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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL

Scottish Government · compiled

Tender information last checkedLast checked 29 Sept 2026, 23:13.

Opportunity overview

The Scottish Government is seeking to establish a BSL/English Video Relay Service which enables BSL users to make short video calls using a BSL/English interpreter and emerging services on offer that complement a Video Relay Service. The Scottish Government requires a service that provides quality in terms of BSL/English interpreter translation and by reliable technical infrastructure. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate a high degree of cultural and linguistic awareness of Deaf and Deafblind BSL users who will use the service.

Awarded to

Amounts belong to published awards or contracts. Where several suppliers share one value, it is labelled as shared and is not a supplier-specific allocation.

Sign Solutions

Match pending…
Contract value
£3m
Awarded
Not supplied
Contract signed
17 Sept 2025
Award ID
058414-2025-Case 764539-1
Status
active
Location
Redditch, UK, B98 0TJ, United Kingdom

Classification

  • CPV79530000 — Translation services

Lots

  • The existing service, Contact Scotland BSL, has been in operation since 2016 and has been expanded to provide a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year national service. BSL users are able to call any public service, third sector organisation, private service or friends and family and can also receive calls. The service also handles calls using a Braille display for deafblind people. It should be noted it is not an emergency service. The objectives of the Contract are to: - Ensure that, through the Contact Scotland BSL service, public services, third sector organisations, as well as private sector services and personal calls to family and friends in Scotland are made accessible to Deaf BSL users who need to interact with them; - Ensure that the Contact Scotland BSL service is delivered to the highest possible standard, with optimal reliability, integrity and fitness-for-purpose; is future-proofed, continuously improved and able to be developed and scaled-up; is protected from inappropriate use or abuse; - Provide value-for-money to the public purse through delivery of an effective, efficient, competitive and comprehensive service. The service comprises four main elements: - Comprehensive management of the service; - software; - hardware; - BSL/English interpreting and interpreting personnel. The service will go live on 1 December 2025 following an implementation period. Additional information: 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.Value not stated

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
Case 764539
Status
complete
Has Recurrence
No
Procurement Method
open
Main Procurement Category
services
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure

Covered By

GPA

Bid Opening

Date
11 Jul 2025, 11:00

Legal basis

Id
32014L0024
Scheme
CELEX

Expected award period

Starts
11 Jul 2025, 11:00

Tender Period

Ends
11 Jul 2025, 11:00

Communication

Future Notice Date
21 May 2025, 00:00

Contract terms

Has Electronic Payment
Yes
Has Electronic Ordering
Yes
Electronic Invoicing Policy
allowed

Classification

Id
79530000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Translation services

Submission terms

Languages

en

Bid Validity Period

Duration In Days
180

Submission Method

electronicSubmission

Other Requirements

Requires Staff Names And Qualifications
Yes

Participation Fees

Entry 1
Id
1

Type

document

Selection criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
economic
Minimum
- Public Liability Insurance (In the sum not less) - 5,000,000 GBP; - Professional Indemnity Insurance (In the sum not less) - 2,000,000 GBP; - Employer’s Liability Insurance - employer’s liability insurance in accordance with any legal obligation for the time being in force. Such insurance must be maintained for the duration of the Contract and for a minimum of 5 years following the expiry or termination of the Contract.
Description
Financial Ratios - Bidders must demonstrate a Current Ratio of 0.8 or more. The current ratio shall be calculated as current assets/current liabilities and shall be based on the previous financial year. There must be no qualification or contra-indication from any evidence provided in support of the bidders economic and financial standing

Applies To

supplier
Criterion 2
Type
technical
Minimum
- Bidders will be required to provide examples that demonstrate that they have the relevant experience to deliver the services/supplies as described in part II.2.4 of the Contract Notice or the relevant section of the Site Notice. - If bidders intend to use a supply chain to deliver the requirements detailed in the Contract Notice, they should confirm they have (or have access to) the relevant supply chain management and tracking systems to ensure a resilient and sustainable supply chain. This will include confirmation that they have the systems in place to pay subcontractors through the supply chain promptly and effectively, and provide evidence when requested of: a) their standard payment terms b) ≥95% of all supply chain invoices being paid on time (in accordance with the terms of contract) in the last financial year. If the bidder is unable to confirm (b) they must provide an improvement plan, signed by their Director, which improves the payment performance. -Bidders will be required to provide evidence that their organisation has taken steps to build their awareness of the climate change emergency and how they will respond. Accepted evidence includes but is not limited to: - a completed copy of the Bidder ‘relevant contract’ Climate Change Plan Template, including planned projects and actions to reduce the bidder’s carbon emissions. This does not need to contain calculated carbon emissions.
Description
- Relevant examples of previous experience - Supply Chain Management/Tracking Systems Used - Environmental Management Measures

Applies To

supplier

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
cancelled
Has Options
Yes
Has Renewal
Yes
Description
The existing service, Contact Scotland BSL, has been in operation since 2016 and has been expanded to provide a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year national service. BSL users are able to call any public service, third sector organisation, private service or friends and family and can also receive calls. The service also handles calls using a Braille display for deafblind people. It should be noted it is not an emergency service. The objectives of the Contract are to: - Ensure that, through the Contact Scotland BSL service, public services, third sector organisations, as well as private sector services and personal calls to family and friends in Scotland are made accessible to Deaf BSL users who need to interact with them; - Ensure that the Contact Scotland BSL service is delivered to the highest possible standard, with optimal reliability, integrity and fitness-for-purpose; is future-proofed, continuously improved and able to be developed and scaled-up; is protected from inappropriate use or abuse; - Provide value-for-money to the public purse through delivery of an effective, efficient, competitive and comprehensive service. The service comprises four main elements: - Comprehensive management of the service; - software; - hardware; - BSL/English interpreting and interpreting personnel. The service will go live on 1 December 2025 following an implementation period. Additional information: 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.

Options

Description
The contract may be extended, at the sole discretion of Scottish Ministers by up to 24 months.

Renewal

Description
The contract may be extended, at the sole discretion of Scottish Ministers by up to 24 months.

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Name
Ability to provide the requirement
Type
quality
Description
15
Criterion 2
Name
Service Delivery
Type
quality
Description
30
Criterion 3
Name
Technical Proposal
Type
quality
Description
25
Criterion 4
Name
Staffing, Knowledge and Expertise
Type
quality
Description
20
Criterion 5
Name
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR)
Type
quality
Description
2.5
Criterion 6
Name
Fair Work First
Type
quality
Description
5
Criterion 7
Name
Community Benefits
Type
quality
Description
2.5
Criterion 8
Type
price
Description
30

Contract period

Ends
30 Nov 2027, 23:59
Starts
1 Sept 2025, 00:00

Submission terms

Variant Policy
notAllowed

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKM
Entry 2
Region
UKM
Entry 3
Region
UKM

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-FTS-6067
Name
Scottish Government

Roles

buyer
centralPurchasingBody

Address

Region
UKM
Locality
Edinburgh
Postal Code
EH6 6QQ
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Victoria Quay

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
MINISTRY
Scheme
TED_CA_TYPE
Description
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
Entry 2
Id
01
Scheme
COFOG
Description
General public services

Identifier

Legal Name
Scottish Government

Contact

Name
Freya Boyes
Telephone
+44 412425466
Organisation 2
Id
GB-FTS-809
Name
Edinburgh Sheriff Court

Roles

reviewBody

Address

Locality
Edinburgh
Postal Code
EH1 1LB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Sheriff Court House, 27 Chambers Street

Identifier

Legal Name
Edinburgh Sheriff Court
Organisation 3
Id
GB-FTS-154953
Name
Sign Solutions

Roles

supplier

Address

Region
UK
Locality
Redditch
Postal Code
B98 0TJ
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
First Floor, Ipsley Barn,, Berrington Close

Details

Scale
sme

Identifier

Legal Name
Sign Solutions

Contact

Fax Number
+44 8431780782
Telephone
+44 1214479620

Award information

Award 1
Id
058414-2025-Case 764539-1
Status
active

Suppliers

Supplier 1
Id
GB-FTS-154953
Name
Sign Solutions

Related lots

1

Contracts and changes

Entry 1
Id
058414-2025-Case 764539-1
Status
active
Award ID
058414-2025-Case 764539-1
Date Signed
18 Sept 2025, 00:00

Value

Amount
3,000,000
Currency
GBP

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Edinburgh · UKM · EH6 6QQ · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKM

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-04f91d-2025-09-22T11:19:24+01:00compiled ·