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Four Year Framework Agreement for the Provision of Architectural Services for New Build Housing

Link Group

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

25 Feb 2026 at 00:00

OJEU - F14 - Corrigendum
TenderUpdate

25 Feb 2026 at 00:00

OJEU - F14 - Corrigendum
TenderUpdate

24 Feb 2026 at 00:00

OJEU - F14 - Corrigendum
TenderUpdate

24 Feb 2026 at 00:00

OJEU - F14 - Corrigendum
Tender

24 Feb 2026 at 00:00

OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Link Group Ltd, based in Falkirk, is leading a procurement process for a four-year Framework Agreement to provide architectural services for new build housing projects. The tender involves architectural services, which may also encompass the role of Principal Designer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The procurement falls under the services category and explores various locations primarily within the Central Belt of Scotland, including Argyll & Bute and Highland. The process follows a restricted procedure with electronic submissions accepted, and the tender stage is currently active with a deadline of 26 March 2026 at midday. The framework seeks ten qualified architectural practices registered with RIBA or equivalent and aims for high quality and economic value, with project size varying from five to 500 units. Amendments have been made to correct scoring methodology and update deadlines for submissions.

This tender provides a significant opportunity for architectural businesses that are RIBA or RIAS registered with experience in affordable housing projects. Companies successful in their bid can expect to work on diverse projects, including new builds, property rehabilitations, and mixed-tenure developments across Scotland. As the Framework Agreement includes potential for varied commissions, this could lead to substantial business growth for architectural practices. Additionally, successful practices will be expected to offer community benefits, such as student placements, enhancing their corporate social responsibility profile and community engagement. With no guarantee of work, businesses will need to compete actively to secure commissions through direct selection or mini tendering, providing opportunities to demonstrate their capability and value-for-money offerings.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Four Year Framework Agreement for the Provision of Architectural Services for New Build Housing

Notice Description

Link is seeking to enter into a four-year Framework Agreement with a maximum of ten suitably qualified Architectural Practices for the provision of architectural services. The services may also include the provision of Principal Designer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 where the practice can demonstrate it has the relevant experience to provide this role. Successful Architectural Practices must be RIBA or RIAS registered (or their equivalent organisations within the country that your organisation is based). Architects within the successful Practices should be registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) or their equivalent organisation within the country that your organisation is based. Link works in partnership with a number of subsidiary companies who will also be entitled to purchase services from the Framework Agreement. The subsidiaries of Link Group include C~urb 6 Ltd, Link Living, Horizon Housing Association Ltd, Larkfield Housing Association Ltd and West Highland Housing Association Ltd. Although it is possible that other organisations may join the Group, becoming subsidiary companies, during the term of the Framework Agreement, and may also wish to "call off" from the Framework. Link also works in partnership with several external organisations, refer to Section 1.1. of the Contract Notice for further details, who will also be entitled to purchase services from the Framework Agreement. It is also intended that any Registered Social Landlord registered and operating in Scotland will be entitled to purchase services from the framework, subject to Link's prior agreement. There is no guarantee of any work, however, it is likely that individual commissions will be "called off" either by direct selection or by mini tendering, within the terms of the Framework Agreement, to identify the most economically advantageous tender. The Framework Agreement will mainly cover the provision of Architectural services for new build housing, however individual projects could include rehabilitation of existing properties, extensions, office accommodation, commercial property, adaptations, and planned maintenance projects. The Framework Agreement may include, where successful Bidders are suitably qualified and experienced, Principal Designer Services on each of the project types listed above. The projects will range in size, tenure and type from mainstream housing to a variety of particular needs housing. The tenure type will cover all affordable tenures, private rented and market sale. Applicants should have experience of projects within the affordable housing sector of between 5 and 500 units including flats, houses and retirement living projects with a mix of tenures. The location of projects will vary but in the main will be located in the Central Belt of Scotland, Argyll & Bute and Highland, however individual projects may be located in any part of Scotland. The total number of units in each of the geographical areas may vary and specific numbers cannot be guaranteed in any area or in total. Although individual projects cannot be guaranteed, Link will expect the successful Architectural Practices to deliver a high quality and value for money service.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Link Group Ltd is undertaking the procurement in accordance with Regulation 29, Restricted Procedure and Regulation 34, Framework Agreements of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulation 2015. A maximum of fifteen bidding organisations that submit a SPD (Scotland) Document response and meet the selection criteria will be invited to submit a tender for the Framework Agreement in accordance with Regulation 66 'Reduction of the number of otherwise qualified candidates to be invited to participate'.. 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. SPD (Scotland) Question2D.1.2- Bidders must provide a separate SPD response (Sections A and B of this Part and Part III) for each subcontractor.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000824300
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=FEB550335
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
OJEU - F14 - Corrigendum
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Restricted procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

71200000 - Architectural and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£50,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£50,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Feb 20266 months ago
Submission Deadline
25 Mar 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
The Framework Agreement may be renewed in 2030 and a further Contract Notice published at that time

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Link Group
Additional Buyers

Almond Housing Association

Berwickshire Housing Association Ltd

Bield Housing & Care

Bridgewater Housing Association

Cairn Housing Association

Calvay Housing Association Ltd

Cassiltoun Housing Association Ltd.

Cathcart & District Housing Association Ltd

Cernach Housing Association Limited

Clydebank Housing Association Limited

Craigdale Housing Association Ltd

Dunbritton Housing Association

East Kilbride Housing Association Ltd

Eildon Housing Association

Glasgow West Housing Association Limited

Glen Oaks Housing Association

Govan Housing Association Limited

Govanhill Housing Association

Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Ltd

Hillhead Housing Association 2000

Kingdom Housing Association Limited

Linstone Housing Association

Manor Estates Housing Association Limited

Maryhill Housing Association Ltd

Milnbank Housing Association

New Gorbals Housing Association

Paragon Housing Association Ltd

Parkhead Housing Association

Partick Housing Association Limited

Partick Works Ltd

Queens Cross Housing Association Ltd

Ruchazie Housing Association

Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association Ltd

Scottish Borders Housing Association

Shettleston Housing Association Ltd

Tollcross Housing Association Limited

Trust Housing Association Ltd

Wellhouse Housing Association

West of Scotland Housing Association Ltd

Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association Limited

Yoker Housing Association

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
FALKIRK
Postcode
FK1 1XR
Postcode Area
Falkirk and Stirling
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM12 Falkirk
Delivery Location
TLM Scotland
Local Authority
Falkirk
Electoral Ward
Falkirk South
Westminster Constituency
Falkirk

Further Information

Notice Documents

  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=FEB550206&idx=4
    25th February 2026 - Architects SPD Guidance
  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=FEB550206&idx=7
    25th February 2026 - Architects SPD Guidance V3
  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=FEB550206&idx=5
    25th February 2026 - Corrected Scoring Methodology for SPD - updated 25.02.2026
  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=FEB550206&idx=6
    25th February 2026 - Corrected Scoring Methodology for SPD V2 - updated 25.02.2026
  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=FEB550206&idx=3
    25th February 2026 - Architects SPD Guidance
  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=FEB550206&idx=2
    24th February 2026 - Architects Pricing Document
  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=FEB550206&idx=1
    24th February 2026 - Architects ITT
  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=FEB550206
    Four Year Framework Agreement for the Provision of Architectural Services for New Build Housing - Link is seeking to enter into a four-year Framework Agreement with a maximum of ten suitably qualified Architectural Practices for the provision of architectural services. The services may also include the provision of Principal Designer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 where the practice can demonstrate it has the relevant experience to provide this role. Successful Architectural Practices must be RIBA or RIAS registered (or their equivalent organisations within the country that your organisation is based). Architects within the successful Practices should be registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) or their equivalent organisation within the country that your organisation is based. Link works in partnership with a number of subsidiary companies who will also be entitled to purchase services from the Framework Agreement. The subsidiaries of Link Group include C~urb 6 Ltd, Link Living, Horizon Housing Association Ltd, Larkfield Housing Association Ltd and West Highland Housing Association Ltd. Although it is possible that other organisations may join the Group, becoming subsidiary companies, during the term of the Framework Agreement, and may also wish to "call off" from the Framework. Link also works in partnership with several external organisations, refer to Section 1.1. of the Contract Notice for further details, who will also be entitled to purchase services from the Framework Agreement. It is also intended that any Registered Social Landlord registered and operating in Scotland will be entitled to purchase services from the framework, subject to Link's prior agreement. There is no guarantee of any work, however, it is likely that individual commissions will be "called off" either by direct selection or by mini tendering, within the terms of the Framework Agreement, to identify the most economically advantageous tender. The Framework Agreement will mainly cover the provision of Architectural services for new build housing, however individual projects could include rehabilitation of existing properties, extensions, office accommodation, commercial property, adaptations, and planned maintenance projects. The Framework Agreement may include, where successful Bidders are suitably qualified and experienced, Principal Designer Services on each of the project types listed above. The projects will range in size, tenure and type from mainstream housing to a variety of particular needs housing. The tenure type will cover all affordable tenures, private rented and market sale. Applicants should have experience of projects within the affordable housing sector of between 5 and 500 units including flats, houses and retirement living projects with a mix of tenures. The location of projects will vary but in the main will be located in the Central Belt of Scotland, Argyll & Bute and Highland, however individual projects may be located in any part of Scotland. The total number of units in each of the geographical areas may vary and specific numbers cannot be guaranteed in any area or in total. Although individual projects cannot be guaranteed, Link will expect the successful Architectural Practices to deliver a high quality and value for money service.

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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