Find a TenderClosed
Published 26 Feb 2026, 17:09 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

4 year Framework Agreement for the provision of Civil & Structural Engineering services for new build housing

Official notice

Authority: Link Group·Consortium: 30 public authorities

Framework agreementServicesRestricted procedure
Sectors: Architecture & Engineering (71) Delivery: UK
Framework ceiling (notional)£30,000,000framework ceiling, not attributable revenue
Submissions closed 30 Mar 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Link is seeking to enter into a four-year Framework Agreement with a maximum of six suitably qualified Civil & Structural Engineering

Practices for the provision of engineering services. The services may also include the provision of Principal Designer under the

Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 where the practice can demonstrate it has the relevant experience to provide this

role. We would expect the principals within the practice to be members of the Institution of Structural Engineers and Institution of Civil

Engineers and for the practice to be a member of the SER Scheme and we would also consider membership of ACE to be acceptable (or

their equivalent organisations within the country that the practice operates in).

Link works in partnership with a number of subsidiary companies who will also be entitled to purchase services from the Framework

Agreement. The subsidiaries of Link Group include C~urb 6 Ltd, Link Living, Horizon Housing Association Ltd,

Larkfield Housing Association Ltd and West Highland Housing Association Ltd. Although it is possible that other organisations may join

the Group, becoming subsidiary companies, during the term of the Framework Agreement, and may also wish to "call off" from the

Framework.

Link also works in partnership with several external organisations, refer to Section 1.1 of the Contract Notice for further details, who will

also be entitled to purchase services from the Framework Agreement. It is also intended that any Registered Social Landlord registered and

operating in Scotland will be entitled to purchase services from the framework, subject to Link's prior agreement.

There is no guarantee of any work, however, it is likely that individual commissions will be "called off" either by direct selection or by

mini tendering, within the terms of the Framework Agreement, to identify the most economically advantageous tender.

The Framework Agreement will mainly cover the provision of Civil & Structural Engineering services for new build housing, however

individual projects could include rehabilitation of existing properties, extensions, office accommodation, commercial property, adaptations,

and planned maintenance projects.

The Framework Agreement may include, where successful Bidders are suitably qualified and experienced, Principal Designer Services on

each of the project types listed above.

The projects will range in size, tenure and type from mainstream housing to a variety of particular needs housing. The tenure type will

cover all affordable tenures, private rented and market sale. Applicants should have experience of projects within the affordable housing

sector of between 5 and 500 units including flats, houses and retirement living projects.

The location of projects will vary but in the main will be in the Central Belt of Scotland, Argyll & Bute and Highland, however individual

projects may be located in any part of Scotland. The total number of units in each of the geographical areas may vary and specific numbers

cannot be guaranteed in any area or in total.

Although individual projects cannot be guaranteed, Link will expect the successful Engineering Practices to deliver a high quality and

value for money service.

  • Recurrence: Link Group may renew the Framework Agreement in 2030 as a recurrent procurement.

CPV: Engineering services

How this framework works

From the published notice
Places
up to 6 suppliers

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1Link Group Ltd is undertaking the procurement in accordance with Regulation 29,…Published value£30,000,000

Link Group Ltd is undertaking the procurement in accordance with Regulation 29, Restricted Procedure and Regulation 34, Framework

Agreements of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulation 2015.

A maximum of ten bidding organisations that submit a SPD (Scotland) Document response and meet the selection criteria will be

invited to submit a tender for the Framework Agreement in accordance with Regulation 66 ‘Reduction of the number of otherwise qualified

candidates to be invited to participate’.

Delivery: UK · Various locations throughout the central belt of Scotland, Argyll & Bute and Highland.
Second stage: 5–10 candidates invited to tenderVariant bids: not allowed

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Quality: 70%Price: 30%
Published award criteria (2)
  • Quality: 70
  • Price: 30
Conditions of participation2
  • Suitability

    Where it is required, within a bidder’s country of establishment they must confirm which authorisation or memberships of the

    relevant organisation(s) are required in order to perform this service.

    Bidders should be a member practice of the SER Scheme or ACE or the equivalent organisations within the country that your practice is

    based.

    Principals within the bidding practice should be members of the Institution of Structural Engineers and Institution of Civil Engineers or the

    equivalent organisations within the country that your practice is based.

  • Technical & professional ability

    Bidders should be a member practice of the SER Scheme or ACE or the equivalent organisations within the country that your practice is

    based.

    Principals within the bidding practice should be members of the Institution of Structural Engineers and Institution of Civil Engineers or the

    equivalent organisations within the country that your practice is based.

Staff
Names and qualifications of delivery staff must be submitted
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
  • “4 year Framework Agreement for the provision of Civil & Structural…” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 6 suppliers, not a single contract.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record · publisher note attached
Procedure method
Restricted procedure
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Closed
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Framework agreement
Who may use this agreement
Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Yes · Link Group may renew the Framework Agreement in 2030 as a recurrent procurement.
First published
26 Feb 2026, 17:09 GMT
Last source update
26 Feb 2026, 17:09 GMT
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-017590
Classification (CPV)
Engineering services
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-065d93 Find a Tender
Contract terms
Electronic trading
e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
Performance terms

As detailed within the ITT Document provided with the Contract Notice, which for the avoidance of doubt includes the Schedule of

Services.

Publisher note: A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows: Successful Engineering Practices will be expected to provide community benefits through the course of the Framework contract, for example, the provision of placements for school pupils or students. Please refer to the Community Benefits section within the ITT document provided with the Contract Notice for further information. NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=824356. The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx. Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems. 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: Successful Engineering Practices will be expected to provide community benefits through the course of the Framework contract, for example, the provision of placements for school pupils or students. Please refer to the Community Benefits section within the ITT document provided with the Contract Notice for further information. (SC Ref:824356) Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=824356

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: Public Contracts Scotland · Who buys & how to bid on PCS
Supplier login requiredLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free single registration for Scotland; PCS-Tender (Jaggaer) for full bidding

Tender documents are also served through a separate tool: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk ↗

Appointment period ends
30 Mar 2026, 12:00 BST
Submission channel
{"electronicSubmission"}
Accepted languages
en
Bid validity
1440 days from the deadline
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

26 Feb 2026 → 27 Apr 2026 · 3 dates
  1. Notice published243 days ago
    26 Feb 2026, 17:09 GMT
  2. Admission / appointment period ends212 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown
    30 Mar 2026, 12:00 BST
  3. Invitations to tender expected184 days ago
    27 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

25 public bodies on the notice

Link Group

Contracting authorityRegistered Social LandlordHousing and community amenities Watling House, Callendar Business Park, Falkirk, UK, FK1 1XRContact name, email, phone Published organisation website ↗

Consortium members and other public bodies

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

  • Economic and financial selection criteriatenderEconomic and financial selection criteria
  • Technical selection criteriatenderTechnical selection criteria