Award

Content Management System

SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Summary of the contracting process

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has completed the procurement process for a Content Management System, with the contract awarded to Contentful (UK) Limited. This procurement falls under the education industry category and was necessitated by an extremely urgent requirement following a supply chain failure. The contract's urgency is to meet a government-set launch date of 1 December 2025 for Qualifications Scotland, after the Education Scotland Act 2025. Employing a limited procurement method, SQA proceeded without prior publication due to unforeseeable circumstances, with the delivery set for The Optima Building, Glasgow.

This tender represents significant business growth potential for companies specialised in providing enterprise-level headless CMS solutions. Large-scale enterprises with the capability to meet stringent timelines will particularly benefit from engaging in such opportunities. These businesses can leverage their expertise in fast-track implementation to gain a foothold in educational sector contracts, a field that offers continuous development prospects aligned with government timelines and legislative changes.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Notice Title

Content Management System

Notice Description

Direct Award of Headless Content Management System on urgency grounds

Lot Information

Lot 1

This is a VEAT notice to notify the market that SQA intends to enter into a contract following a negotiated procedure without prior publication on the grounds that for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority, the time limits for open procedure, restricted procedure or competitive procedure with negotiation cannot be complied with (regulation 33(1)(c)). SQA requires to receive the contract services in time for a 1 December 2025 launch date for Qualifications Scotland which is set by government following the passage of the Education Scotland Act 2025. Implementation time requirements mean that even with immediate contract award, the development timeline is at the minimum of industry standards for enterprise-level headless CMS implementations. There is accordingly no time available for a procedure following even minimum timescales under procurement regulations. The urgency arises following a failure of established procurement procedures. Specifically SQA attempted to use an established Scottish Government framework to procure the required products but this process was vitiated by supply chain failure. That failure was unforeseeable by and unattributable to SQA.

Procurement Information

SQA is applying regulation 33(1)(c) This is extremely urgent under justification 2 This is a VEAT notice to notify the market that SQA intends to enter into a contract following a negotiated procedure without prior publication on the grounds that for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority, the time limits for open procedure, restricted procedure or competitive procedure with negotiation cannot be complied with (regulation 33(1)(c)). SQA requires to receive the contract services in time for a 1 December 2025 launch date for Qualifications Scotland which is set by government following the passage of the Education Scotland Act 2025. Implementation time requirements mean that even with immediate contract award, the development timeline is at the minimum of industry standards for enterprise-level headless CMS implementations. There is accordingly no time available for a procedure following even minimum timescales under procurement regulations. The urgency arises following a failure of established procurement procedures. Specifically SQA attempted to use an established Scottish Government framework to procure the required products but this process was vitiated by supply chain failure. That failure was unforeseeable by and unattributable to SQA.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000804056
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG536286
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems


CPV Codes

48000000 - Software package and information systems

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£340,000 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Aug 20256 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
10 Jul 20257 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY
Contact Name
Elizabeth Cunningham
Contact Email
procurement@sqa.org.uk
Contact Phone
+44 03452136720

Buyer Location

Locality
MIDLOTHIAN
Postcode
EH22 1FD
Post Town
Edinburgh
Country
Scotland

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM11 East Lothian and Midlothian
Delivery Location
TLM73 East Lothian and Midlothian

Local Authority
Midlothian
Electoral Ward
Dalkeith
Westminster Constituency
Midlothian

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

CONTENTFUL (UK

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000804056-2025-08-05T00:00:00Z",
    "date": "2025-08-05T00:00:00Z",
    "ocid": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000804056",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "org-27",
            "name": "Scottish Qualifications Authority",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Scottish Qualifications Authority"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Lowden, 24 Wester Shawfair, Dalkeith",
                "locality": "Midlothian",
                "region": "UKM73",
                "postalCode": "EH22 1FD"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Elizabeth Cunningham",
                "email": "procurement@sqa.org.uk",
                "telephone": "+44 03452136720",
                "url": "http://"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "NDBP",
                        "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE"
                    },
                    {
                        "id": "09",
                        "description": "Education",
                        "scheme": "COFOG"
                    }
                ],
                "url": "http://www.sqa.org.uk"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "org-28",
            "name": "Contentful (UK) Limited",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Contentful (UK) Limited"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Highlands House, Basingstoke Road , Spencers Wood Reading",
                "locality": "Aldershot",
                "region": "UKJ11",
                "postalCode": "GU12 6FN"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "telephone": "+044 7464378410"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "scale": "large",
                "url": "http://"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "org-29",
            "name": "Glasgow Sheriff Court",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Glasgow Sheriff Court"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "1 Carlton Place",
                "locality": "Glasgow",
                "postalCode": "G5 9DA"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "url": "http://"
            },
            "roles": [
                "reviewBody"
            ]
        },
        {
            "id": "org-352",
            "name": "Scottish Qualifications Authority",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Scottish Qualifications Authority"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Lowden, 24 Wester Shawfair, Dalkeith",
                "locality": "Midlothian",
                "region": "UKM73",
                "postalCode": "EH22 1FD"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Elizabeth Cunningham",
                "email": "procurement@sqa.org.uk",
                "telephone": "+44 03452136720",
                "url": "http://"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer",
                "centralPurchasingBody"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "NDBP",
                        "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE"
                    },
                    {
                        "id": "09",
                        "description": "Education",
                        "scheme": "COFOG"
                    }
                ],
                "url": "http://www.sqa.org.uk"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "org-353",
            "name": "Contentful (UK) Limited",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Contentful (UK) Limited"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Highlands House, Basingstoke Road , Spencers Wood Reading",
                "locality": "Aldershot",
                "region": "UKJ11",
                "postalCode": "GU12 6FN"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "telephone": "+044 7464378410"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "scale": "large",
                "url": "http://"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "org-21",
            "name": "Glasgow Sheriff Court",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Glasgow Sheriff Court"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "1 Carlton Place",
                "locality": "Glasgow",
                "postalCode": "G5 9DA"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "url": "http://"
            },
            "roles": [
                "reviewBody"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "name": "Scottish Qualifications Authority",
        "id": "org-352"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "SQA2433CMS",
        "title": "Content Management System",
        "description": "Direct Award of Headless Content Management System on urgency grounds",
        "status": "complete",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "48000000",
                        "scheme": "CPV"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryLocation": {
                    "description": "The Optima Building 58 Robertson Street Glasgow G2 8DQ"
                },
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKM73"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKM73"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethod": "limited",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition",
        "procurementMethodRationale": "SQA is applying regulation 33(1)(c) This is extremely urgent under justification 2 This is a VEAT notice to notify the market that SQA intends to enter into a contract following a negotiated procedure without prior publication on the grounds that for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority, the time limits for open procedure, restricted procedure or competitive procedure with negotiation cannot be complied with (regulation 33(1)(c)). SQA requires to receive the contract services in time for a 1 December 2025 launch date for Qualifications Scotland which is set by government following the passage of the Education Scotland Act 2025. Implementation time requirements mean that even with immediate contract award, the development timeline is at the minimum of industry standards for enterprise-level headless CMS implementations. There is accordingly no time available for a procedure following even minimum timescales under procurement regulations. The urgency arises following a failure of established procurement procedures. Specifically SQA attempted to use an established Scottish Government framework to procure the required products but this process was vitiated by supply chain failure. That failure was unforeseeable by and unattributable to SQA.",
        "mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "JUL534464",
                "documentType": "awardNotice",
                "title": "Content Management System",
                "description": "Direct Award of Headless Content Management System on urgency grounds",
                "url": "https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL534464",
                "format": "text/html"
            },
            {
                "id": "AUG536286",
                "documentType": "awardNotice",
                "title": "Content Management System",
                "description": "Direct Award of Headless Content Management System on urgency grounds",
                "url": "https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG536286",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ],
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "description": "This is a VEAT notice to notify the market that SQA intends to enter into a contract following a negotiated procedure without prior publication on the grounds that for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority, the time limits for open procedure, restricted procedure or competitive procedure with negotiation cannot be complied with (regulation 33(1)(c)). SQA requires to receive the contract services in time for a 1 December 2025 launch date for Qualifications Scotland which is set by government following the passage of the Education Scotland Act 2025. Implementation time requirements mean that even with immediate contract award, the development timeline is at the minimum of industry standards for enterprise-level headless CMS implementations. There is accordingly no time available for a procedure following even minimum timescales under procurement regulations. The urgency arises following a failure of established procurement procedures. Specifically SQA attempted to use an established Scottish Government framework to procure the required products but this process was vitiated by supply chain failure. That failure was unforeseeable by and unattributable to SQA.",
                "status": "complete",
                "hasOptions": false,
                "awardCriteria": {
                    "criteria": [
                        {
                            "type": "quality",
                            "name": "Authoring Experience",
                            "description": "10"
                        },
                        {
                            "type": "price",
                            "description": "20"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            }
        ],
        "coveredBy": [
            "GPA"
        ],
        "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
            {
                "id": "D_OUTSIDE_SCOPE",
                "description": "The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive"
            }
        ],
        "classification": {
            "id": "48000000",
            "scheme": "CPV"
        },
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "32014L0024",
            "scheme": "CELEX"
        }
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "SQA2433CMS",
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "org-28",
                    "name": "Contentful (UK) Limited"
                },
                {
                    "id": "org-353",
                    "name": "Contentful (UK) Limited"
                }
            ],
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "contracts": [
        {
            "id": "SQA2433CMS",
            "awardID": "SQA2433CMS",
            "status": "active",
            "value": {
                "amount": 340000,
                "currency": "GBP"
            },
            "dateSigned": "2025-07-10T00:00:00Z"
        }
    ],
    "language": "EN",
    "description": "(SC Ref:806428)",
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "canonical",
            "href": "https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000804056"
        },
        {
            "rel": "canonical",
            "href": "https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000804056"
        }
    ],
    "noticetype": "OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice",
    "relatedProcesses": [
        {
            "id": "1",
            "relationship": [
                "planning"
            ],
            "scheme": "EU-OJ",
            "identifier": "2025/S 000-039078"
        }
    ],
    "bids": {
        "statistics": [
            {
                "id": "736",
                "measure": "bids",
                "value": 4,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "737",
                "measure": "smeBids",
                "value": 0,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "738",
                "measure": "foreignBidsFromEU",
                "value": 3,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "739",
                "measure": "foreignBidsFromNonEU",
                "value": 1,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "740",
                "measure": "electronicBids",
                "value": 4,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ]
    }
}