Seed Potato Labels and Printer Consumables

The Scottish Government has a requirement to place a contract with an external service provider for the provision of Seed Potato Labels & Printer Consumables (Re-let). The Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) is a Division of the Scottish Government Directorate for Agriculture, Food and Rural Communities. As the Certifying Authority it is responsible for the management and administration of the Seed Potato Classification Scheme (SPCS). Before seed potatoes can be marketed they must be inspected and their containers sealed with an official label that confirms the details of the potatoes, and that they meet the required standards. Growers apply for the appropriate quantity of labels and these are printed at the Directorate’s Area Offices located in Inverurie (Aberdeenshire), Perth and Inverness. Details of the seed potato consignment are printed onto the front of the labels using thermal transfer printers and then despatched to, or collected by, the grower. The work is seasonal and applications for labels are received between September and May. On a busy day Perth or Inverurie Area offices can print up to 80,000 labels. In total approximately 2,064,000 labels are issued annually. The contract will not be limited to the Supply of labels, Printing consumables are included also. Additional information: Samples of materials will be required from companies submitting tenders (free of charge) in sufficient quantity to enable print testing. The resultant labels will be tested against the criteria outlined in the evaluation and award criteria document.