SPS is leading a collaborative procurement on behalf of approximately 40 Scottish public sector organisations (Collaborative Partners), representing a combined workforce of approximately 34,000 employees, to secure the provision of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). The Services are intended to support employees by providing access to confidential advice, guidance and supportive interventions to assist with personal and work-related issues that may impact health, wellbeing, attendance or performance. The required Services include, but are not limited to: -Telephone counselling and emotional support services; -Information, advice and signposting services; -Support and advice for carers; -Management support services, including consultation and guidance for managers; -Structured counselling interventions, delivered through face-to-face, telephone and digital channels as appropriate; -Referral arrangements to specialist support services where required; and -Trauma support services, including access to a dedicated trauma helpline and specialist post-traumatic incident support for employees affected by actual or potential exposure to traumatic events. In addition, there is a requirement to provide Welfare Services to a number of the Collaborative Partners. The Welfare Service shall include crisis intervention, welfare support services (including home visits where appropriate), advocacy services, and support in facilitating meetings on behalf of individuals where required. The Welfare Service is intended to provide both direct support to employees experiencing personal, health, wellbeing or workplace difficulties and management information reporting to Human Resources representatives, in accordance with agreed governance arrangements and applicable confidentiality requirements. The Services are expected to support the health, wellbeing and resilience of employees, whilst providing Collaborative Partners with access to appropriate management information to inform organisational wellbeing initiatives and service evaluation.

The Purchasing Authority is acting on behalf of the following organisations: The Scottish Prison Service is contracting for itself AND on behalf of other contracting authorities as detailed below The Scottish Ministers (including Agencies), Scottish Non-Departmental Public Bodies, offices in the Scottish Administration which are not ministerial offices, cross-border public authorities within the meaning of section 88(5) of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scotland Office, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, special health boards, Forestry Commission, Scottish Futures Trust, Student Loans Company Ltd, the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses, Business Stream Ltd, any public body established by or under the Scotland Act 1998 or any Act of the Scottish Parliament, any association of or formed by one or more of the above, bodies financed wholly or mainly by one or more of the above, bodies subject to management supervision by one or more of the above and bodies more than half of the board of directors or members of which, or, in the case of a group of individuals, more than half of those individuals, being appointed by one or more of the above. NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=841127. (SC Ref:841127)

The SPS will commence this procurement process in good faith and with the intention of awarding a framework. Following publication of the Contract Notice, an Invitation to Tender (ITT) including the Single Procurement Document (Scotland) (SPD) will be published by SPS and will be made available to bidders on Public Contract Scotland-Tender (PCS-T). Tender responses will then be evaluated by the SPS in accordance with the ITT

Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)

https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000841127