Procurement

We purchase services, works and goods from a wide range of suppliers. Public Procurement Regulations govern the means by which we undertake procurement activity.

In line with the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, contracting authorities such as Transport Scotland are required to publish a procurement strategy that is reviewed annually and also publish an annual procurement report on its regulated procurement activity.

Our Corporate Procurement Strategy 2023 identifies the key policies and processes to be followed in undertaking our procurement activity. It sets out our corporate procurement aims and associated actions to support the achievement of Scottish Ministers’ ambition and vision for transport, as well as the strategic direction of our procurement activity for 2023-2024.

Our Annual Procurement Report 2023 contains details of our regulated procurement activities over the previous financial year.

Our regulated procurements are advertised via Public Contracts Scotland (PCS). PCS is used by public bodies in Scotland to advertise tender opportunities. Suppliers can register on PCS and select commodity categories in which they have an interest. Email alerts will be issued by PCS to those suppliers that have registered an interest in a particular commodity category when a new advert is placed by a public body. Any organisation that meets the criteria stated in an advert can register their interest.

If the value of a procurement requirement is less than £50,000, we use the Quick Quote module in PCS.

If the estimated tender value exceeds (or is likely to exceed) the threshold values that apply to public procurement exercises subject to the Public Contract (Scotland) Regulations 2015, the procurement will also be advertised in the UK Find a Tender system.

Notices of contract awards made by us with a value greater than £50,000 are published on PCS.

PCS hosts a register of all contracts greater than £50,000 awarded by us.

• View the Transport Scotland contract register

We are committed to the prompt payment of invoices and aims to settle all undisputed invoices within contract terms and also in line with the Scottish Government’s 10 day payment policy.

Sustainable procurement encompasses the ethos of the sustainable procurement duty placed on us by the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and aims to maximise the social, environmental and economic benefits resulting from our contracts. Procuring sustainably can play a key role in helping Scotland improve economic growth, encourage innovation, boost employment, training and apprenticeship opportunities and help small and medium enterprises (SMEs), third sector organisations and supported businesses to compete effectively for contracts.

Our commitment to undertaking our procurements in a sustainable manner is documented in our Corporate Procurement Strategy 2023 and our Annual Procurement Report 2023.

Our contracts, where applicable, require the delivery of community benefits. Transport Scotland has developed a community benefits metrics template, which is used on our procurements and contracts. The metrics template includes a non-exhaustive list of activities that we consider to be community benefits, and suppliers can use this information to support the development of their community benefit proposals when tendering for our contracts. Our Annual Procurement Report includes examples of community benefits which have been delivered on our contracts over the last financial year.

Community benefits delivered on our contracts frequently include a selection of the following:

• generating employment and training opportunities for priority groups
• vocational training
• up-skilling of the existing workforce
• equality and diversity initiatives
• making sub-contracting opportunities available to SMEs, the third sector and supported businesses
• supply-chain development activities
• encouraging and developing capacity in community organisations
• working with schools, colleges and universities to offer work experience, mentoring and curriculum development
• gifting of surplus materials such as top soil, timber etc. for community projects
• sponsoring of local events
• interactive workshops for schools making use of suppliers expertise
• provision of bird boxes, wildlife ledges and wildlife awareness raising sessions
• volunteering opportunities

Transport Scotland is committed to promoting Fair Work First, including payment of the Real Living Wage, through our procurement activity. For further information for employers on embedding fair work principles in their organisation, use the Fair Work Employer Support Tool.

In line with Scottish Government policy, we include for the operation of project bank accounts on our construction contracts.

• Find out more about project bank accounts policy and guidance

Suppliers can find more information about tendering for public sector contracts in the Scottish Government’s supplier journey.

Training, support and guidance are also available for SMEs and Third Sector organisations on the Supplier Development Programme website.

For further information please email Transport Scotland Procurement at TS_Procurement_mailbox@gov.scot.