Official UK procurement notice
FTS051 Research, Appraisal, Delivery and Support Framework - Lot 2 Research
Authority: Highlands and Islands Enterprise·Consortium: 6 public authorities
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Research, Appraisal, Delivery and Support (RADS) Framework is divided into two lots:
-Lot 1 Support, Appraisal and Delivery
-Lot 2 Research
This notice relates solely to Lot 2 of the two-lot framework procurement.
Separate Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) notices have been published for each Lot, each with the description ‘FTS051 Research, Appraisal, Delivery and Support Framework’.
The estimated value of Lot 2 is GBP 1,380,000.
The total estimated value of the framework across Lots 1 and 2 is GBP 3,200,000, which is the value stated in this notice.
Suppliers may tender for, and be appointed to, one or both Lots.
Lot 2 covers a mix of primary (both quantitative and qualitative), secondary and tertiary research – this will include socio-economic research, sectoral research, scenario planning, customer research and economic intelligence.
- Recurrence: HIE reserves the right to re-tender for these services upon termination of the contract or at the end of the contract period, including any extension period.
CPV: Market and economic research; polling and statistics · Market research services · Research consultancy services · Research services · Social research services · Statistical services · Survey analysis services · Survey conduction services · Survey design services · Survey services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Places
- up to 6 suppliers
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1The framework will be let from November 2026 for a period of 3 years, unless…RenewalPublished value£3,200,000
The framework will be let from November 2026 for a period of 3 years, unless terminated in accordance with the provisions of the Framework Agreement, with HIE having the option to extend for a further period or periods together no exceeding 1 year.
Although HIE will be the primary user, the Framework (both lots) will also be available for use by South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), Wave Energy Scotland Limited (WES), HIE Orkney, HIE Ventures Ltd (HIEVL), Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd (CMSL), as well as any other Contracting Authority wholly or partly under the control of, or funded by HIE, at any point during the term of this Framework (subject to case-by-case approval by HIE).
Each Framework User listed above will enter into a direct contract with the Framework Suppliers on the same terms and conditions as those applying between HIE and the Framework Suppliers.
The Framework will be non-exclusive, Framework Users reserve the right, in certain circumstances, to procure services out with the Framework, where required. Additional information: 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.
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 sub-criteria (5)
- 5. Delivery Methodology: 30%
- 6. Management and Delivery Team: 15%
- 7. Management Methodology: 10%
- 8 Fair Work Practices: 5%
- price: 40%
Published award criteria (9)
- 1. Prompt Payment Standard Clause: pass/fail
- 2. Cyber Security: pass/fail
- 3. Payment of the Real Living Wage: pass/fail
- 4. Community Benefits: pass/fail
- 5. Delivery Methodology: 30%
- 6. Management and Delivery Team: 15%
- 7. Management Methodology: 10%
- 8 Fair Work Practices: 5%
- Price: 40%
- Condition of participationno text publishedMinimum: Minimum level(s) of standards required: 4B.5 It is a requirement of this Framework that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commencement of any subsequently awarded Framework, the types and levels of insurance indicated below: Professional Risk Indemnity Insurance …
- Staff
- Names and qualifications of delivery staff must be submitted
- Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “FTS051 Research, Appraisal, Delivery and Support Framework - Lot 2…” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 6 suppliers, 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
- Closed
- 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 · HIE reserves the right to re-tender for these services upon termination of the contract or at the end of the contract period, including any extension period.
- First published
- 13 Jul 2026, 16:22 BST
- Last source update
- 22 Jul 2026, 12:53 BST
- Award evaluation window
- 18 Aug 2026 – …
- Authority reference
FTS 051- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-069149- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06c9e1Find a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
- Performance terms
Refer to Appendix A Scope of Requirements.
- Review procedure
An economic operator that suffers, or is at risk of suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 , may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.
Publisher note: AWARD CRITERIA SCORING – Due to system restrictions in terms of characters permitted for this Section, full details of the scoring methodologies are contained within the Invitation to Tender, including the minimum quality threshold requirement. In order to participate, bidders should register, for free, on the Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) website(www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk) and record their interest in this contract and download and complete all relevant documentation. Submissions should be made using the PCS Postbox facility only. Email or hard copies will not be accepted. The submission must be received by the published deadline. Late tenders will not be accepted and HIE will reject any submissions received after the deadline. NOTE: the deadline for both bidder questions and the submission of the tenders are different for Lots 1 and 2 (Lot 1 having later deadlines). PCS also gives suppliers access to an on-line Question & Answer facility which allows queries to be submitted (anonymously), and answers published and shared with all potential bidders. NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=835557. The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx. Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems. Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/ A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows: Refer to tender documents (SC Ref:835557) Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=835557
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 24 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bid validity
- 90 days from the deadline
- Bids opened
- 18 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST
Timeline
22 Jul 2026 → 24 Aug 2026 · 3 dates- Notice published92 days ago22 Jul 2026, 12:53 BST
- Bids opened65 days ago18 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends59 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown24 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST
Notice history
1 event · 2 releases on Find a Tender- Deadline moved to 24 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST22 Jul 2026, 12:53 BST+6 days · was 18 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST
Published amendments (1 · 1 deadline change)
| When | What | Before | After | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | DeadlineTime limit · IV.2.2 | 18 Aug 2026 | 24 Aug 2026 | +6 d |
| — | Bid openingConditions for opening of tenders · IV.2.7 | 18 Aug 2026 | 24 Aug 2026 | +6 d |
Additional time.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
6 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) LtdContracting authority
- HIE OrkneyContracting authority
- HIE Ventures Ltd.Contracting authority
- South of Scotland EnterpriseContracting authority
- Wave Energy Scotland LimitedContracting authority
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Inverness Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace CourtReview body
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.