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CivTech 12.1 - How can digital technologies assist people living with substance use issues (and their families/friends) to easily connect with trusted help and substance use support when services are unavailable?

University of Strathclyde

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

08 Sep 2026 at 13:00

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of Strathclyde is seeking research, development and consultancy services to explore how digital technology can help people living with substance use issues, and their families and friends, connect with trusted help when support services are unavailable. The work is intended to improve access to early, harm-reducing intervention across Scotland, regardless of locality, while reducing avoidable escalation to emergency and NHS services. It may also create a feedback loop of learning and intelligence for continually improving support. The requirement combines information technology and addiction-treatment expertise, with citizen co-production and use of existing trusted services, family and community networks. Delivery is across Scotland. The procurement is for services, led by the University of Strathclyde as buyer and central purchasing body.

The procurement has reached tender: the buyer invited offers through an open procedure. Responses are submitted electronically in English. The tender closing deadline, bid opening and start of the award period are all 20 October 2026 at 12:00. The contract is for 720 days, with extensions possible where required to deliver the work, and bids must remain valid for 180 days. The estimated value is £650,000 including the single lot. Offers are evaluated entirely on technical quality, weighted at 100%; price has a weighting of 0%. Variants are not allowed. Electronic ordering and payment are provided for, and electronic invoicing is allowed. The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement.

This opportunity suits innovative digital businesses, individuals and teams able to develop and test practical technology for people affected by substance use. Strong candidates will combine digital product development with an understanding of addiction treatment, trusted support services and the needs of people seeking help, as well as their families and friends. The work calls for co-production with citizens and collaboration with the Challenge Sponsor and CivTech, followed by intensive development of a solution and its supporting business model. Suppliers should be able to connect fragmented services, improve access when services are unavailable, and support earlier harm-reducing intervention across Scotland. Experience creating scalable products for public services, gathering feedback and turning learning into service improvement would be well suited to the challenge.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

CivTech 12.1 - How can digital technologies assist people living with substance use issues (and their families/friends) to easily connect with trusted help and substance use support when services are unavailable?

Notice Description

Scotland has the highest drug and alcohol related death rates in the UK and Europe. People with substance use issues (PWSUI) often need help outside normal 'office' hours or from a distance from offices, and support is not uniformly available throughout Scotland. The support landscape in Scotland is fragmented, hard to navigate, and varies by locality. When support isn't readily available (or isn't trusted), people and their families and friends often default to emergency services or remain unsupported. As a result, those who use substances often experience avoidable crisis escalation, or remain in extremely difficult situations, and support services miss opportunities for early, harm-reducing interventions. The Preventing Harm, Promoting Recovery: Scotland's Alcohol & Drugs Strategic Plan 2026 - 2035 specifically addresses the crucial need to tackle early intervention and widen an individual's 'circle of support'. This 'circle of support' is at the heart of this Challenge, and a successful solution would enable people to access the right support sooner, regardless of locality. It should harness the power of existing trusted services, family and community to reduce avoidable demand on emergency and NHS services - and if possible, create a 'feedback loop' of learning, intelligence and insight so that the overall issue can be tackled in a continually improving manner.

Lot Information

Lot 1

About CivTech CivTech's mission is to drive daring and innovation in the public sector by collaboratively solving Challenges that make people's lives better - and in doing so create generations of sustainable, high growth businesses. CivTech brings together public sector expertise and private sector innovation to solve real problems, develop new products, and deliver better, faster and easier services for everyone. Central to the approach is co-production with the citizen. Part of the Scottish Government's Directorate for Digital, CivTech's approach is helping transform public sector engagement with tech and innovation, delivering significant benefits to public services, producing genuine uplifts for the Scottish economy - and along the way, making lives better. Across the country there are problems public sector organisations would like to solve and in the current environment the need for smart, efficient and effective products has never been greater. The Scottish Government is aware innovation is a good way to create them and is committed to ensuring a large part of its tech spend goes to innovative businesses - whatever stage they're at, or size they are. This is where CivTech comes in. The CivTech Innovation Flow is designed to create products as quickly and effectively as possible, and uses a true Accelerator model at the heart of its Innovation Flow model. For you - whether you're an individual, team or company - it's an opportunity to take on a Challenge, solve it, and win contracts with a blue-chip public sector organisation. You'll build a product, and a business to take it as far as possible. Because here's the kicker: the Challenges we issue aren't 'single organisation' problems - most of the problems we are solving exist worldwide. In short: Open Challenges are set. Any organisation, team or individual can respond. Applications are assessed, and shortlisted proposals go into an Exploration Stage where they're developed further together with the Challenge Sponsor and the CivTech [for which participating applicants are paid]. The best go through to the Accelerator - a period of intensive work to create the solution, and through CivTech's unique business growth workshop system, a business capable of taking the product to the world. Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved: https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply-civtech-12 https://www.civtech.scot/civtech-12-challenge-1-connected-support-for-people-affected-by-substance-use

Renewal: Extensions may be required in order to deliver this work

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f476
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084863-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

33693300 - Addiction treatment

72222300 - Information technology services

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£650,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£650,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
8 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
20 Oct 20262 months to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
University of Strathclyde
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
GLASGOW
Postcode
G1 1XU
Postcode Area
Glasgow
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM3 West Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM32 Glasgow City
Delivery Location
TLM Scotland
Local Authority
Glasgow City
Electoral Ward
Anderston/City/Yorkhill
Westminster Constituency
Glasgow North East

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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