---
title: "CivTech 7 - Challenge 7.5 - How might technology help match British Sign Language (BSL) users and their required interpreters more easily and equitably?"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000695084"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000695084"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000695084.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000695084.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT"
published: "2023-09-05"
---

# CivTech 7 - Challenge 7.5 - How might technology help match British Sign Language (BSL) users and their required interpreters more easily and equitably?

Buyer: SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000695084

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000695084.json)

## Summary

The Scottish Government has awarded a contract for the tender titled "CivTech 7 - Challenge 7.5 - How might technology help match British Sign Language (BSL) users and their required interpreters more easily and equitably?" The buying organisation is the Scottish Government, located in Glasgow, UK. The procurement stage is complete, with a contract value of £277,742 GBP signed on 31st March 2023. This tender falls under the services category and was awarded through an open procedure.

This tender presents an opportunity for businesses, especially those in the technology and interpretation services sector, to engage with the Scottish Government's CivTech initiative. The competitive procurement process aims to address the challenges faced by BSL users in accessing interpreters effectively. Businesses interested in innovative solutions that benefit the public sector and support societal inclusion would find this tender suitable for growth opportunities.

## Notice

Booking British Sign Language interpreters is of vital importance for BSL users, enabling them to be included and effectively participate in the workplace, social events and more. However, BSL users commonly cite an issue around low availability of interpreters. A review commissioned by the Scottish Government in 2019 uncovered evidence that this is often not based on interpreters being unavailable, but instead that current booking systems do not facilitate efficient or effective use of interpreter time. There is currently a fragmented community of BSL users, freelance interpreters and agencies with no market solution in place to support collaboration to address the issues faced by BSL users. Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved: https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply https://www.civtech.scot/selection-process

### Lot Information

Lot 1

CivTech's mission is to drive daring and innovation in the public sector by collaboratively solving Challenges that make people's lives better - and in doing so create generations of sustainable, high growth businesses. CivTech brings together public sector expertise and private sector innovation to solve real problems, develop new products, and deliver better, faster and easier services for everyone. Central to the approach is co-production with the citizen. Part of the Scottish Government's Digital Directorate, CivTech's approach is helping transform public sector engagement with tech and innovation, delivering significant benefits to public services, producing genuine uplifts for the Scottish economy - and along the way, making lives better. Across the country there are problems public sector organisations would like to solve and in the current environment the need for smart, efficient and effective products has never been greater. The Scottish Government is aware innovation is a good way to create them and is committed to ensuring a large part of its tech spend goes to smaller, innovative businesses. This is where CivTech comes in. The CivTech Innovation Flow is designed to create products as quickly and effectively as possible, and uses a true Accelerator model at the heart of its Innovation Flow model. For you - whether you're an individual, team or company - it's an opportunity to take on a Challenge , solve it, and win contracts with a blue-chip public sector organisation. You'll build a product, and a business to take it as far as possible. Because here's the kicker: the Challenges we issue aren't 'single organisation' problems - most exist worldwide. In short: Open Challenges are set. Any organisation, team or individual can respond. Applications are assessed, and shortlisted proposals go into an Exploration Stage which runs from the 15th of August to the 2nd of September 2022, where they are then developed further [and for which participating applicants are paid]. The best go through to the Accelerator - a period of intensive work to create the solution, and through CivTech's unique business workshop system, a business capable of taking the product to the world. The Accelerator Stage will run from the 3rd of October 2022 to the 28th of January 2023. Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved: https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply https://www.civtech.scot/selection-process

Options: Additional purchases may be required in order to complete the contract.

Renewal: Contract extensions may be required to complete the work

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP487503 |
| 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 |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 5 Sep 2023 |
| Submission deadline | 28 Jun 2022 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 31 Mar 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £350,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £277,742 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT |
| Locality | GLASGOW |
| Post town | Glasgow |
| Postcode | G2 8EA |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM3 West Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM32 Glasgow City |
| Local authority | Glasgow City |
| Electoral ward | Anderston/City/Yorkhill |
| Westminster constituency | Glasgow North |
| Delivery location | TLM Scotland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | DEAF ACTION |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79540000 - Interpretation services

## Release History

- 5 Sep 2023 at 00:00 - Award - OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP487503
- 31 May 2022 at 00:00 - Tender - OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAY449951

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=MAY449951&idx=10
  16th June 2022 - Q&A Recording Session
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=MAY449951&idx=7
  31st May 2022 - Application Form
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=MAY449951&idx=9
  31st May 2022 - Application Form
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=MAY449951&idx=1
  31st May 2022 - Mandatory Exclusion Form
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=MAY449951&idx=2
  31st May 2022 - Accelerator Terms and Conditions
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=MAY449951&idx=3
  31st May 2022 - Exploration Terms and Conditions
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=MAY449951&idx=4
  31st May 2022 - Instructions for submitting proposal
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=MAY449951&idx=5
  31st May 2022 - Guidance to be read with terms and conditions
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=MAY449951&idx=6
  31st May 2022 - Application Scorecard
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=MAY449951&idx=8
  31st May 2022 - PCS Notice
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAY449951
  CivTech 7 - Challenge 7.5 - How might technology help match British Sign Language (BSL) users and their required interpreters more easily and equitably? - Booking British Sign Language interpreters is of vital importance for BSL users, enabling them to be included and effectively participate in the workplace, social events and more. However, BSL users commonly cite an issue around low availability of interpreters. A review commissioned by the Scottish Government in 2019 uncovered evidence that this is often not based on interpreters being unavailable, but instead that current booking systems do not facilitate efficient or effective use of interpreter time. There is currently a fragmented community of BSL users, freelance interpreters and agencies with no market solution in place to support collaboration to address the issues faced by BSL users. Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved: https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply https://www.civtech.scot/selection-process
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP487503
  CivTech 7 - Challenge 7.5 - How might technology help match British Sign Language (BSL) users and their required interpreters more easily and equitably? - Booking British Sign Language interpreters is of vital importance for BSL users, enabling them to be included and effectively participate in the workplace, social events and more. However, BSL users commonly cite an issue around low availability of interpreters. A review commissioned by the Scottish Government in 2019 uncovered evidence that this is often not based on interpreters being unavailable, but instead that current booking systems do not facilitate efficient or effective use of interpreter time. There is currently a fragmented community of BSL users, freelance interpreters and agencies with no market solution in place to support collaboration to address the issues faced by BSL users. Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved: https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply https://www.civtech.scot/selection-process

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.scotland.gov.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000695084
- https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply
- https://www.civtech.scot/selection-process
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000695084. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000695084.json.