Student Assistance and Support Services

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    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05f5ef-2026-05-25T10:21:23+01:00",
    "date": "2026-05-25T10:21:23+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05f5ef",
    "description": "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. Suppliers should confirm they will be in a position to complete (at point of award) the following: Appendix A Form of Tender Appendix B Freedom of Information Appendix D APUC Sustain Supply Chain Code of Conduct The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 31588. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343 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: In line with the Procurement Reform Act (2014), the Contractor will work with the Authority to consider what community benefits can be delivered through this Framework Agreement. This will include, whenever feasible, ensuing that any Institution undertaking a call off can capture community benefits. These may include, but not limited to, employment and recruitment, skills and training opportunities, community engagement and anything delivered through the contract intended to improve the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of the community in a way that is additional to the main purpose of the Framework Agreement. (SC Ref:829016)",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "tender": {
        "id": "SEC1008 AP",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "32014L0024",
            "scheme": "CELEX"
        },
        "title": "Student Assistance and Support Services",
        "status": "active",
        "classification": {
            "scheme": "CPV",
            "id": "85312320",
            "description": "Counselling services"
        },
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "description": "The Authority is seeking Contractor(s) for the provision of student assistance and support services to the Scottish HE/FE sector (https://www.apuc-scot.ac.uk/?#!/members). These services include: counselling sevices, student support helpline and online mental health and wellbeing support.",
        "value": {
            "amount": 800000,
            "currency": "GBP"
        },
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "description": "This lot will be combining: - Counselling on a one-on-one basis given via SVC, telephone and in a face-to-face setting; - Student support helpline (out of hours, 24/7 or as required) via telephone and/or online methods); - Online mental health and wellbeing support: online peer to peer web portal, offering creative tools, courses and web-based therapy and online knowledge hub for students including, but not limited to, advice on wellbeing and self-help practises.",
                "status": "active",
                "title": "Full Student Support Service",
                "awardCriteria": {
                    "criteria": [
                        {
                            "name": "Technical",
                            "type": "quality",
                            "description": "60"
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                        {
                            "type": "price",
                            "description": "40"
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "durationInDays": 1080
                },
                "hasRenewal": true,
                "renewal": {
                    "description": "1 x 12 month extension."
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                "submissionTerms": {
                    "variantPolicy": "notAllowed"
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                "hasOptions": false
            },
            {
                "id": "2",
                "title": "Student Wellbeing Tool",
                "description": "Provision of online mental health and wellbeing support: online peer to peer web portal, offering creative tools, courses and web-based therapy and online knowledge hub for students including, but not limited to, advice on wellbeing and self-help practises.",
                "awardCriteria": {
                    "criteria": [
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                    "durationInDays": 1080
                },
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                "status": "active"
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                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "85312300",
                        "description": "Guidance and counselling services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKM"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKM77"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryLocation": {
                    "description": "Scotland"
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                "relatedLot": "1"
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                "relatedLot": "2"
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        ],
        "communication": {
            "futureNoticeDate": "2026-03-02T00:00:00Z"
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        "coveredBy": [
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        "submissionMethod": [
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        "selectionCriteria": {
            "criteria": [
                {
                    "type": "suitability",
                    "description": "(LOT 1 ONLY) Counsellors and all Service Provider Personnel attending any Institutions or interacting with students sites must have PVG Scheme Membership. This is a minimum requirement and Bidders are asked to confirm membership in their response to the Single Procurement Document (SPD); Key Personnel to be qualified members of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapist (BACP), UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) or equivalent; Key Personnel to be a chartered Counselling/Clinical psychologist and member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and also hold registration with The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and COSCA/ Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland.",
                    "appliesTo": [
                        "supplier"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "minimum": "With reference to question 4B.5 of the SPD in the qualification questionnaire, bidders must confirm they can provide the following supporting evidence prior to award: Employers (Compulsory) Liability Insurance = 5,000,000 GBP Professional Indemnity = 1,000,000 GBP Public Liability Insurance = 5,000,000 GBP A copy of the Insurance Certificate or Brokers Letter must be provided prior to award to demonstrate that the Insurance requirements can be met. All Insurance requirements are minimum standards and are mandatory. A fail will result in elimination of the procurement exercise. To demonstrate and evidence suitable economic standing, successful Contractors will be required to provide 2 years audited accounts, or equivalent if awarded to the Framework Agreement. Alternatively, if the Contractor is unable to provide the required accounting information, e.g. due to being a new business, then they will be required to provide a banker's letter demonstrating their willingness to the support the Contractor's organisation over the term of the framework agreement. Please refer to 4B.6 of the SPD."
                },
                {
                    "type": "technical",
                    "description": "Tenderers must confirm they have (or have access to) the relevant supply chain management and tracking systems to ensure a resilient and sustainable supply chain. This includes confirmation that they have the systems in place to pay subcontractors through the supply chain promptly (i.e. no later than 30 days after the invoice (or similar claim) relating to the payment is presented) 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.",
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        "contractTerms": {
            "performanceTerms": "Submission of Management Information: Following commencement of the Framework Agreement, the Contractor will provide a performance report to the Authority on a quarterly basis to include spend by Institution under the Framework Agreement for the reporting period. Contractors must provide the information on a quarterly basis, within 10 working days following the start of each quarter. Data must be uploaded to the website: http://ucsp.ac.uk/ using the template provided (template shall be provided during the lead-in period). The supplied template is the only format permissible and should contain Contractor name, tender reference, total net spend by institution each month. If there has been no spend for the quarter, then this will still require you to log in and record a nil spend return."
        },
        "procurementMethod": "open",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Open procedure",
        "techniques": {
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            "frameworkAgreement": {
                "maximumParticipants": 6
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        "tenderPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2026-06-01T12:00:00+01:00"
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        "hasRecurrence": true,
        "recurrence": {
            "description": "3 years - 30/04/2029."
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    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-FTS-2420",
            "name": "APUC Limited",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "APUC Limited"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Unit 27, Stirling Business Centre, Wellgreen",
                "locality": "Stirling",
                "region": "UKM77",
                "postalCode": "FK8 2DZ",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Grace Taylor",
                "telephone": "+44 1314428930",
                "email": "gtaylor@apuc-scot.ac.uk",
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                    {
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                        "description": "Education"
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        {
            "id": "GB-FTS-7117",
            "name": "Stirling Sheriff Court",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Stirling Sheriff Court"
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            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Sheriff Court House, Viewfield Place",
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                "countryName": "United Kingdom"
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                "email": "enquiries@scotcourts.gov.uk"
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    "buyer": {
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