---
title: "Supporting People with Learning Disability - Social Opportunities and Natural Networks"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000713265"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000713265"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000713265.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000713265.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "WEST LOTHIAN COUNCIL"
published: "2022-11-11"
---

# Supporting People with Learning Disability - Social Opportunities and Natural Networks

Buyer: WEST LOTHIAN COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000713265

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000713265.json)

## Summary

The West Lothian Council awarded a contract titled "Supporting People with Learning Disability - Social Opportunities and Natural Networks" to Thera Scotland following a direct award approved in March 2022. The procurement process was a limited tender procedure without prior publication of a call for competition. The contract aims to tackle social isolation for residents in West Lothian through the Gig Buddies Befriending and networking service, with an estimated value of GBP 177,150 over a 5-year period. The main procurement category is services, and the contract was signed on 1st July 2022.

This contract with the West Lothian Council provides opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the social care and support sector to engage in providing services to support individuals with learning disabilities. Businesses well-suited to compete are those offering services related to tackling social isolation, befriending programs, and networking opportunities for vulnerable populations. The direct award to Thera Scotland highlights the potential for long-term partnerships with public authorities and the importance of addressing social challenges within local communities through innovative service delivery models.

## Notice

Contract provision for tackling social isolation for residents in West Lothian.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Gig Buddies aims to tackle social isolation by empowering people to take control of their social life, expand their social circles, and give people more confidence in accessing the events that their local community has to offer through pairing their members to volunteers who share the same interests to become 'Gig Buddies'. This is their own, personal, one on one relationship, tailored to their interests. Through this pairing, they can go to whatever events interest them, at times which suit them.. Expenditure was approved by West Lothian Council Executive at March 2022 meeting

### Procurement Information

Regulation 3 (10) of the Public Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016 makes provision for the aggregation of public contracts where the value of all contracts for similar supplies and services awarded during the previous 12 months must be aggregated. The aggregated value determines whether the contract is over the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) threshold. The contract spend over the previous 12 months is GBP29,727 and the value of the proposed award is 35,430 GBP per annum, equating to GBP177,150 over a 5-year period. The combined value of GBP206,877 is below the Light Touch Regime threshold (GBP663,540) and therefore, in line with the Scottish Government guidance on the Procurement of Care and Support, the Council can choose not to seek offers for Social Care and Other Related Services contracts on a case by case basis. Whilst the Council's Standing Orders permit the Head of Corporate Services to approve the direct award, they may opt to seek approval from Council Executive. Council Executive approved a direct award to Thera Scotland for the Gig Buddies Befriending and networking service for a period of 3 years from 1 July 2022, with the option to extend for a further 2 years, with an estimated value of GBP 177,150 over a 5 year period.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV464138 |
| Notice type | PCS Notice - Website 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 | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 11 Nov 2022 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 1 Jul 2022 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £177,150 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | WEST LOTHIAN COUNCIL |
| Locality | LIVINGSTON |
| Post town | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH54 6FF |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM1 East Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM14 West Lothian |
| Local authority | West Lothian |
| Electoral ward | Livingston South |
| Westminster constituency | Livingston |
| Delivery location | TLM78 West Lothian |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | THERA SCOTLAND |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85000000 - Health and social work services
- 85300000 - Social work and related services

## Release History

- 11 Nov 2022 at 00:00 - Award - PCS Notice - Website Contract Award Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV464138

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV464138
  Supporting People with Learning Disability - Social Opportunities and Natural Networks - Contract provision for tackling social isolation for residents in West Lothian.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000713265
- https://www.westlothian.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-r6ebe6-0000713265. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000713265.json.