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EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL

Scottish Government

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

22 Sep 2025 at 01:00

OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

09 Jun 2025 at 01:00

OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice
Planning

26 Mar 2025 at 00:00

OJEU - F1 - Prior Information Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The contracting process for the "EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL" project initiated by the Scottish Government has reached the awards and contract stage as of 22 September 2025. This procurement focused on establishing a British Sign Language (BSL) and English Video Relay Service for BSL users, which was awarded through an open procedure as stated in the tenders submitted in June 2025. Located in the UKM region, specifically Edinburgh, this project is primarily under the industry category of general public services, with a completion date set for 1 December 2025 when the service goes live. The contract, valued at £3,000,000 GBP, was signed on 18 September 2025, and includes options for extension by up to 24 months at the discretion of the Scottish Ministers.

This contract presents an opportunity for businesses specializing in language services, information technology, and telecom infrastructure to engage in a comprehensive national service catering to BSL users. Companies with expertise in BSL/English interpretation, cultural and linguistic awareness of Deaf and Deafblind communities, and robust tech systems would be particularly well-suited to compete in similar future procurements. This tender highlights significant growth possibilities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those that can demonstrate quality, reliability, and value-for-money in delivering non-emergency communication services on a large scale.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL

Notice Description

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.

Lot Information

Lot 1

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

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

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000794378
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP539674
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79530000 - Translation services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£3,000,000 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Sep 202511 months ago
Submission Deadline
11 Jul 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
21 May 2025Expired
Award Date
18 Sep 202511 months ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2025 - 30 Nov 2027 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Scottish Government
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
G2 8LU
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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Sign Solutions

Further Information

Notice Documents

  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAR526876
    EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL - The Scottish Government is seeking to establish market interest in the provision of 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 is currently engaging with key stakeholders to inform the specifications for this contract. We require 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.
  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN532177
    EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL - 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.
  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP539674
    EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL - 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.

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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