretionary exclusion grounds a bid may be excluded where the Applicant fails to provide either a positive response or if the Council is not satisfied as to the self cleansing measures undertaken.

Declarations and Certificates

In an open tendering procedure prior to any award being made the successful Applicant will provide the undernoted certificates, declarations and/or completed questionnaires to evidence their compliance with the relevant questions within the Qualification Envelope.

All certificates, declarations and questionnaires can be found within the Attachment area of PCS-T.

SPD Question 2D.1 Prompt Payment Certificate

SPD Question 3A.6 Modern Slavery Act 2015 Declaration

SPD Questions 3A.1 to 3A.8 Serious and Organised Crime Declaration

SPD Question 3D.3 Human Rights Act Declaration

SPD Question 3D.11 Non-Collusion Certificate

SPD Question 4B.5.1 Insurance Certificates / Schedules

SPD Question 4C.6 Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act

2007 Declaration

Declaration Section *Form of Tender

All certificates, declarations and questionnaires can be found within the Attachment area of PCS-T.

The ‘Form of Offer to Tender’ must be completed and uploaded within the relevant question in the Commercial Envelope. Failure to provide this information or in the event that the information provided does not support or evidence the statements made within the SPD will invalidate the bid.

Failure to provide this information or in the event that the information provided does not support or evidence the statements made within the SPD will invalidate the bid.

The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 31933. 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:

Community Benefits in Procured Services Arrangements will be addressed annually based on cumulative spend for all Call-Off contracts

awarded. The Provider will be required to provide a method statement and programme setting out how and when the Community Benefits

offered will be delivered for the CBs selected.

The delivery of Community Benefits will be monitored and reported through the Council’s performance appraisal process.