Video Relay Service tender queries: FOI release

Information requested

1. A list of companies invited to make a tender to appoint a Video Relay Service Provider.

2. Why Sign Solutions, an English based company, was selected over other companies who are mainly Scottish based companies?

3. Who made the decision to appoint Sign Solutions? Would you provide the name o the person who gives the advice to decide?

4. How long is the contract length?

Response

Question 1: Invited suppliers

Contact Scotland BSL was advertised on Public Contracts Scotland and Find a Tender using the Open procurement procedure and there were no limitations on which interested parties could access  documents or submit a tender. Before the procurement went live Scottish Government published a Prior Information Notice on Public Contracts Scotland and held a virtual supplier event to create awareness and encourage suppliers in the market to bid.

Question 2 &3: Procurement process and Award

5 compliant tender responses were received by the deadline. Tender submissions were assessed based upon the stated evaluation award criteria - a price quality ratio of 70% / 30% in favour of quality. The tender specification and award criteria were informed via stakeholder engagement with the BSL community prior to the requirement being advertised. All compliant bids were scored individually by the tender evaluation panel against the award criteria and then moderated at an evaluation meeting. The winning supplier, Sign Solutions offered the most economically advantageous tender and achieved the highest quality score. A contracting authority (Scottish Government) must treat all economic operators equally and without discrimination in accordance with The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. On completion of the tender evaluation Scottish Government Procurement recommended Sign Solutions to be appointed following the above procurement procedure and this was approved by Catherine McMeeken, Deputy Director of Equalities.

Question 4: Contract length

The contract length is initially for 24 months with the option to extend to up to 24 months (to a date falling no later than 30 November 2029).

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.