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Employee Healthcare Cash Plan Benefit

Highlands and Islands Enterprise

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

25 Aug 2026 at 01:00

PCS Notice - Website Contract Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is seeking one supplier to provide a company-sponsored Healthcare Cash Plan Benefit for HIE and WES employees, with a stated headcount of 247. The service should provide a broad range of health and wellbeing benefits, including reimbursement up to set limits for everyday healthcare costs. Delivery is required across the Highlands and Islands and in Edinburgh, so suppliers must be able to support employees across these locations. The procurement is for insurance and healthcare benefit services, covering the administration of the company scheme and an optional enhanced cover arrangement that employees can contract for directly with the supplier. The buyer is HIE, based in Inverness.

The process has reached tender: HIE invited offers through an open procedure, with electronic submission. The bid deadline and public bid opening were set for 18 September 2026 at 12:00 UTC. Services are required for an initial two-year contract, with two possible extensions of up to one year each, giving a maximum contract period of 1,440 days. The available budget for the initial company-sponsored scheme is between £40,000 and £66,000 excluding VAT, inclusive of Insurance Premium Tax. The stated value for the full 2+1+1 duration is £152,000, including optional enhanced cover; this cover may generate estimated additional income of £5,000 per year and is not evaluated. FCA and ICO registration are pass/fail requirements.

This opportunity suits an insurer, healthcare benefits provider or specialist employee-benefits administrator able to operate a cash plan across dispersed locations in the Highlands and Islands and Edinburgh. The successful supplier will need to administer everyday healthcare reimbursements, support a helpline and online queries, and manage claims so that most approved, complete and accurate claims are reimbursed within three to five working days. Service delivery will be monitored through key performance indicators, reports, surveys and audits. Suppliers must be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. The tender also requires staff names and professional qualifications, and expects the provider to manage both the employer-sponsored scheme and optional employee-paid enhanced cover.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Employee Healthcare Cash Plan Benefit

Notice Description

HIE is looking for a single supplier to deliver a company sponsored Healthcare Cash Plan Benefit (HCPB) for HIE and WES employees (headcount of 247). The plan should offer a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits with money back, up to set limits, towards everyday healthcare expenses. HIE expects the supplier to be able to offer these services across the whole of the Highlands and Islands as well as Edinburgh. The supplier will be expected to take this into account as part of their submission. It is expected that these services will be required from December 2026 for an initial period of 2 years, with HIE having the option to extend for two further periods of up to 1 year for each extension. (2+1+1). The 2 year budget currently available to deliver the Company Sponsored Scheme is between GBP 40,000 and GBP 66,000 (excluding VAT). This is inclusive of Insurance Premium Tax. In addition, although not evaluated, there is the potential for an estimated additional income of GBP 5,000 per annum for the Optional Enhanced Cover which is contracted directly between the HIE/WES employee and the supplier.

Lot Information

Lot 1

It is expected that these services will be required for an initial period of 2 years, unless terminated in accordance with the provision of the agreement, with HIE having the option to extend for two further periods of up to 1 year for each extension. The initial 2 year budget currently available to deliver the Company Scheme is between GBP 40K and GBP 66K. This is inclusive of Insurance Premium Tax. In addition, there is the potential for an estimated additional income of GBP 5K per annum for the Optional Enhanced Cover which is contracted directly between the HIE/WES employee and the supplier.. Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 8 and 9 of the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016.

Options: The Contract may be modified for reasons including but not limited to: -Changes to the number of eligible employees, including increases or decreases in HIE and WES workforce numbers during the Contract Period. -Extension, reduction or early termination of specific Services where permitted under the Contract's Terms and Conditions.

Renewal: The Contract will be awarded for an initial period of 2 years with HIE having the option to extend for two further periods of up to 1 year for each extension (2+1+1).

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000837395
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG563023
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
PCS Notice - Website Contract 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

66 - Financial and insurance services

CPV Codes

66512000 - Accident and health insurance services

66512200 - Health insurance services

66512210 - Voluntary health insurance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£152,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£152,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Aug 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
18 Sep 20263 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
HIE reserves the right to re-tender for these services upon termination of the contract or at the end of the contract period, including any extension period.

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
INVERNESS
Postcode
IV2 5NA
Postcode Area
Inverness
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM2 Highlands and Islands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM20 Highlands and Islands
Delivery Location
TLM6 Highlands and Islands
Local Authority
Highland
Electoral Ward
Inverness South
Westminster Constituency
Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire

Further Information

Notice Documents

  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG563023
    Employee Healthcare Cash Plan Benefit - HIE is looking for a single supplier to deliver a company sponsored Healthcare Cash Plan Benefit (HCPB) for HIE and WES employees (headcount of 247). The plan should offer a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits with money back, up to set limits, towards everyday healthcare expenses. HIE expects the supplier to be able to offer these services across the whole of the Highlands and Islands as well as Edinburgh. The supplier will be expected to take this into account as part of their submission. It is expected that these services will be required from December 2026 for an initial period of 2 years, with HIE having the option to extend for two further periods of up to 1 year for each extension. (2+1+1). The 2 year budget currently available to deliver the Company Sponsored Scheme is between GBP 40,000 and GBP 66,000 (excluding VAT). This is inclusive of Insurance Premium Tax. In addition, although not evaluated, there is the potential for an estimated additional income of GBP 5,000 per annum for the Optional Enhanced Cover which is contracted directly between the HIE/WES employee and the supplier.

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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