---
title: "EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000794378"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000794378"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000794378.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000794378.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT"
published: "2025-09-22"
---

# EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL

Buyer: SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000794378

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## Summary

The contracting process for the "EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL" project initiated by the Scottish Government has reached the awards and contract stage as of 22 September 2025. This procurement focused on establishing a British Sign Language (BSL) and English Video Relay Service for BSL users, which was awarded through an open procedure as stated in the tenders submitted in June 2025. Located in the UKM region, specifically Edinburgh, this project is primarily under the industry category of general public services, with a completion date set for 1 December 2025 when the service goes live. The contract, valued at £3,000,000 GBP, was signed on 18 September 2025, and includes options for extension by up to 24 months at the discretion of the Scottish Ministers.

This contract presents an opportunity for businesses specializing in language services, information technology, and telecom infrastructure to engage in a comprehensive national service catering to BSL users. Companies with expertise in BSL/English interpretation, cultural and linguistic awareness of Deaf and Deafblind communities, and robust tech systems would be particularly well-suited to compete in similar future procurements. This tender highlights significant growth possibilities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those that can demonstrate quality, reliability, and value-for-money in delivering non-emergency communication services on a large scale.

## Notice

The Scottish Government is seeking to establish a BSL/English Video Relay Service which enables BSL users to make short video calls using a BSL/English interpreter and emerging services on offer that complement a Video Relay Service. The Scottish Government requires a service that provides quality in terms of BSL/English interpreter translation and by reliable technical infrastructure. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate a high degree of cultural and linguistic awareness of Deaf and Deafblind BSL users who will use the service.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The existing service, Contact Scotland BSL, has been in operation since 2016 and has been expanded to provide a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year national service. BSL users are able to call any public service, third sector organisation, private service or friends and family and can also receive calls. The service also handles calls using a Braille display for deafblind people. It should be noted it is not an emergency service. The objectives of the Contract are to: - Ensure that, through the Contact Scotland BSL service, public services, third sector organisations, as well as private sector services and personal calls to family and friends in Scotland are made accessible to Deaf BSL users who need to interact with them; - Ensure that the Contact Scotland BSL service is delivered to the highest possible standard, with optimal reliability, integrity and fitness-for-purpose; is future-proofed, continuously improved and able to be developed and scaled-up; is protected from inappropriate use or abuse; - Provide value-for-money to the public purse through delivery of an effective, efficient, competitive and comprehensive service. The service comprises four main elements: - Comprehensive management of the service; - software; - hardware; - BSL/English interpreting and interpreting personnel. The service will go live on 1 December 2025 following an implementation period.. 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.

Options: The contract may be extended, at the sole discretion of Scottish Ministers by up to 24 months.

Renewal: The contract may be extended, at the sole discretion of Scottish Ministers by up to 24 months.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP539674 |
| 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 | Planning, Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 22 Sep 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 11 Jul 2025 |
| Future notice date | 21 May 2025 |
| Award date | 18 Sep 2025 |
| Contract period | 1 Sep 2025 - 30 Nov 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £3,000,000 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Post town | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH6 6QQ |
| 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 | SIGN SOLUTIONS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 79530000 - Translation services

## Release History

- 22 Sep 2025 at 00:00 - Award - OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP539674
- 9 Jun 2025 at 00:00 - Tender - OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN532177
- 26 Mar 2025 at 00:00 - Planning - OJEU - F1 - Prior Information Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAR526876

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAR526876
  EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL - The Scottish Government is seeking to establish market interest in the provision of a BSL/English Video Relay Service which enables BSL users to make short video calls using a BSL/English interpreter and emerging services on offer that complement a Video Relay Service. The Scottish Government is currently engaging with key stakeholders to inform the specifications for this contract. We require a service that provides quality in terms of BSL/English interpreter translation and by reliable technical infrastructure. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate a high degree of cultural and linguistic awareness of Deaf and Deafblind BSL users who will use the service.
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN532177
  EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL - The Scottish Government is seeking to establish a BSL/English Video Relay Service which enables BSL users to make short video calls using a BSL/English interpreter and emerging services on offer that complement a Video Relay Service. The Scottish Government requires a service that provides quality in terms of BSL/English interpreter translation and by reliable technical infrastructure. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate a high degree of cultural and linguistic awareness of Deaf and Deafblind BSL users who will use the service.
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP539674
  EIHR-Contact Scotland BSL - The Scottish Government is seeking to establish a BSL/English Video Relay Service which enables BSL users to make short video calls using a BSL/English interpreter and emerging services on offer that complement a Video Relay Service. The Scottish Government requires a service that provides quality in terms of BSL/English interpreter translation and by reliable technical infrastructure. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate a high degree of cultural and linguistic awareness of Deaf and Deafblind BSL users who will use the service.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Government/Procurement/Selling/supplier-enquiries
- http://www.scotland.gov.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000794378
- https://scotcourts.gov.uk/
- https://www.publictendersscotland.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-r6ebe6-0000794378. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000794378.json.