Requirements Reserved for Supported Businesses Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)

Description

The 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. 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.