Official UK procurement notice
Requirements Reserved for Supported Businesses Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)
Authority: Scottish Government (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Scottish Government is establishing a collaborative Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Requirements Reserved for Supported Businesses. A key objective of this DPS is to continue to provide the Scottish public sector and third sector bodies a straightforward, flexible route to market for a range of goods and services provided by supported businesses and in doing so, support the integration of disabled and disadvantaged citizens into the mainstream workforce.
The DPS will be on a single Lot basis that will hold a wide range of goods and services provided by supported businesses. Descriptions of these goods and services and any subsequent categorisation will be provided via publicly available guidance documentation.
Potential participants must complete the SPD (Single Procurement Document) held within PCS Tender and meet the minimum entry criteria to participate in the DPS.
Participants must also complete within this SPD, Annex A to this Dynamic Purchasing System which requests confirmation from bidders on their meeting of the reserved contract criteria described as the ‘two part test’ introduced by European Directive 2014/24/EU and given effect in Scotland through the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, Section 2, Regulation 21.
For details of public sector organisations who can access the DPS please see section III.1) Conditions for participation.
The Requirements Reserved for Supported Businesses DPS will be open for new applicants throughout the lifetime of the DPS.
CPV: Beverage-serving services · Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security · Coveralls · Data services · Footwear other than sports and protective footwear · Furniture (incl. office furniture), furnishings, domestic appliances (excl. lighting) and cleaning products · Garments · Hardware consultancy services · IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support · Industrial clothing · Internet services · Medical clothing · +21 more
How this dynamic market works
From the published notice- Type
- Dynamic market (open)
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1Supported businesses are organisations whose main aim is to integrate disabled or…Published value£6,000,000
Supported businesses are organisations whose main aim is to integrate disabled or disadvantaged people socially and professionally.
The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) will be on a single Lot basis which it is anticipated will hold a wide range of goods and services provided by supported businesses.
Descriptions of these goods and services and any subsequent categorisation will be provided via a publicly available guidance documentation.
The key aim of the Requirements Reserved for Supported Businesses DPS is to provide Scottish Public Sector and Third Sector Bodies (Framework Public Bodies) with a clear path for the purchase of goods and services from Supported Businesses and in doing so, support the integration of disabled and disadvantaged citizens into the mainstream workforce.
The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, Section 2, Regulation 21, definition of a Supported Business is twofold. Firstly, a bidding organisation must have the social and professional integration of disabled and disadvantaged persons as its main aim. This may be evidenced in the organisation's Articles of Association (in the case of companies) or such other constitutional documentation that governs the organisation. It is within the discretion of individual public bodies to determine whether a bidding organisation has demonstrated the requirement that it has as its main aim the social and professional integration of disabled and disadvantaged persons.
Secondly, The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, Section 2, Regulation 21, definition requires that at least 30% of the employees of the organisation are disabled or disadvantaged. Regulation 2 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 states "disabled", in relation to a person, means a disabled person within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010 and, in relation to a worker, means a disabled person who is a worker.
This definition of a supported business is known as the ‘two-part test.’
To assess your suitability for addition to the Requirements Reserved for Supported Businesses DPS you must complete the minimum entry criteria with the Scottish Procurement Document (SPD) for this DPS held within PCS Tender and also complete the information requested on the 'two-part test' definition that will confirm a bidder's supported business status. This information request on the two part test is held within the "General Attachments" area of the the Scottish Procurement Document (SPD) in PCS Tender in the document called 'Annex A – Requirements Reserved for Supported Businesses Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)'.
No form of volume guarantee has been granted by the Authority. The Authority shall not be be bound to order any services described in the guidance document that supports the single Lot.
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).
- Technical: 60-80%
- Price: 20-40%
- Suitability
The Authority has the right to request evidence that entry criteria is still valid at any point during the lifecycle of the Dynamic Purchasing System with evidence to be provided via an updated SPD to the Authority within 5 working days of request being issued. Approved suppliers will be asked to confirm their details annually on the anniversary of the implementation of the DPS.
It is a requirement of this DPS that suppliers hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commencement of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance as a minimum indicated below in accordance with any legal obligation for the time being in force:
Public Liability insurance of Minimum GBP 1M
Employers Liability insurance of Minimum GBP 5M
Professional Indemnity insurance of Minimum GBP 1M
Project specific insurance levels will be issued alongside the tender documentation at call-off stage.
The Dynamic Purchasing System will be available for use by the Scottish Ministers (including Agencies), Scottish Non-Departmental Public Bodies, offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices, cross- border public authorities within the meaning of section 88(5) of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scotland Office, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, councils constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, the Scottish Police Authority, Scottish health boards or special health boards, all NHS Scotland, The…
- Staff
- Names and qualifications of delivery staff must be submitted
- “Requirements Reserved for Supported Businesses Dynamic Purchasing…” is a dynamic market: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Restricted procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Dynamic market
- Who may use this agreement
- Any qualifying supplier may apply while the market is open
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 2 Aug 2023, 15:43 BST
- Last source update
- 29 Aug 2025, 12:02 BST
- Authority reference
SP-23-011- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-052409- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-03ec82Find a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
- Performance terms
There will be an ongoing requirement to provide management information on the call of contracts awarded through the DPS.
On an annual basis each Company/Organisation (supported business) on the DPS List will confirm that it continues to meets the reserved contract criteria described as ‘two part test’ introduced by European Directive 2014/24/EU and given effect in Scotland through the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations"), Section 2, Regulation 21.
- Reserved execution
- delivery reserved to a designated type of organisation
Publisher note: Please note there is a Technical Envelope within PCS-Tender regarding Fair Work. Your responses are required for information purposes and are not part of the selection criteria. Applications will not be accepted via the PCS-T system unless you complete this Technical Envelope. Organisations who use the DPS for call-offs will issue them electronically through PCS-Tender. Many organisations use PCS-Tender, however for those organisations who do not use PCS-Tender, alternative electronic routes may also be used and are acceptable. We envisage the value of call off contracts to range from thousands to hundreds of thousands however no form of volume guarantee has been granted by the Authority. All participants awarded a place on Lot 1 on the DPS will be invited to all contract opportunities within the lot. Award criteria will be based on best price-quality ratio (see sect II.2.5 of this OJEU for ranges) which will be formulated more precisely at call-off and may incorporate mandatory minimum requirements bidders have to achieve. Participants should be aware there is not a requirement to bid for all goods or services described in Lot 1. The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this PQQ exercise. The Project code is 24782. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343 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: The Scottish Government is committed to contributing to the social, economic and environmental well-being of the people of Scotland, in order to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this PQQ exercise. The Project code is 24782. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343 A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363 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: The Scottish Government is committed to contributing to the social, economic and environmental well-being of the people of Scotland, in order to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. (SC Ref:734029)
How it was run
Official noticeTender documents are also served through a separate tool: https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ ↗
- Admission period ends
- 8 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
29 Aug 2025 → 8 Sept 2025 · 3 dates- Notice published29 Aug 2025, 12:02 BST
- Invitations to tender expected8 Sept 2025, 00:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown8 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
Notice history
2 releases on Find a TenderPublished amendments (1)
Requirements Reserved for Supported Business Dynamic Purchasing System - Extension Title: Requirements Reserved for Supported Business Dynamic Purchasing System - Extension Reference No: AUG485087 OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000734029 Published by: Scottish Government Publication Date:29/08/2025 Deadline Date: Deadline Time: Notice Type: 14 Corrigendum Has Documents: No Has SPD: No Abstract: The Authority …
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Sheriff courtReview body
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Economic and financial selection criteria
- Technical selection criteria