---
title: "Advice Services - Welfare Rights & Debt Recovery"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000846199"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000846199"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000846199.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000846199.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "Argyll and Bute Council"
published: "2026-10-21"
---

# Advice Services - Welfare Rights & Debt Recovery

Buyer: Argyll and Bute Council  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000846199

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## Summary

Argyll and Bute Council is seeking one provider to deliver free debt counselling and welfare rights advice for people resident in the Argyll and Bute Council area who are vulnerable when they seek help. The service is intended to prevent problems and intervene when they arise, and will sit alongside advice from national and local free advice services, the Council and its partners, and other third-party agencies. The work covers advice services (CPV 85312310) and is to be delivered across Argyll and Bute. The provider must deliver the service in line with the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers, or equivalent standards, and hold accreditation under the relevant schemes administered or introduced by the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

The Council invited offers through an open procedure for a single-provider contract. The procurement has reached the tender stage. Bids were to be submitted electronically by 20 November 2026 at 12:00; the award period was due to start at that time. The contract is for 360 days, with an option to extend for up to three additional years. The estimated contract value is £211,000. This is a single-lot procurement, and variant bids are not permitted. Suitability is the stated selection criterion, with details referred to in the invitation to tender. The contract notice also says TUPE may apply, and that any employee information subsequently received from the incumbent would be shared with tenderers.

This opportunity suits an advice provider able to deliver both debt counselling and welfare rights advice to people in vulnerable circumstances across Argyll and Bute. Suppliers will need credible capability in prevention and intervention, and the capacity to provide the service as a single provider while working alongside public, local and third-sector advice services. Compliance with the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers is required, together with accreditation under relevant Scottish Legal Aid Board schemes or equivalent standards. The stated service is free to its users, so suppliers should be equipped to deliver advice without charging service users. The possibility of transferring incumbent staff may also be relevant to workforce planning. The procurement refers suppliers to the invitation to tender for the detailed suitability requirements.

## Notice

1.1. The Council is seeking a single provider of free debt counselling and welfare rights advice with a particular focus on prevention and intervention to people resident in the Argyll and Bute Council area who are vulnerable at the point of access. 1.2. This service will form part of a range of advice services, which will comprise services delivered by free national/local advice resources; the Council/its Partners; other third party agencies and the Provider of the services detailed in this contract. 1.3. This service will be provided in line with the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers (SNSIAP) and the provider will be accredited by the relevant schemes as administered and introduced by the Scottish Legal Aid Board or equivalent standards.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

1.1. The Council is seeking a single provider of free debt counselling and welfare rights advice with a particular focus on prevention and intervention to people resident in the Argyll and Bute Council area who are vulnerable at the point of access. 1.2. This service will form part of a range of advice services, which will comprise services delivered by free national/local advice resources; the Council/its Partners; other third party agencies and the Provider of the services detailed in this contract. 1.3. This service will be provided in line with the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers (SNSIAP) and the provider will be accredited by the relevant schemes as administered and introduced by the Scottish Legal Aid Board or equivalent standards.. 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.

Renewal: The contract may be extended for up to 3 additional years.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT567040 |
| 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 |
| All stages | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 21 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 20 Nov 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £211,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Argyll and Bute Council |
| Locality | LOCHGILPHEAD |
| Postcode area | Paisley |
| Postcode | PA31 8RT |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM2 Highlands and Islands |
| ITL 3 | TLM20 Highlands and Islands |
| Local authority | Argyll and Bute |
| Electoral ward | Mid Argyll |
| Westminster constituency | Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber |
| Delivery location | TLM63 Lochaber, Skye and Lochalsh, Arran and Cumbrae, and Argyll and Bute, TLM81 East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, and Helensburgh and Lomond |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85312310 - Guidance services

## Release History

- 21 Oct 2026 at 01:00 - Tender - PCS Notice - Website Contract Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT567040

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT567040
  Advice Services - Welfare Rights & Debt Recovery - 1.1. The Council is seeking a single provider of free debt counselling and welfare rights advice with a particular focus on prevention and intervention to people resident in the Argyll and Bute Council area who are vulnerable at the point of access. 1.2. This service will form part of a range of advice services, which will comprise services delivered by free national/local advice resources; the Council/its Partners; other third party agencies and the Provider of the services detailed in this contract. 1.3. This service will be provided in line with the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers (SNSIAP) and the provider will be accredited by the relevant schemes as administered and introduced by the Scottish Legal Aid Board or equivalent standards.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000846199
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=846199
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=846199
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx

## 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-r6ebe6-0000846199. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000846199.json.