Find a TenderCancelled
Published 21 Aug 2024, 08:52 BST

Official UK procurement notice

SPPD - Postal Services Framework

Official notice

Authority: Scottish Government (Central government)·Consortium: 2 public authorities

Framework agreement2 lotsServicesOpen procedureMax 1 lot per supplier
Framework ceiling (notional)£96,000,000total for 2 lots · framework ceiling, not attributable revenue · 1 value update
Submissions closed 12 Mar 2025
Lots 2max 1 won per supplier

What is being bought2 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

The Scottish Ministers wish to award a Framework Agreement for the provision of Postal Services for users throughout the public sector in Scotland. The Framework Agreement will comprise of 2 Lots with one supplier appointed to each:

Lot 1 – One Stop Shop for Physical Mail, Hybrid Mail, Scheduled/Regular Bulk Mail (Print & Post), Software and Digital Mail, and Mail Security Screening

Lot 2 – Hybrid Mail, Scheduled/Regular Bulk Mail (Print & Post), Software and Digital Mail Services

Lot limiting - Tenderers may bid for all Lots, however, a Tenderer may only be successful in one of these Lots. For Lots 1 and 2, we will undertake the evaluation in sequence and evaluate Lot 1 first. The Tenderers with the most economically advantageous tender in Lot 1 will be the preferred Tenderers for Lot 1. If the preferred Tenderers for Lot 1 also bid for Lot 2, they will be eliminated from consideration for Lot 2. From the remaining bids in Lot 2 the Tenderers with the most economically advantageous tender will be the preferred Tenderers for Lot 2.

  • Recurrence: within 4 years

CPV: Postal services · Postal services related to letters · Postal services related to parcels

How this framework works

From the published notice
Places
up to 2 suppliers

Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure

2 lots · all with a published value · win at most 1 of them · same evaluation weights on every lot
Lot #1One Stop Shop for Physical Mail, Hybrid Mail, Scheduled/Regular Bulk Mail (Print and Post), Software and Digital Mail and Mail Security ScreeningCancelledRenewalPublished value£76,000,000

Lot 1 of this Framework Agreement is for the provision of a One Stop Shop for the following postal services - Physical Mail, Hybrid, Scheduled/Regular Bulk Mail (Print and Post), Software and Digital Mail Services, and Mail Security Screening

Physical Mail - The collection and delivery of mail from Framework Public Bodies throughout Scotland, including the Highlands and Islands. It is prepared for posting by the Framework Public Body and collected by the Contractor from Framework Public Body sites. It is sorted by the Contractor and either delivered directly to recipients by the Contractor if they operate an end to end process, or injected into the Royal Mail network ‘downstream’ for final mile delivery by Royal Mail.

Off Site Hybrid - The Contractor shall provide an off site hybrid mail service via a web-based or cloud hosted solution allowing a fully digital process up to the point of print;

Scheduled/Regular Bulk mail - The production and delivery of planned or bulk mailings including includes, but is not limited to health screening service letters, generic health messaging, appointment letters and reminders; council tax notices and reminders, bursary notices, prospectus packs

Digital e Communications - The provision of additional and alternative options to physical print of mail items, including but not limited to SMS (text messaging) communications, Email communications, Secure web-based communications.

Software - The Contractor shall be permitted to deliver the required Hybrid, Scheduled Regular/Bulk (Print & Post) and Digital Mail services and/or solutions to Framework Public Body through the provision of the following: desktop solution and/or supporting software, web-based solutions and/or supporting software, development of a Framework Public Body portal or via a contractor’s website interface.

Mail Security Screening - The Contractor shall be capable of fulfilling a broad range of Framework Public Body requirements this shall include security screening services for a variety of inbound mail items; which shall include documents and parcels; and the security screening shall be for a range of hazardous items and materials. Additional information: The Authority accepts that Down Stream Access (DSA) may be a solution offered by Contractors under this Framework Agreement. Where this is the case, tenderers should be in possession of an access agreement with the universal service provider, Royal Mail, and if required to, be prepared to provide the Authority with evidence of this agreement.

Delivery: Scotland
Extensions: The Framework will be in place for a 4 year period, after this the Framework may be subject to renewal.Variant bids: not allowed
Lot #2Hybrid Mail, Scheduled/Regular Bulk Mail (Print and Post), Software and Digital MailCancelledRenewalPublished value£20,000,000

Lot 2 of this Framework Agreement is for the provision of the following postal services - Hybrid Mail, Scheduled/Regular Bulk Mail (Print and Post), Software and Digital

Mail Services.

Off Site Hybrid Mail - The Contractor shall provide an off site hybrid mail service via a web-based or cloud hosted solution allowing a fully digital process up to the point of print.

Scheduled/Regular Bulk Mail - The production and delivery of planned or bulk mailings including includes, but is not limited to health screening service letters, generic health messaging, appointment letters and reminders; council tax notices and reminders, bursary notices, prospectus packs.

Digital e Communications - The provision of additional and alternative options to physical print of mail items, including but not limited to SMS (text messaging) communications, Email communications, Secure web-based communications.

Software - The Contractor shall be permitted to deliver the required Hybrid, Scheduled Regular/Bulk (Print & Post), and Digital Mail services and/or solutions to Framework Public Body through the provision of the following: desktop solution and/or supporting software, web-based solutions and/or supporting software, development of a Framework Public Body portal or via a contractor’s website interface. Additional information: The Authority accepts that Down Stream Access (DSA) may be a solution offered by Contractors under this Framework Agreement. Where this is the case, tenderers should be in possession of an access agreement with the universal service provider, Royal Mail, and if required to, be prepared to provide the Authority with evidence of this agreement.

Delivery: Scotland
Extensions: The Framework will be placed for a 4 year period, after this the Framework may be subject to renewal.Variant 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 · same split on all 2 lots
Quality: 60%Price: 40%
Published award criteria (2)
  • Quality: 60
  • Price: 40
Conditions of participation1
  • Economic & financial standing

    Bidders must demonstrate a current ratio of 0.6 or above and attach financial statements as supporting evidence that they meet the financial requirements. See Question 1.69.1 of the SPD.

    Current ratio will be calculated as follows: total current assets divided by total current liabilities.

    There must be no qualification or contra-indication from any evidence provided in support of the bidders economic and financial standing as this may lead to exclusion by Scottish Government.

    In the event that the bidder does not meet the financial criteria for consideration but has a parent company that does, the tenderer may still be eligible for consideration where their tender submission is supported by a parent company guarantee.

    Minimum: It is a requirement of this framework that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commence of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below: -public liability insurance in the sum of not less than 1 000 000 GBP for any one incide…
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
  • “SPPD - Postal Services Framework” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 2 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 · within 4 years
First published
21 Aug 2024, 08:52 BST
Last source update
1 Jul 2025, 12:17 BST
Award evaluation window
12 Mar 2025 – …
Authority reference
SP-24-009
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-036374
Classification (CPV)
Postal servicesPostal services related to lettersPostal services related to parcels
Delivery area
Scotland (UKM)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04925d Find a Tender
Contract terms
Electronic trading
e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
Review and risk notes
Review procedure

An economic operator that suffers or risks suffering loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or Court of Session.

Publisher note: The estimated total value of 96,000,000 GBP advised at II.1.5 is a genuine estimate, which may be exceeded for services within scope, up to a value of 120,000,000 GBP. The Framework agreement will be available for use by the Scottish Ministers (including Agencies), Scottish Non-Departmental Public Bodies, offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices, cross-border public authorities within the meaning of section 88(5) of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scotland Office, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, councils constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, bodies regulated as social landlords under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, Scottish health boards or special health boards, Student Loan Company Limited, the Commissioner of Northern Lighthouse operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board, Scottish Futures Trust, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Business Stream Ltd, the Business Gateway National Unit at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, further or higher education institutions being fundable bodies within the meaning of Section 6 of the further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, any public body established by or under the Scotland Act 1998 or any Act of the Scottish Parliament, any association of or formed by one or more of the foregoing, bodies financed wholly or mainly by one or more of the foregoing, bodies subject to management supervision by one or more of the foregoing and bodies more than half of the board of directors or members of which, or, in the case of a group of individuals, more thank half of those individuals, being appointed by one or more of the foregoing. In addition to the contracting authorities listed, the framework agreement will be available to charities entered on the Scottish Charity Register and voluntary organisations entered on the Membership Database of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation. Information about agencies of the Scottish Ministers, Scottish Non-Departmental Public Bodies and offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices are listed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/about/Bodies (SC Ref:803110)

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.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk ↗

Appointment period ends
12 Mar 2025, 12:00 GMT
Submission channel
{"electronicSubmission"}
Accepted languages
en
Bid validity
270 days from the deadline
Bids opened
12 Mar 2025, 12:00 GMT
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

28 Oct 2024 → 1 Jul 2025 · 4 dates
  1. Next notice expected
    28 Oct 2024
  2. Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown
    12 Mar 2025, 12:00 GMT
  3. Bids opened
    12 Mar 2025, 12:00 GMT
  4. Notice published
    1 Jul 2025, 12:17 BST

Notice history

6 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 6 Feb 2025
  1. Published value updated to £96,000,000
    6 Feb 2025, 12:36 GMT
    was £50,000,000
  2. Status changed to active
    6 Feb 2025, 12:36 GMT
  3. Procurement method changed
    6 Feb 2025, 12:36 GMT
  4. Deadline published: 12 Mar 2025, 12:00 GMT
    6 Feb 2025, 12:36 GMT
  5. Buyer details updated
    6 Feb 2025, 12:36 GMT
  6. Status changed to unsuccessful
    1 Jul 2025, 12:17 BST

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 2

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

2 public bodies on the notice

Scottish Government

Contracting authorityCentral GovernmentMinistry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisionsGeneral public services 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, Scotland, G2 8LUContact name, email Published organisation website ↗

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace CourtReview body EdinburghContact phone

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.