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Minor Archaeological Services Call-Off Contract

Historic Environment Scotland

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

25 Sep 2026 at 12:13

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Historic Environment Scotland sought minor archaeological services across its estate in Scotland, including Properties in Care, associated properties and depots managed for Scottish Ministers. The work is chiefly small-scale archaeological watching briefs and evaluations, together with preparation of Written Schemes of Investigation and post-fieldwork analysis and reporting. The requirement can also cover larger excavations, community archaeology projects, archaeological surveys, historic building recording, geophysical surveys and dendrochronology. This is a services contract for archaeological work, excavation and survey, with delivery across the HES estate. Suppliers may need to provide a broad mix of fieldwork and specialist assessment, rather than only routine watching briefs.

Historic Environment Scotland invited offers through an open procedure for a single call-off contract. The tender deadline was 27 October 2026 at 12:00 UTC; the contract was expected to run initially for 24 months, with four possible 12-month extensions, giving a maximum term of 72 months. The stated contract value is £480,000. Evaluation is weighted 60% on technical quality and 40% on price; community benefits are included in the scored quality assessment. Bids were to be submitted electronically in English, and variants were not allowed. The tender required bids to remain valid for 150 days. The contract includes potential additional deliveries at HES’s discretion.

This opportunity suits archaeological contractors able to work across a varied historic estate and deliver small investigations as well as, when required, excavation, community archaeology, survey, building recording, geophysical work or dendrochronology. Suppliers should be able to prepare investigation schemes and complete post-fieldwork analysis and reporting. The buyer requires staff names and qualifications, and bidders must demonstrate financial standing, assessed through business credit information or audited accounts if needed. Required minimum insurance cover is £5 million for public liability, £10 million for professional indemnity, £5 million for employers’ liability and £10 million for product liability. Technical quality carries greater evaluation weight than price, and a scored community-benefits response is also required; this favours suppliers able to evidence strong technical delivery and meaningful community outcomes.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Minor Archaeological Services Call-Off Contract

Notice Description

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) requires a call off contract to be put in place for minor archaeological services.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The proposed contract is for the provision of minor archaeological services on the HES estate. The HES Estate comprises the Properties in Care, ancillary properties and depots managed by Historic Environment Scotland on behalf of Scottish Ministers. It is expected that the majority of the services required will be for small scale watching briefs and evaluations, along with the provision of requisite Written Schemes of Investigations and post-fieldwork analyses and reporting. However, larger scale excavation, community archaeology projects, archaeological survey, historic building recording, geophysical surveys or dendrochronology may be required as part of this contract.

Options: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to request additional deliveries by the Successful Tenderer, either intended as partial replacement of supplies or installations or as extensions of existing supplies and installations. The Contracting Authority may at it's sole discretion exercise this option.

Renewal: The contract will be in place for an initial period of twenty-four months, with the option to extend the contract by four further twelve month periods at the discretion of HES, giving a total potential contract length of seventy-two months.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077a71
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090951-2026
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

45 - Construction work

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

45112450 - Excavation work at archaeological sites

71351720 - Geophysical surveys of archaeological sites

71351914 - Archaeological services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£480,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£480,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
27 Oct 20263 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Six years from contract award

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Historic Environment Scotland
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
EDINBURGH
Postcode
EH9 1SH
Postcode Area
Edinburgh
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM13 City of Edinburgh
Delivery Location
TLM Scotland
Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Electoral Ward
Southside/Newington
Westminster Constituency
Edinburgh South

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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