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Provision of Best Start Foods

Social Security Scotland

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

11 Aug 2026 at 01:00

OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice
Award

18 May 2026 at 01:00

OJEU - F15 - Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Social Security Scotland procured continued provision of Best Start Foods benefit payment services. The requirement is for a prepaid card payment solution used to deliver Best Start Foods benefits to eligible recipients. It sits within the Crown Commercial Service Payment Solutions 2 framework, Lot 2, covering prepaid cards. The service supports Social Security Scotland’s social protection responsibilities and is delivered for Scotland. The appointed supplier is allpay Limited, based in Hereford. The work is a public service rather than the supply of physical food: relevant businesses are payment solution providers, prepaid card operators and organisations able to administer benefit payments for a public-sector buyer. The requirement concerns continuity of an established payment service while a replacement arrangement is developed.

The procurement has been completed and the contract was awarded to allpay Limited. The contract was signed on 27 April 2026 and is active. It extends the existing Best Start Foods service from 4 June 2026 to 2 March 2027, with an awarded contract value of £336,033.81. This was a limited procedure using an award without prior publication of a call for competition, made against the Crown Commercial Service Payment Solutions 2 framework, Lot 2. The buyer recorded one bid. The lot’s stated evaluation basis was 40% technical quality and 60% price. The extension was justified as necessary to maintain benefit payments until a replacement contract could be put in place, with contingency for possible delays. Actual spend may vary because the contract is not fixed price.

For a supplier that did not win this award, the procurement demonstrates continuing demand from Social Security Scotland for a dependable prepaid-card service supporting public benefit payments. Businesses best placed for a future requirement would have proven capability in issuing and managing prepaid cards, processing payments to benefit recipients, supporting users and maintaining service continuity for a public authority. Experience of public-sector payment programmes and operation through an appropriate purchasing framework would strengthen credibility. The buyer’s stated emphasis on technical quality, alongside price, indicates that reliable delivery, operational resilience and a well-evidenced service model matter as well as cost. Suppliers should be able to support an established national benefits service and provide a controlled transition or replacement arrangement without disrupting payments.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of Best Start Foods

Notice Description

This notice is to confirm that Scottish Ministers, acting through Social Security Scotland, has extended the current Provision of Best Start Foods contract from 04 June 2026 to 02 March 2027

Lot Information

Lot 1

This notice is to confirm that Scottish Ministers, acting through Social Security Scotland, has extended the current Provision of Best Start Foods contract from 03 June 2026 to 02 March 2027

Options: This is not a fixed price contract therefore actual spend may vary from the value stated above.

Procurement Information

The continued provision of services under the current contract is essential to ensure that Social Security Scotland can continue to provide Best Start Foods benefit payments until a replacement contract can be put in place. A competitive process is underway to identify and put such a replacement in place, by March 2027. The extension of the current term is considered to be proportionate in the circumstances based on previous experience, and taking into account the need for a contingency to account for potential delays.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000830455
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG562071
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
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

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

98390000 - Other services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£336,033 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
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
Social Security 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
DUNDEE
Postcode
DD1 4BF
Postcode Area
Dundee
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM0 Eastern Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM03 Angus and Dundee City
Delivery Location
TLM Scotland
Local Authority
Dundee City
Electoral Ward
West End
Westminster Constituency
Dundee Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

allpay Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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