Official UK procurement notice
Framework Agreement for the Provision of Specialist Art Transportation Services
Authority: National Galleries of Scotland
What is being bought4 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionNational Galleries Scotland (NGS) “The Authority” wish to award a multi-lot, multi-Contractor Framework for the Provision of Specialist Art Transportation Services.
There are 4 Lots under the Framework Agreement covering the provision of business-as-usual UK movements of works/objects through to multi-national transportation of many works/objects to/from multiple venues across the world. Services will include (but not limited to) packaging, transport, storage, technical assistance, technical advice and project management.
Framework Contractors must have a clear understanding of the Contract Requirements and the organisational needs of NGS. For full details of the Contract Requirements, please refer to the associated Invitation to Tender and Framework Agreement documents.
There will be no commitment to a minimum volume of work or spend under the Agreement. Mini competitions for Call-Off Contracts will be conducted on an as required basis. Contractors will have no claim against NGS if they are not awarded any work through Call-Off Contracts.
There is no commitment to a minimum spend over the duration of the Framework Agreement. Under this Agreement, no minimum spend is guaranteed.
It is a requirement that Framework Contractors as a minimum, hold or commit to obtain prior to the award of contract, a valid Cyber Essentials Basic Certification (or equivalent) in place throughout the duration of the Framework Agreement.
- Recurrence: National Galleries Scotland may re-let this Framework Agreement prior to the end of the initial 24 month period. A Contract Notice will be published circa. 12-18 months prior to the end of the initial period. If not, the option to extend will be used.
CPV: Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation · Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
How this framework works
From the published notice- Places
- up to 5 suppliers
Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure
4 lots · no lot values published · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1International & Worldwide Exhibition Transport & Single Transfers (including airport requirements)CancelledRenewal
To provide international and worldwide exhibition transport including co-ordination of the complete logistics package associated with exhibitions from collection from lenders to return at the end of the exhibition, including airport requirements.
International & worldwide single transfers, including packing, storage and part-load transfer where appropriate, and associated airport requirements, are also included under this Lot 1.
The procurement will be conducted through the use of the Open (single stage) procedure.
A position on Lot 1 will be awarded to the 5 Tenderers who score the highest overall marks in accordance with our Tender Evaluation Methodology detailed within the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document.
Bidders must complete and return an SPD (Scotland) form along with their tender submission for Lot 1 (and any other lots they are tendering for).
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.
Lot #2Exhibition Transport within the UK (excluding airport requirements)CancelledRenewal
To provide exhibition transport including co-ordination of the complete logistics package associated with exhibitions from collection from lenders to return at the end of the exhibition for UK loans exhibitions.
The procurement will be conducted through the use of the Open (single stage) procedure.
A position on Lot 2 will be awarded to the 5 Tenderers who score the highest overall marks in accordance with our Tender Evaluation Methodology detailed within the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document.
Bidders must complete and return an SPD (Scotland) form along with their tender submission for Lot 2 (and any other lots they are tendering for).
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.
Lot #3Transport for Specialist RequirementsCancelledRenewal
To provide fine art and object packing, occasional storage and transportation services for works requiring specialist handling and removal (for example large sculpture, works containing hazardous substances etc.).
The procurement will be conducted through the use of the Open (single stage) procedure.
A position on Lot 3 will be awarded to the 5 Tenderers who score the highest overall marks in accordance with our Tender Evaluation Methodology detailed within the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document.
Bidders must complete and return an SPD (Scotland) form along with their tender submission for Lot 3 (and any other lots they are tendering for).
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.
Lot #4UK Single Transfers (excluding airport requirements)CancelledRenewal
To provide fine art and object packing, occasional storage and transportation services, including part-load transfer where appropriate, excluding airport requirements and restricted to the UK.
The procurement will be conducted through the use of the Open (single stage) procedure.
A position on Lot 4 will be awarded to the 5 Tenderers who score the highest overall marks in accordance with our Tender Evaluation Methodology detailed within the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document.
Bidders must complete and return an SPD (Scotland) form along with their tender submission for Lot 4 (and any other lots they are tendering for).
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.
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: 60
- Price: 40
- Suitability
Q4A1a 'Enrolment in a Relevant Professional Register', Q4A.2a 'Authorisation of Particular Organisation Needed' and Q4A.2b'Membership of a Particular Organisation Needed' have been included in the SPD. Bidders must confirm whether this is applicable to them.
If applicable, each question will be scored on a Pass/Fail basis. If the Bidder is required by their country of establishment, to have enrolment in a Professional Register, authorisation and/or membership of a particular organisation that the Bidder has not attained, the response will be deemed a 'Fail'. Any Bidder scoring a 'Fail' mark will be disqualified from the competition.
- Economic & financial standing
Q4B5a - Insurance - Professional Risk Indemnity
Q4B5b - Insurance - Employer's (Compulsory) Liability
Q4B5c - Insurance - Public Liability Insurance & Cyber Liability Insurance
Q4B6 - Other Economic or Financial Requirements
Minimum: Q4B5a - Professional Risk Indemnity at 5,000,000 GBP for any one occurrence or series of occurrences arising out of any one event. Q4B5b - Employer's (Compulsory) Liability at 10,000,000 GBP for any one occurrence or series of occurrences arising out of any one event. Q4B5c - Pub… - Technical & professional ability
Q4D.1 Quality Assurance (including Health & Safety Procedures) & Q4D.2 Environmental Management of the SPD are included in the SPD.
Minimum: Q4D.1 Quality Assurance (including Health & Safety Procedures): all information in regard to minimum level(s) of standards required is contained within the online SPD. This will be scored on a Pass/Fail basis. If the Bidder responds "No" the response will be deemed a "Fail". Any …
- Staff
- Names and qualifications of delivery staff must be submitted
- Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “Framework Agreement for the Provision of Specialist Art Transportation…” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 5 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
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Cancelled
- 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 · National Galleries Scotland may re-let this Framework Agreement prior to the end of the initial 24 month period. A Contract Notice will be published circa. 12-18 months prior to the end of the initial period. If not, the option to extend will be used.
- First published
- 1 Sept 2025, 14:42 BST
- Last source update
- 31 Oct 2025, 15:24 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- 22 Oct 2025 – …
- Authority reference
2026/TF- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-070176- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-059170Find a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
- Performance terms
As detailed in the tender and contract documents.
Publisher note: National Galleries Scotland reserves the right to cancel the procurement at any time and not award a Contract. The expenditure, work or effort undertaken by Bidders prior to the Award of Contract is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of Bidders. Late SPDs and Tenders may not be considered by National Galleries Scotland. With reference to section IV.1.3 ‘Information about a framework agreement’ where an envisaged number of participants to the framework agreement is stated to be 5, this is 5 per Lot of the Framework Agreement. (SC Ref:814502)
How it was run
Official noticeTender documents are also served through a separate tool: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk ↗
- Appointment period ends
- 22 Oct 2025, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bid validity
- 270 days from the deadline
- Bids opened
- 22 Oct 2025, 12:00 BST
Timeline
22 Oct 2025 → 31 Oct 2025 · 3 dates- Admission / appointment period ends370 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown22 Oct 2025, 12:00 BST
- Bids opened370 days ago22 Oct 2025, 12:00 BST
- Notice published361 days ago31 Oct 2025, 15:24 GMT
Notice history
1 event · 2 releases on Find a Tender- Status changed to unsuccessful31 Oct 2025, 15:24 GMT
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecastContracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Edinburgh Sheriff CourtReview body
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.