Official UK procurement notice
4 year Framework Agreement for the provision of Civil & Structural Engineering services for new build housing
Authority: Link Group·Consortium: 30 public authorities
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionLink 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 publishedLot #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’.
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality: 70
- Price: 30
- 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
- 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)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-065d93Find a Tender
- 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 noticeTender 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
Timeline
26 Feb 2026 → 27 Apr 2026 · 3 dates- Notice published243 days ago26 Feb 2026, 17:09 GMT
- Admission / appointment period ends212 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown30 Mar 2026, 12:00 BST
- Invitations to tender expected184 days ago27 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
25 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Almond Housing AssociationContracting authority
- Berwickshire Housing Association LtdContracting authority
- Bridgewater Housing Association LimitedContracting authority
- Calvay Housing Association LtdContracting authority
- Cassiltoun Housing Association Ltd.Contracting authority
- Cathcart & District Housing Association LtdContracting authority
- Cernach Housing Association LimitedContracting authority
- Clydebank Housing Association LimitedContracting authority
- Dunbritton Housing AssociationContracting authority
- Glasgow West Housing Association LimitedContracting authority
- Glen Oaks Housing AssociationContracting authority
- Govan Housing Association LimitedContracting authority
- Govanhill Housing AssociationContracting authority
- Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association LtdContracting authority
- Hillhead Housing Association 2000Contracting authority
- Linstone Housing AssociationContracting authority
- Manor Estates Housing Association LimitedContracting authority
- Maryhill Housing Association LtdContracting authority
- New Gorbals Housing AssociationContracting authority
- Paragon Housing Association LtdContracting authority
- Partick Housing Association LimitedContracting authority
- Partick Works LtdContracting authority
- Queens Cross Housing AssociationContracting authority
- Shettleston Housing Association LtdContracting authority
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Economic and financial selection criteria
- Technical selection criteria