Official UK procurement notice
Social Care Agency Workers Flexible Framework Agreement
Authority: Scotland Excel
What is being bought3 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThis procurement exercise is to establish a ‘National Flexible Framework Agreement’ in accordance with Regulations 74-76 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, “the Regulations” (further referred to as 'the Flexible Framework Agreement (FFA)') for the provision of trained and vetted Social Care Agency Workers in a variety of social care settings.
Once established, subject to the terms of the FFA, there may be opportunities for admission of new suppliers and existing suppliers may vary their service (see the Procurement Documents for full details).
The value provided in II.1.5 is an ESTIMATE only.
TENDER INFORMATION SESSIONS
Scotland Excel is running Tenderer Information Sessions on the following dates
- 22 September 2026 @ 1pm - 2.30pm and
- 23 September 2026 @ 1pm - 2.30pm.
Please contact [email protected] if you would like to attend either session.
CPV: Child daycare services · Community health services · Daycare services · Daycare services for disabled children and young people · Domestic services · Meal-cooking services · Meal-preparation services · Placement services of office-support personnel · Rehabilitation services · Services of commercial and industrial workers · Social services · Social work and related services · +9 more
Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure
3 lots · all with a published valueLot #1Care RolesPublished value£89,000,000
Lot 1 is for the provision of trained and vetted Care Assistants, Support Workers, Housing Assistants and Senior Carers (see the Procurement Documents, Schedule 2 - Description of Core Roles).
The anticipated value is estimated and may be subject to change. There is no guarantee of any business, use, level of use or continuity of business through the FFA.
Award criteria
Quality criterion:
Technical Weighting: 60 / Commercial Weighting: 40 Additional information: Please note, the duration shown at section II.2.7 includes two, up to twelve (12) month extensions.
By virtue of Regulation 76(3) of the Public Contract (Scotland) Regulations 2015, Tenderers in any of the situations listed in Regulation 58 of the Regulations may be excluded.
Lot #2Professional RolesPublished value£8,000,000
Lot 2 is for the provision of trained and vetted Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Social Work Managers and Social Work Assistants (see the Procurement Documents, Schedule 2 - Description of Core Roles).
The anticipated value is estimated and may be subject to change. There is no guarantee of any business, use, level of use or continuity of business through the FFA.
Award criteria
Quality criterion:
Technical Weighting: 60 / Commercial Weighting: 40 Additional information: Please note, the duration shown at section II.2.7 includes two, up to twelve (12) month extensions.
By virtue of Regulation 76(3) of the Public Contract (Scotland) Regulations 2015, Tenderers in any of the situations listed in Regulation 58 of the Regulations may be excluded.
Lot #3Ancillary RolesPublished value£3,000,000
Lot 3 is for the provision of trained and vetted Domestic Assistants, Cooks, Kitchen Assistants, Handypersons and Bus Escorts. (see the Procurement Documents, Schedule 2 - Description of Core Roles).
The anticipated value is estimated and may be subject to change. There is no guarantee of any business, use, level of use or continuity of business through the FFA.
Award criteria
Quality criterion:
Technical Weighting: 60 / Commercial Weighting: 40 Additional information: Please note, the duration shown at section II.2.7 includes two, up to twelve (12) month extensions.
By virtue of Regulation 76(3) of the Public Contract (Scotland) Regulations 2015, Tenderers in any of the situations listed in Regulation 58 of the Regulations may be excluded.
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).
The scope of services to be provided under this FFA are within ‘Social and other Specific Services’ in Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 and therefor the procurement process shall be subject to the requirements of Section 7 of the Regulations. Please note the variations applied to this exercise together with the specific requirements and evaluation approaches applicable are set out in the Procurement Documents.
- Shortlisting
- The services provided under this FFA are social and other specific services defined in Schedule 3 of the Regulations. As such, ALL WORKERS OFFERED FOR SUPPLY MUST BE vetted, qualified and Registered with the relevant Regulatory Body to perform the required role, all in accordance with Law. Full details are in the Procurement Documents. Tenderers should note that full details of the minimum requirements are listed in the Contract Notice Attachment titled “1125 Contract Notice- Section III.1.4 Objective rules and criteria for participation” contained within the "Buyer Attachments" area of ITT 63739 (project 31740) on the Public Contracts Scotland-Tender (PCS-T) website:https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk 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.
- “Social Care Agency Workers Flexible Framework Agreement” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
Competition for Social work and related services (CPV 8530), and who usually turns up
Scotland Excel has too little published record in this market to describe on its own. Published market evidence for the same work stands beside whatever it has. This notice is a framework or DPS, so only frameworks and DPS are compared. Whole-market view: Social work and related services (CPV 8530) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Here, local means the winner is registered in the region where that contract was delivered.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered in Scotland.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards were announced within 75 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
The market share is a minimum: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Missing bid counts may hide more single-bid awards. This share is a minimum.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid0% / 0%
2–36% / 16%
4–69% / 16%
7+85% / 68%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
On a framework or DPS, prices are agreed when work is called off.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Not comparable on a framework or DPS. The notice sets up a supplier panel and a ceiling value; what the work actually costs is agreed later, on each call-off or mini-competition, and those publish as contract notices of their own. The award-vs-estimate record of this market therefore sits on the call-offs; this page shows it on the contracts, not on the panel that frames them.
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Our matching links this notice to “Care and Support Services Flexible Framework Agreement” of this authority, but none of the 18 panel members sit in a category matching this notice.
Lot #1Care RolesCPV 85300000Published estimate£89m
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid0%
2–31%
4–62%
7+97%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid Personnel LimitedEarlier contract | Social Care Agency Workers Flexible Framework Agreementnotice published Oct 2023 | Professional Roles | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| Support and Social Care Network LtdEarlier contract | Care and Support Services Flexible Framework Agreement NEW ENTRANTSnotice published Mar 2026 | — | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
Barnardo'sLarge | £167m83 awards in 36m · last this month | 31 live · £87m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=38 |
Action for ChildrenLarge | £45m26 awards in 36m · last 7 months ago | 11 live · £26m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=16 |
| £1.1m1 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs | |
| £593k1 awards in 36m · last 14 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs | |
| £1.5m1 awards in 36m · last 32 months ago | 1 live · £1.5m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 2% below n=3 |
Lot #2Professional RolesCPV 85300000Published estimate£8.0m
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid0%
2–31%
4–63%
7+96%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid Personnel LimitedEarlier contract | Social Care Agency Workers Flexible Framework Agreementnotice published Oct 2023 | Professional Roles | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| Support and Social Care Network LtdEarlier contract | Care and Support Services Flexible Framework Agreement NEW ENTRANTSnotice published Mar 2026 | — | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
Barnardo'sLarge | £167m83 awards in 36m · last this month | 31 live · £87m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=38 |
| £40m39 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 9 live · £21m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=8 | |
Optima Health UK LtdLarge | £5.8m12 awards in 36m · last 2 months ago | 2 live · £1.7m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 8% below n=5 |
Action for ChildrenLarge | £45m26 awards in 36m · last 7 months ago | 11 live · £26m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=16 |
RAMHSME | £2.8m2 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | None on file | at estimate n=1 |
Lot #3Ancillary RolesCPV 85300000Published estimate£3.0m
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid0%
2–33%
4–64%
7+92%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid Personnel LimitedEarlier contract | Social Care Agency Workers Flexible Framework Agreementnotice published Oct 2023 | Professional Roles | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| Support and Social Care Network LtdEarlier contract | Care and Support Services Flexible Framework Agreement NEW ENTRANTSnotice published Mar 2026 | — | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
Barnardo'sLarge | £167m83 awards in 36m · last this month | 31 live · £87m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=38 |
Optima Health UK LtdLarge | £5.8m12 awards in 36m · last 2 months ago | 2 live · £1.7m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 8% below n=5 |
Health AssuredLarge | £2.4m27 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 8 live · £832k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 2% below n=3 |
| £159m5 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 3 live · £109m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=6 | |
| £2.8m7 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 2 live · £2.4m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 8% above n=4 |
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
What this replaces i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
49% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
49% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
The prior contract this notice most likely re-tenders · matched by title and category (49% title match), the holder is not guaranteed to re-bid
Care and Support Services Flexible Framework Agreement, winner not published; no contract end date published.
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
- Open admission
- 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
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 8 Dec 2025, 17:05 GMT
- Last source update
- 15 Sept 2026, 14:52 BST
- Authority reference
1125- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-087374- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f132Find a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
- Performance terms
It is a material condition of the FFA that ALL WORKERS SUPPLIED MUST BE vetted, qualified and Registered with the relevant Regulatory Body to perform the required role, all in accordance with Law.
For full details of the contract conditions relevant to the FFA and contracts called off thereunder, please refer to the Procurement Documents which also set out requirements for a tendering group of entities (see I.3 above).
Tenderers require to confirm their acceptance of the contract conditions.
TENDERS MADE SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED AND MAY BE REFUSED ON THE GROUNDS OF SUCH CONDITIONS ALONE.
- Review procedure
An economic operator that suffers, or risks suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulation 2015 (SSI 2015/446) (as amended) may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.
Publisher note: IMPORTANT NOTE: The specific requirements and evaluation approaches applicable to this process are set out in the Procurement Documents. This process is subject to the Law and Guidance applicable in Scotland to the award of public contracts including (without limitation) the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 as currently in force. As such, this exercise is based upon the Open Procedure to establish a Flexible Framework Agreement with variations as permitted under the Regulations. In particular, once established, subject to the terms of the FFA, there may be opportunities for admission of new suppliers and existing suppliers may vary their service (see the Procurement Documents for full details). Scotland Excel is a central purchasing body and is procuring this framework on behalf of the following contracting authorities (and successor bodies): A) The 32 local authorities in Scotland as listed at https://home.scotland-excel.org.uk/about-us/our-members B) Scotland Excel associate members as listed at https://home.scotland-excel.org.uk/about-us/our-members C) any Integration Authority, or other body, established pursuant to the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland)Act 2014. D) Scottish Prison Service (SPS) The above is subject to each contracting authority entering into and maintaining a relevant membership agreement or other access agreement with Scotland Excel. Tenderers may be excluded from evaluation (in whole, or in part) if they do not include the information required in accordance with instructions given. Full details of the requirements of this FFA (include permitted variations and contract conditions) are available in the Procurement Documents contained within the relevant project on PCS-T: Project_ itt_63739. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre SUBCONTRACTING: Tenderers will be required to confirm whether they intend to subcontract and, if so, for what proportion of the contracts to be called-off under the proposed framework agreement. If you intend to subcontract any share of the contract to third parties on whose capacity you do not rely to satisfy the selection criteria, you must secure that each subcontractor completes a separate SPD (Scotland) Response for all Parts of the SPD (Scotland) Qualification Envelope, except Part 4 (Selection criteria). Please note that these subcontractors on whose capacity the tenderer does not rely will be subject to the rules regarding Exclusion as set out in 11.2.14. 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: In accordance with section 25(3) of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 note that, Scotland Excel intends to include community benefit requirements. As part of your response within the Technical Envelope, bidders will be requested to commit to delivery of community benefits in accordance with the methodology outlined in the tender documents. (SC Ref:680805) 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: A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows: In accordance with section 25(3) of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 note that, Scotland Excel intends to include community benefit requirements. As part of your response within the Technical Envelope, bidders will be requested to commit to delivery of community benefits in accordance with the methodology outlined in the tender documents. (SC Ref:841427)
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Apply via Public Contracts Scotland- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Appointment period ends
- 20 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- —
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
24 Apr 2026 → 20 Oct 2026 · 3 dates- Next notice expected179 days ago24 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
- Notice published35 days ago15 Sept 2026, 14:52 BST
- Today20 Oct 2026
- Admission / appointment period endstoday · period end, not a bid countdown20 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
Notice history
3 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 15 Sept 2026- Status changed to active15 Sept 2026, 14:52 BST
- Procurement method changed15 Sept 2026, 14:52 BST
- Deadline published: 20 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST15 Sept 2026, 14:52 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Nothing awarded yet- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Court of SessionReview body
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice; the tender pack is on the portal.