Transport Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Ministers, has identified the need for specialist Ground Investigation (GI) works to support the delivery of infrastructure projects. The procurement comprised the establishment of a Multi-supplier Framework Agreement (MSFA) with a number of ground investigation contractors to carry out and report on GI works of varying scope, complexity and value in connection with trunk road and other transport infrastructure schemes promoted by the Scottish Ministers through Transport Scotland. Individual GI contracts can be called off by mini-competition or other procedures in accordance with the Agreement. The MSFA is divided into 2 Lots by estimated value of the individual GI call-off contracts.

Transport Scotland is an agency of the Scottish Government and contracts in the name of and on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. Transport Scotland has identified the requirement to appoint a suitably experienced Framework Contractors to carry out GI works to support the development and delivery of trunk road and other transport infrastructure schemes throughout Scotland. The Framework Contractors was procured through a Restricted procedure, in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Transport Scotland managed procurement process for the Multi-Supplier Framework Agreement for Ground Investigation Works on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. This was a two stage procedure, comprising a prequalification stage and a tender stage. Section II.2.9 of this Contract Notice describes the criteria used for selected the five successful tenderers. Detailed information regarding the award process and award criteria for the tender phase was supplied to Economic Operators who were invited to tender. The Conditions of Contract were the Infrastructure Conditions of Contract (ICC). To be considered for the prequalification stage, Economic Operators were required to complete and submit a Single Procurement Document (SPD) in accordance with this Contract Notice and the Supplementary Information Document which can be accessed via the Additional Documents located within the Additional Notice Options, this can be downloaded via the Public Contracts Scotland portal (www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk). Economic Operators were evaluated in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, on the basis of the information they have provided within the SPD. It is intended that the Framework Agreement will last four years.