Official UK procurement notice
Employability Services Procured Service Arrangement
Authority: South Lanarkshire Council (Local council)
Re-procurement openEmployability Services Procured Service Arrangement - Phase 4 · bids close
What is being bought4 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe Council is seeking to appoint service providers through a Procured Service Arrangement (PSA). This is a bespoke arrangement/flexible framework which will be developed primarily for Employability Services but can be accessed by all services within the Council.
The PSA will be procured using the “light touch” procedure set out in Regulations 74 -76 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (“the 2015 Regulations”). This allows the Council to carry out a selection process which adopts the principles of equal treatment, non-discrimination and transparency and complies with procurement best practice without requiring the use of the traditional open or restricted procedure set out in the 2015 Regulations.
The PSA has a broad scope of service delivery with the opportunity for many providers to be appointed. There is no limit on the number of providers who can be appointed to any of the lots under the PSA. The PSA remains open for its lifetime which allows for new providers to be added over its term, at regular intervals which will be advised by the Council. Applicants to the PSA will be evaluated in ‘Phases’, based on the closing date for each Phase. Following the closing of each Phase, the PSA will re-open for new applications for the next Phase.
- Recurrence: The PSA will be published and evaluated in phases. On closing of Phase 1, the Council will publish Phase 2 with a closing date of 3 months from publication date. Bidders can apply for appointment to the PSA throughout its term. There are no limits to the number of times that bidders can submit bids.
CPV: E-learning services · Education and training services · Higher education services · Secondary education services · Technical and vocational secondary education services · Technical secondary education services · Vocational secondary education services · Vocational training services · Youth education services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Bids received
- 17 bids on the busiest of 4 lots · 27 suppliers appointed
Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure
4 lots · no lot values published · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1Work Based LearningCancelledRenewal
Work Based Learning
This lot focuses on the delivery of work-based learning programmes / qualifications which may include industry-specific training to prepare individuals for roles in key employment sectors. Training is designed to meet the current and emerging needs of local employers and industry, equipping participants with the technical knowledge and qualifications required for their chosen field.
Services may include but is not limited to:
The delivery of vocational qualifications e.g. SVQ Level 2 or 3 in Health & Social care or childcare, Foundation Apprenticeship level 4 or 5 in Construction / Auto engineering / Hospitality.
Sector based work academies
The delivery of certificated training such as Emergency First Aid, Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Level 1 award, REHIS Elementary Food Hygiene, moving and handling.
Pre-employment training including a blend of employability skills e.g. communication, teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, time management, critical or creative thinking.
This lot will be procured through the Procured Services Arrangement (PSA).
Lot #2Targeted Support ServicesCancelledRenewal
Targeted Support Services
This lot is aimed at delivering services targeted at individuals with multiple barriers to employment who require individually tailored support to gain employment or further learning / training. This may be delivered as individual one-to-one keyworker support or as a group-based employability programme.
This lot will be procured via a Procured Services Arrangement (PSA).
Lot #3Health, wellbeing and financial supportCancelledRenewal
Health, wellbeing and financial support
This lot supports the holistic development of individuals by addressing health and wellbeing barriers that may hinder employability. Activities promote mental health, physical wellness, and resilience in the workplace.
Bidders will be expected to deliver a range of services designed to address specific issues relating to health and wellbeing and specific barriers including debt and financial issues. Activity may include but is not limited to:
Support to improve health and fitness
Delivery of activities designed to increase engagement and confidence including arts and crafts, cultural activity
Counselling and mental health support
Advice and guidance relating to alcohol and drug misuse
Financial advice and support
Therapeutic interventions
Specialist supports and interventions
This lot will be procured via a Procured Service Arrangement (PSA).
Lot #4OtherCancelledRenewal
Other Employability Services
This lot serves as a flexible category to accommodate employability services and programmes that do not fall within the specific scope of Lots 1-3 but still contribute to supporting individuals towards positive employment or learning outcomes. It allows for innovative, niche, or emerging provision that addresses unique challenges or opportunities within the local labour market.
This lot will be procured via a Procured Services Arrangement (PSA).
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality: 90
- Price: 10
- Suitability
SPD Question 2.C.1 Reliance on the capacities of other entities
Applicants are required to complete a full SPD for each of the entities whose capacity they rely upon.
SPD Question 2.D.1 Subcontractors on whose capacity the Applicant does not rely
Applicants are required to complete a shortened version of the SPD for each Subcontractor on whose capacity the Applicant does not rely on.
SPD Question 4A.1 Trade Registers
It is a requirement of this tender that if the Applicant is UK based they must hold a valid registration with Companies House. Where the Applicant is UK based but not registered at Companies House they must be able to verify to the Councils satisfaction that they are trading from the address provided in the tender and under the company name given.
If the Applicant is based out-with the UK they must be enrolled in the relevant professional or trade register appropriate to their country as described in Schedule 5 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.
- Economic & financial standing
SPD Question 4B.4 Economic and Financial Standing
The Council will use the following ratios to evaluate a Applicants financial status:
Profitability – this is taken as profit after tax but before dividends and minority interests. If a company makes a profit then it is a pass for this ratio;
Liquidity – this is calculated as current assets less stock and work in progress, divided by current liabilities. If the answer is greater than or equal to one then it is a pass for this ratio
Gearing – this is calculated as the total external secured borrowing (short term and long term) divided by shareholder funds expressed as a percentage. If the answer is less than or equal to 100% it is considered a pass for this ratio.
Applicants must provide the name and value of each of the 3 ratios within their response to SPD question 4B.4.
The Council requires Applicants to pass 2 out of the 3 financial ratios above.
Where 2 out of the 3 ratios cannot be met, the Council may take the undernoted into consideration when assessing financial viability and the risk to the Council, providing that the Applicant can supply evidence to substantiate any of the mitigating criteria when requested to do so. The following list is not exhaustive and other criteria may be considered where proposed by a Applicant as mitigating factors:
Would the Applicant have passed the checks if prior year accounts had been used?
Were any of the poor appraisal outcomes "marginal"?
Does the Applicant operate in a market which, …
- Technical & professional ability
SPD Question 4C.1.2 Technical and Professional Ability
The applicant(s) recommended for award to the PSA will be training providers with experience delivering vocational and/or employability training, interventions, or support to South Lanarkshire Councils key priority groups. Applicants are required to provide examples that demonstrate their relevant experience delivering such services over the last 3 years.
With reference to the nature and details of the services to be supplied under the PSA Lots, 3 relevant examples of a similar size and nature are to be provided of the services delivered by the applicant in the last 3 years.
The details should include but need not be limited to:
- The training delivered and qualifications gained.
- To whom training was delivered, including quantities for training and qualifications gained / not gained.
- Involvement of the service users in planning / meeting outcomes.
- Duration and content, including how content was adapted to meet the service users’ needs.
- Steps taken to keep service users on track to gain the qualification.
- Remediation training employed to achieve successful outcomes.
Please Note: Applicants should evidence 3 experiences for each Lot being applied for.
SPD Question 4C.6 Technical and Professional Ability (Qualifications)
It is a mandatory requirement of this PSA that all individuals who will be engaged in the delivery of the contract must be appropriately vetted in accordance with the Protection of Vulnerable Gr…
- Price carries 10 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 1 point. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “Employability Services Procured Service Arrangement” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
Yes · The PSA will be published and evaluated in phases. On closing of Phase 1, the Council will publish Phase 2 with a closing date of 3 months from publication date.
Bidders can apply for appointment to the PSA throughout its term. There are no limits to the number of times that bidders can submit bids.
- First published
- 21 Oct 2025, 16:15 BST
- Last source update
- 2 Sept 2026, 14:24 BST
- Award evaluation window
- 3 Dec 2025 – …
- Authority reference
SLC/CE/24/066- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-083095- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d100Find a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
- Performance terms
As detailed within the ITT.
Publisher note: Exclusion Criteria 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. SPD Questions 3A – 3C have been identified as mandatory exclusion grounds and SPD Questions 3D have been identified as discretionary exclusion grounds. All the exclusion grounds will be assessed on a PASS/FAIL basis. For the mandatory exclusion grounds a bid will be excluded where the Applicant fails to provide either a positive response or to provide details to the satisfaction of the Council of the self cleansing measures undertaken. For the discretionary exclusion grounds a bid may be excluded where the Applicant fails to provide either a positive response or if the Council is not satisfied as to the self cleansing measures undertaken. Declarations and Certificates In an open tendering procedure prior to any award being made the successful Applicant will provide the undernoted certificates, declarations and/or completed questionnaires to evidence their compliance with the relevant questions within the Qualification Envelope. All certificates, declarations and questionnaires can be found within the Attachment area of PCS-T. SPD Question 2D.1 Prompt Payment Certificate SPD Question 3A.6 Modern Slavery Act 2015 Declaration SPD Questions 3A.1 to 3A.8 Serious and Organised Crime Declaration SPD Question 3D.3 Human Rights Act Declaration SPD Question 3D.11 Non-Collusion Certificate SPD Question 4B.5.1 Insurance Certificates / Schedules SPD Question 4C.6 Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 Declaration Declaration Section *Form of Tender All certificates, declarations and questionnaires can be found within the Attachment area of PCS-T. The ‘Form of Offer to Tender’ must be completed and uploaded within the relevant question in the Commercial Envelope. Failure to provide this information or in the event that the information provided does not support or evidence the statements made within the SPD will invalidate the bid. Failure to provide this information or in the event that the information provided does not support or evidence the statements made within the SPD will invalidate the bid. (SC Ref:841902)
How it was run
Official noticeTender documents are also served through a separate tool: https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ ↗
- Appointment period ends
- 3 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bid validity
- 180 days from the deadline
- Bids opened
- 3 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
Timeline
3 Dec 2025 → 2 Sept 2026 · 3 dates- Admission / appointment period ends323 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown3 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
- Bids opened323 days ago3 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
- Notice published50 days ago2 Sept 2026, 14:24 BST
Notice history
1 event · 2 releases on Find a Tender- Status changed to complete2 Sept 2026, 14:24 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast4 suppliers are admitted to this framework without individual award values or dates, see the supplier list below.
Contracts
All 4 of these contracts carry the same published figure, £400,000, the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each contract's own value. They are not eleven separate sums.
Work Based Learning
- Signed
- 22 May 2026
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Targeted Support Services
- Signed
- 22 May 2026
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Health, wellbeing and financial support
- Signed
- 22 May 2026
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Other
- Signed
- 22 May 2026
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Work Based Learning | 13bids · 13 electronic · 13 from abroad | 11 | — | — |
| 2 · Targeted Support Services | 17bids · 17 electronic · 17 from abroad | 14 | — | — |
| 3 · Health, wellbeing and financial support | 7bids · 7 electronic · 7 from abroad | 7 | — | — |
| 4 · Other | 11bids · 11 electronic · 11 from abroad | 9 | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Hamilton Sheriff CourtReview body
Framework contractors & participating bidders
27 commercial parties on the notice- Action for Change (Scotland) LtdFramework contractor
- Barnardos ScotlandFramework contractor
- Blue Triangle (Glasgow) Housing AssociationFramework contractor
- Clydesdale Community InitiativesFramework contractor
- DGC Training Services LtdFramework contractor
- ENABLE ScotlandFramework contractor
- Exploring PathwaysFramework contractor
- First Steps Future Training LimitedFramework contractor
- Forth Community Resource Centre Steering GroupFramework contractor
- Hamilton Citizens Advice BureauFramework contractor
Show 17 more suppliers
- Liber8 LanarkshireFramework contractor
- LiftWell Training ltdFramework contractor
- Lighthouse Business Consultants LtdFramework contractor
- Merged EducationFramework contractor
- New College LanarkshireFramework contractor
- Nithcree TrainingFramework contractor
- OutLET Play ResourceFramework contractor
- Routes To Work SouthFramework contractor
- Routes to Work LtdFramework contractor
- Salus Occupational Health & SafetyFramework contractor
- Salvation ArmyFramework contractor
- Sixth Sense TrainingFramework contractor
- South Lanarkshire CollegeFramework contractor
- The Challenges GroupFramework contractor
- The Larder West LothianFramework contractor
- The Princes TrustFramework contractor
- Triage Central LimitedFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.