Review of regulated procurement compliance

Transport Scotland set out seven procurement priorities in section six of its Corporate Procurement Strategy 2023-2024, which align with the seven procurement priorities published by the Public Procurement Group in June 2021. Transport Scotland’s seven priorities during the reporting period were:

1. Transport Scotland will raise its profile and maximise internal and external engagement with leaders and stakeholders
2. Transport Scotland will support sustainable economic recovery, implement sustainable procurement tools, use data intelligently and deliver responsibly to support its suppliers and the community
3. Transport Scotland will use procurement to build resilience in its supply chain and collaborate to support its capability
4. Transport Scotland will use its procurement programme to maximise the impact of the sustainable procurement duty
5. Transport Scotland will support the Scottish Government in its climate ambitions through our procurement practices
6. Transport Scotland will maintain a high standard of procurement capability implement best practice, recognise talent and implement continuous improvement
7. Transport Scotland will develop and implement our procurement systems to improve sustainable outcomes

These priorities were further sub-divided into twenty-seven delivery sub-actions. Comment on Transport Scotland’s compliance with each of the twenty-seven delivery sub-actions is provided below:

Priority 1

Delivery sub-action 1.1

Transport Scotland’s Procurement Team and Contracts Team regularly engage with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to ensure procurement aligns with current best practice.

Internally, the teams led several activities to support collaboration and knowledge-sharing. The quarterly Transport Scotland Procurement Group Meetings, attended by senior staff from across the organisation, provide a platform to discuss and implement changes to procurement policy and report on procurement performance across Transport Scotland’s nine directorates. The teams also facilitate internal stakeholder groups on procurement information and communication technologies, the climate emergency, and also run drop-in sessions for Delegated Purchasing Authority (DPA) holders to share updates and insights across directorates.

Externally, regular meetings are held with key stakeholders, including the Construction Leadership Forum, Scottish Water, the Association for Consultancy and Engineering Scotland, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, train operating companies, and trunk road operating companies to exchange ideas, explore opportunities, and address shared challenges. The team also works closely with other public bodies through networks such as the Scottish Government’s Procurement Collaborative Group, Procurement Cluster Group, Heads of Procurement Group, and the Scottish Procurement Policy Directorate, helping to share expertise and align practices across the public sector.

Delivery sub-action 1.2

Transport Scotland’s procurement intranet pages were reviewed and updated on a regular basis during the reporting period. The Procurement Team use the intranet pages to publish procurement guidance, including Transport Scotland’s procurement toolkit. The Toolkit provides guidance that outlines procurement processes and procedures, from inception through to award of the framework agreement or contract.

Transport Scotland staff use the intranet pages to access information about:

• how to contact the Procurement Team
• procurement policy and procedures
• procurement advice and support
• delegated purchasing authority
• sustainable procurement
• tender receipt and opening
• the Transport Scotland contracts database
• contract reference numbers
• procurement feedback
• training sessions in relevant areas

In addition to the procurement intranet pages, Transport Scotland also advertises changes to procurement policy through targeted emails to DPA holders, publication of news stories in its staff notice and through updates given at quarterly Procurement Group Meetings.

Transport Scotland has a series of guidance documents called procurement advice notes, which explain how legal and policy requirements operate in practice in procurements. These documents are regularly reviewed and updated as new procurement policy is issued.

Delivery sub-action 1.3

Transport Scotland has a central database to record lessons learned across its procurements to ensure lessons are readily shared across teams. Lessons learned are captured, reviewed, implemented and shared on a quarterly basis, ensuring procurement lessons learned are incorporated into future procurement activity and processes. Where relevant, training material is updated to highlight areas of good practice. The lessons learned summary document is approved by senior managers in teams every quarter before being shared with procurement managers across Transport Scotland.

Delivery sub-action 1.4

The Procurement Team maintains a corporate procurement risk register, which identifies planned actions with owners allocated for each risk to ensures that potential risks are mitigated. This document is reviewed and updated monthly by the Procurement Team and presented to senior management in Transport Scotland on a quarterly basis. Risks are managed in line with Transport Scotland’s risk appetite statement for commercial risk and the Procurement Team also attends corporate risk meetings in Transport Scotland along with representatives from each of its nine directorates.

In addition, each directorate is responsible for maintaining their own risk registers which must include project-specific procurement risks related to their business area. Directorate-level procurement risks are monitored by the Procurement Team on a quarterly basis, with project teams required to present their key procurement risks to senior managers at the quarterly Procurement Group Meeting.

All procurements in Transport Scotland require a procurement strategy which must be approved by senior managers and either the Director of Purchasing and/or the Depute Director of Purchasing prior to commencing any procurement activity. The procurement strategy includes a section on procurement risk which details the risk owner, a description of the risk, an assessment of the probability and impact, the date of the assessment, mitigating actions and the next review date.

Priority 2

Transport Scotland will support sustainable economic recovery, implement sustainable procurement tools, use data intelligently and deliver responsibly to support its suppliers and the community

Delivery sub-action 2.1

Use our processes and Scottish Government sustainable procurement tools to support the identification of opportunities for the inclusion of community benefits, Fair Work First and carbon management in Transport Scotland procurements

Transport Scotland requires all regulated procurements to be assessed using the sustainability test from the Scottish Government’s sustainable procurement tools website. This ensures that project managers assess the sustainability impacts of their procurement, comparing their requirements against the organisation’s priorities. This sustainability test prompts procurement managers to consider the inclusion of award criteria concerning Fair Work First, community benefits and climate change. 

Transport Scotland has completed the Flexible Framework Tool on the Scottish Government Procurement Tools website to assess current level of performance and the actions required. This allows good procurement practice to be embedded throughout the agency, to enable sustainable outcomes in line with Scottish Government policies.

Delivery sub-action 2.2

Facilitate future opportunities for supported businesses, the third sector, SMEs and local business, and ensuring ethical and fair treatment

During this reporting period, 63% of Transport Scotland's procured suppliers were SMEs, which accounted for a total spend of almost £85 million. Additionally, suppliers reported a further £30 million spent on 293 sub-contracts with SMEs.

Transport Scotland uses the Quick Quote system on the Public Contracts Scotland website to advertise non-regulated procurements, which allows fair, competitive tendering for low value requirements.

Opportunities for SMEs are considered in the project procurement strategy for all procurements. This includes consideration of whether SMEs are operating in the market for that requirement and whether the procurement can be structured to facilitate SME participation. Clauses are included in tender documentation for procurements to ensure subcontracting opportunities are advertised on the Public Contracts Scotland website, to allow SMEs and local businesses access to opportunities.

Transport Scotland’s project procurement strategy requires project managers to consider whether supported businesses and social enterprises could deliver their requirements. It also highlights that contracts can be reserved for a supported business under Section 11 of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

A recent example of a procurement which gave consideration to providing SME and local businesses the opportunity to bid for work is Transport Scotland’s Multi-supplier Framework Agreement for Ground Investigation services which is currently in procurement. Extensive research into the market was undertaken, resulting in a lotting structure being created on the framework which includes a lot for lower value call-offs (<£500,000) to create opportunities for smaller ground investigation companies to bid for work.

Delivery sub-action 2.3

Project procurement strategies require project managers to consider how Fair Work First, community benefits and carbon management will be incorporated in the procurement process. Transport Scotland’s processes were aligned with Scottish Procurement Policy Notes (SPPN) relating to sustainable procurement, including 6/2021 and 03/2022, during the reporting period.

Regular training sessions have been provided to Transport Scotland staff on Fair Work First, community benefits and the Climate Emergency. The content of the training sessions is regularly reviewed and updated, including where new SPPNs or case law have been published and where lessons learned are identified.

Four contracts were advertised which included a requirement for potential suppliers to include a commitment to community benefits within their proposals. In addition, this requirement was also included in call-offs from existing frameworks to ensure project specific community benefit commitments that were made by tenderers on the framework were delivered.

Procurement activity in Transport Scotland directly supports the delivery of the Scottish Government’s vision for transport. An example of this is the procurement for the Low Emission Zones (LEZ) Phase 3, 4 and 5 National Campaign, which is the marketing campaign required for the introduction of enforcement for the LEZ into Scotland’s four biggest cities. This work included the marketing and public awareness of Low Emission Zones ahead of enforcement which was implemented in Dundee in May 2024 and Edinburgh and Aberdeen in June 2024. This supports the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government commitment to deliver LEZs, as well as its vision for transport by tackling poor air quality and banning the most polluting vehicles from city centres.

Transport Scotland’s cross-directorate Procurement Emergency Climate Working Group supports knowledge sharing of on the incorporation of carbon and climate change requirements within procurements. This group has assisted with the practical application in Transport Scotland of the new question (4C.7) in the Single Procurement Document for procurement competitions.

Delivery sub-action 2.4

The Procurement Team review internal guidance on sustainability and update it regularly in line with lessons learned, new Scottish Procurement Policy Notes and other new policies introduced by Scottish Government. 

To ensure that procurement processes are effective, the Procurement Team undertake regular compliance checks on selected regulated procurements to check that they are being conducted in line with Transport Scotland policies and processes.

Transport Scotland has a structured Lessons Learned process that ensures lessons are captured throughout the procurement process, and that our procedures are updated for future tender exercises.

Priority 3

Delivery sub-action 3.1

Transport Scotland encourages market engagement where appropriate to ensure knowledge of any potential supply chain risks are identified and managed at an early stage. Supply chain risks and opportunities form part of the regular conversations Transport Scotland has with other bodies such as the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, Association for Consultancy and Engineering, National Highways, Scottish Rail Holdings Ltd, ScotRail Trains Ltd, Caledonian Sleeper Ltd, Network Rail,, Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd and Scottish Water.

One example of this was the extensive market research undertaken for the A9 Dualling Tomatin to Moy project, which was in procurement during the reporting period. A previous procurement competition for the project resulted in only one tender being submitted in 2022 and as its price was significantly higher than expected, the contract was not awarded. Following this, staff from the Procurement and Contracts team attended a number of market consultations alongside the project team to assess market conditions. As a result of this market engagement, Transport Scotland took significant steps to alter the risk allocation, contract form and specific contract terms, to maximise competition for the new project procurement.

Delivery sub-action 3.2

As well as regular feedback that suppliers receive from their contract managers, Transport Scotland operates a formal supplier feedback process to ensure that suppliers are receiving consistent feedback on their performance in key areas. Supplier performance was provided annually by Transport Scotland project managers on all of its contracts and reports were issued to suppliers to provide feedback on their performance. The supplier performance feedback was used as a tool, by both Transport Scotland and the supplier, to enable comparison of performance across the supplier’s current contracts.

Transport Scotland uses a range of different forms of contact, with reporting and contract management requirements which are appropriate for the scale and subject matter of the contract. Within the devolved procurement model, each of the nine directorates is responsible for their own contract and supplier management processes.

Where appropriate, Transport Scotland uses key performance indicators or service level agreements to support successful management of contracts. Examples of contracts which include these mechanisms are Transport Scotland’s contracts for the ChargePlace Scotland operator, the Scottish Trunk Road Network Management operators and the Digital Data Travel Services contract. 

Examples of Transport Scotland’s approach to contract management for higher value contracts can be seen in the Trunk Road Network Management contracts. These contracts require monthly progress meetings and the submission of a monthly report by the operating company. Contractual mechanisms allow performance issues to be identified and addressed through the means of remedial notices. Additionally, the Performance Audit Group contract has been procured to support Transport Scotland in monitoring and auditing the performance of Trunk Road Network Management operating companies, to ensure value for money.

Delivery sub-action 3.3

Transport Scotland works with its supply chain to identify these areas by:

• undertaking effective engagement before the commencement of the procurement process
• using value engineering clauses in contracts to deliver value for money for the public purse
• effective management of contracts to ensure compliance with the contractual terms and conditions and address any risks at an early stage
• using the competitive dialogue public procurement process for major projects where appropriate, to allow engagement with suppliers, encourage innovation and added value input prior to the issue of final tender documents
• permitting variant tenders for some major projects, which enables suppliers to propose further innovations within their tenders.

Transport Scotland uses Prior Information Notices (PINs) and Supplier Information Events when appropriate, to support early market engagement on procurements. During the reporting period, one PIN was published by Transport Scotland on the Public Contracts Scotland website. This was for the contract for the Asset Management Technical Services Framework.

Delivery sub-action 3.4

Model contract documents for highly specialist goods, services and works are subject to on-going review by Transport Scotland. They are held in centrally available templates, which are updated as practice develops and lessons learned are embedded. 

During this reporting period Transport Scotland completed engagement with industry stakeholders to review Transport Scotland's standard contractual terms and conditions for road construction projects. Following this engagement exercise, the NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract was used for the A9 Dualling Tomatin to Moy contract. This form of contract is used in other parts of the construction and engineering sectors and its use was welcomed by industry and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association.

For more routine needs Transport Scotland uses the Scottish Government model contract documents for selected contracts, frameworks and call-offs.

Where a suitable Transport Scotland contract or framework is not in place, collaborative contracts and frameworks are used where possible. Transport Scotland’s use of collaborative procurement includes Scottish Government contracts and frameworks, as well as Scotland Excel and Crown Commercial Services frameworks where appropriate. Use of Scottish Government collaborative frameworks generated cash savings of over £1.5m during this reporting period.

Transport Scotland has also worked closely with the Scottish Procurement and Property Directorate, contributing to the development of the Scottish Government Civil Engineering Framework through engagement with their user intelligence group and membership of the steering group and other working groups. Transport Scotland staff also supported with the tender evaluation exercise for this procurement.

Priority 4

Delivery sub-action 4.1

It is mandatory for all regulated procurements in Transport Scotland to have an approved project procurement strategy. The procurement strategy includes a section on sustainable procurement, where project teams must record economic, social and environmental requirements which are relevant to their criteria. Key considerations in this section include climate change and the circular economy, fair working practices and community benefits. Project teams are required to assess whether supported businesses or SMEs need to be considered in the procurement process, and whether the contract should include a requirement to advertise sub-contracting opportunities on the Public Contracts Scotland portal.

Where appropriate, Transport Scotland contracts require suppliers to provide reporting on the delivery of sustainable procurement commitments which enables contract managers to monitor delivery of these contractual requirements. Appendix B provides statistics highlighting the benefits that have been achieved through procured contracts during the 2023-2024 financial year.

During the reporting period, Transport Scotland included selection questions on prompt payment and environmental management in procurements including the Asset Management Technical Services Framework and the Multi-supplier Framework Agreement for Ground Investigation Works. 

Delivery sub-action 4.2

Transport Scotland requires that the Scottish Government’s sustainability test is completed for each regulated procurement during the development of the procurement strategy. This ensures relevant and proportionate sustainability requirements are embedded in the procurements of frameworks and contracts from the beginning of the process. This requires project managers to provide details of the social, economic and environmental elements of the proposed procurement that will be addressed by developing a suitable specification and evaluation criteria. 

Project managers are directed to SPPNs and Scottish Government guidance on sustainability when completing procurement strategies. In addition, the Procurement Team have developed model questions that can be used for the Fair Work First and Real Living Wage evaluation criteria.

Community benefits guidance is provided to project teams on Transport Scotland’s procurement intranet pages to assist them when identifying suitable community benefit requirements, including training, recruitment and sub-contracting opportunities. The toolkit includes Transport Scotland’s community benefits metrics, which are used within the procurement and contract management stages of projects. A version of the metrics is available on the Transport Scotland website, which allows suppliers to gain a better understanding of community benefits requirements.

Transport Scotland’s major works procurements within the period include quality assessment criteria on Fair Work First, community benefits and environmental practices. An example of this was the A9 Dualling Tomatin to Moy project, with 30% of the quality score allocated to questions which relate to the sustainable procurement duty. 

The Transport Scotland Trunk Roads Network Maintenance Contracts also contains measures to maximise the impact of the sustainable procurement duty. The contracts require the operating companies to increase the number of ultra-low emission vehicles in their fleet with a commitment that by 2025 they will ensure at least fifty per cent of their car and van fleet will comprise of ultra-low emission vehicles. It also requires that they install EV charge points at central offices and depots, with dedicated EV charging parking spaces and signage to support the operation of the ultra-low emission vehicles. This will help to lower carbon emissions on the trunk road network as the operating companies perform their obligations.

The operating companies are also required to produce carbon emissions reports, providing a carbon factor score for material usage and transportation in schemes within a one-year programme. This will set a base line for ongoing carbon reduction to set and monitor targets to achieve continuous improvement within future programmes. The contract performance management regime includes a number of performance indicators established to measure year on year reductions in carbon emissions and waste generated through the operating companies operations. They are also required to develop an environmental policy and identify environmental objectives, targets, programmes, training and communication requirements. The operating companies will also include environmental considerations in method statements and procedures, including those for operational control and emergency response.”

Delivery sub-action 4.3

Community benefits are considered in the procurement strategy for all regulated procurements. Community benefits are also reviewed as part of the lessons learned process. Transport Scotland requires project teams to consider the local community where the contract will be delivered and include relevant information in the tender documents. This knowledge sharing supports suppliers in delivering community benefits which are tailored to the needs of the local area.

Transport Scotland continued to review and update its guidance to assist project managers when assessing the potential to include community benefits into their procurements. The guidance provides model text and community benefits questions for inclusion in tender documents and contracts for a range of different values and types of requirement. Project managers are asked to consider community benefits throughout the development and procurement of the contract. Regular training on community benefits was provided during the reporting period to Transport Scotland staff to highlight the importance of best practice in this area.

During this reporting period, contracts which include community benefits requirements have delivered a wide range of positive outcomes, including training and employment opportunities as well as providing support to community organisations. More detailed information on community benefits delivered during the reporting period can be found in Appendix B.

Delivery sub-action 4.4

Fair Work First is considered within the procurement strategy for all regulated procurements, and Fair Work questions are included in the tender documents for all procurement processes, where it is proportionate to do so. This requires suppliers to provide details which demonstrate their approach to fair work and the Real Living Wage.

A training course on Fair Work First has been developed and is delivered regularly, ensuring that staff are kept up to date with the Scottish Government’s Fair Work First Guidance, the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 Statutory Guidance and Scottish Procurement Policy Note Fair Work First implementation – Scottish public procurement update: SPPN 6/2021, which was current during the reporting period. This training, alongside guidance produced by the Procurement Team ensures that project teams understand this policy and how this should be incorporated into procurements and contracts.

Priority 5

Delivery sub-action 5.1

Consideration of the climate emergency is included in all project procurement strategies, where project managers are required to consider whether to buy, what to buy and how to buy as they plan their procurement. It is standard practice to include a question relating to the tenderers’ approaches to the climate emergency in the award criteria for Transport Scotland procurements.

During this reporting period, Transport Scotland implemented the new Scottish Government requirement to ask suppliers to provide a Climate Change Plan as part of the selection stage for contracts deemed to be ‘relevant’ or ‘priority’ contracts. These plans include evidence of their ability to address the climate emergency and reduction of their Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Examples of this include the Development Management, Road Safety and Active Travel Support Services Framework, the Asset Management Framework and the Multi-Supplier Framework Agreement for Ground Investigation Works.

Transport Scotland has developed its own carbon calculator which is used to calculate the emissions associated with works projects at the design stage in order to determine emissions reduction targets. This ensures consideration of the impact of emissions at an early stage of the procurement. During the previous reporting period the requirement to use the calculator was included in the contract for the M8 Kingston Bridge works and the A985 Kincardine Bridge Southern Piled Viaduct Replacement. Due to the success of this calculator, it was included in the procurement documents for the A9 Dualling Tomatin to Moy Contract, which was in procurement during the reporting period.

The Procurement Team collaborated with environmental colleagues and supported with the development of the Transport Scotland's Carbon Management Plan 2022-2027. This document contains a section that is focussed on procurement’s contribution to reducing Transport Scotland’s impact on the environment and meeting net zero emissions across its corporate functions, as well as contributing to its Public Bodies Climate Change Duty reporting. In addition, updates on developments of Transport Scotland’s policy on incorporating climate change considerations within procurement activity are discussed with senior managers from all directorates at our quarterly Procurement Group Meeting, enabling internal stakeholders across the organisation to provide feedback on how procedures will work within the sectors in which they are procuring.

Delivery sub-action 5.2

Transport Scotland is an active, supportive member of the Scottish Government’s Heads of Procurement Group, Procurement Collaboration Group and sectoral Procurement Cluster Group, enabling it to discuss and exchange best practice with peers from across the public procurement sector.

Transport Scotland is also an active member of the Scottish Government’s Construction Leadership Forum and have contributed to the development of the Scottish Government Multi-Supplier Civil Engineering Works Framework, including carbon considerations. During the reporting period there was ongoing collaboration with the Scottish Water Net Zero Expert Panel to consider best practice and reducing carbon in construction, with particular support being provided to the development and use of low carbon concrete on construction projects.

Ongoing internal collaboration within Transport Scotland included regular meetings of the Procurement Climate Emergency Working Group. This working group was attended by staff from across Transport Scotland’s directorates to discuss and develop an approach to carbon management through procurement processes, ensuring that best practices were consistently implemented across the organisation.

Delivery sub-action 5.3

The climate and the circular economy are considered within the procurement strategy for all regulated procurements, and provisions are included in tender documents where it is relevant and proportionate to do so. This requires suppliers to provide details of their approach to climate and circular economy considerations within the award criteria of Transport Scotland procurements.

An earlier version of the Transport Scotland carbon calculator has been implemented on construction projects over a number of years, and which has supported data gathering on scope 3 carbon emissions created by construction. An updated carbon calculator tool for construction has been included in recent projects including the M8 Kingston Bridge works, the A985 Kincardine Bridge Southern Piled Viaduct Replacement and the A9 Dualling Tomatin to Moy.

Priority 6

Delivery sub-action 6.1

Staff have access to guidance at all times through the dedicated procurement pages on the intranet, which includes a procurement toolkit and Transport Scotland procurement advice notes. The procurement toolkit has undergone an extensive update during the reporting period to improve the guidance available to project teams and was published on the intranet in April 2024. Procurement advice notes give guidance on the practical implementation of Scottish Government and Transport Scotland procurement policy. During the reporting period, new and updated procurement advice notes on Fair Work First, contract staff rate adjustments and cyber security were produced. Procurement advisors in the Procurement Team meet regularly to discuss live procurement issues, to ensure that consistent advice is available to all staff across the agency.

The Procurement Team operates a procurement query tracker which monitors the progress and outcome of all queries received. This tracker is reviewed regularly to ensure consistency of responses, and to identify training needs.

The Procurement Team runs compliance checks on selected regulated procurements, assessing each procurement at key stages to ensure it has been undertaken in line with procurement processes and policy, Transport Scotland’s Corporate Procurement Strategy and current legislation.

Delivery sub-action 6.2

Delegated Purchasing Authority (DPA) holders and other procurement staff are required to complete the Scottish Government Procurement Competency Framework on an annual basis to highlight areas where development is required. Following feedback received from this process, the Procurement Team incorporate updated mandatory training requirements. Training for DPA holders is now run as a bespoke session on a one-to-one basis for new DPA holders, with refresher training being run in small groups for existing DPA holders.

Transport Scotland regularly reviews procurement queries and lessons learned, alongside evaluations from the Scottish Government Procurement Competency Framework, to identify areas that would benefit from additional training and guidance. To address these needs, a procurement training strategy is developed annually, ensuring that knowledge gaps are effectively tackled through a comprehensive training programme. Training sessions are advertised to staff using the Transport Scotland intranet pages, highlighted to DPA holders by email and are discussed at Procurement Group Meetings which are attended by senior leaders.

With the continued adoption of hybrid working, the Procurement Team has used virtual training sessions with 118 attendees over 21 sessions during the reporting period. This included procurement subjects such as Evaluation of Tenders, Fair Work First, Routes to Procurement, Role of the DPA, Community Benefits & Supported Businesses, Legal Training and Procurement and the Climate Emergency.

Delivery sub-action 6.3

The Procurement Team supports project teams across Transport Scotland, working closely with project teams and DPA holders to ensure that procurements are undertaken in line with best practice. Procurement Group Meetings are attended by senior staff across the organisation on a quarterly basis, allowing the Procurement Team to share any new policies and procedures and discuss these with representatives from across the organisation. The Director of Purchasing meets biannually with the Scottish Government’s Director of Procurement and Property to share information and discuss procurement topics.

Transport Scotland is an active member of the Scottish Government’s Heads of Procurement Group, Procurement Collaboration Group and Procurement Cluster Group, where there is the opportunity to share knowledge and best practice with others across the Scottish public procurement sector.

Within Transport Scotland, the Procurement Team has a focus on working collaboratively with project teams across the organisation, which is particularly important in a devolved model of procurement. Members of the Procurement Team have sat on working groups and project boards for significant programmes of work undertaken by the organisation, including the nationalisation of the Caledonian Sleeper Train, the Smart Integrated Ticketing Board and the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services.

The Procurement Team provides expert advice to project teams across Transport Scotland, working collaboratively to ensure that procurement activities are conducted in compliance with organisational and regulatory requirements. Beyond providing guidance, the team plays a key role in developing and implementing procurement policies related to climate change and carbon management, often working closely with other specialists across the organisation. A member of the Procurement Team also regularly meets with governance team leaders from various directorates to ensure alignment and share best practices.

Active engagement is a cornerstone of the Procurement Team’s approach. This includes participation in boards and working groups across the organisation and regular meetings with governance teams, to foster collaboration and drive continuous improvement across Transport Scotland’s procurement practices.

Delivery sub-action 6.4

The Procurement Team regularly seek feedback, good practice examples and lessons learned from project managers on their experience on recent procurements. The procurement team review lessons learned on a quarterly basis to identify areas where processes and guidance need to be updated. This ensures that best practices are incorporated and that issues are addressed to prevent recurrence.

Through the lessons learned process, the Procurement Team identified a need to produce more standardised templates for procurement processes. The team has developed a structured approach to update and review template procurement documents which project teams can use for their procurement activities.

A further example of the lessons learned process in action was the implementation of the NEC4 form of contract in the A9 Dualling Tomatin to Moy project. Lessons learned by Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government during the development of the Scottish Government Civil Engineering Framework were successfully integrated into the procurement competition for this project. This approach not only created a more attractive and competitive environment for contractors but also demonstrated value for money.

Priority 7

Delivery sub-action 7.1

Transport Scotland supported a number of public sector led activities during the reporting period. These included attendance at the Supplier Development Programme’s Meet the Buyer Event, which was held in Edinburgh in May 2023 and regular engagement with the Scottish Government’s Procurement Collaboration Group and Procurement Cluster Group meetings.

During this reporting period, the procurement team, alongside finance colleagues, regularly engaged with the Scottish Government Shared Services Programme team responsible for the development of the Scottish Government Oracle finance and HR system which will be implemented in Transport Scotland during the 2024-2025 financial year.

During the reporting period, Transport Scotland used the Scottish Government’s PECOS EASEBUY system for e-Procurement. This system supports the prompt payment of the supply chain and ensures compliance with the Scottish Government target for the payment of invoices within 10 working days of their receipt.

Delivery sub-action 7.2

The procurement pages of the Transport Scotland website are routinely reviewed and updated when required. The pages explain how Transport Scotland does business and how suppliers can become involved in Transport Scotland procurements.

Information about sustainable procurement and community benefits is available on Transport Scotland’s public-facing website, to support suppliers who may be interested in tendering for procurements. This information includes a community benefits metrics template which is used within Transport Scotland procurements and contracts to benchmark and monitor delivery of community benefits, as well as links to information about Fair Work First within the procurement process.

Delivery sub-action 7.3

Transport Scotland has developed procurement guidance, including a procurement toolkit which sits alongside procurement advice notes on specialised topic areas. These documents provide staff with information, guidance and templates to ensure procurements comply with legislation, Scottish Procurement Policy Notes, internal policy and governance procedures. The procurement toolkit is regularly revised to ensure that it remains up to date.

Following revisions to Scottish Government policy on Prompt Payment in the Supply Chain and the Real Living Wage within procurement processes, as well as the introduction of an SPD (Single Procurement Document) question on climate change, the Procurement Team worked to develop and introduce guidance on how these policies are applied within Transport Scotland procurements, ensuring that a consistent approach is taken across the organisation.

Delivery sub-action 7.4

Transport Scotland has a Contracts Database system which is used to record information about procurements and the resulting contracts. The Contracts Database includes a procurement compliance check which is in use on all regulated procurements. It allows the procurement team to audit selected procurements as they progress through governance stages to ensure that they are being undertaken in line with Transport Scotland’s Corporate Procurement Strategy and are compliant with legislation.

The Contracts Database also supports the ongoing monitoring of contract expiry dates, contract spend and planned future procurement activity to enable forward planning. The procurement team maintains and updates the records held on the Contracts Database on a regular basis to ensure that they are an accurate and current reflection of the procurements and contracts within Transport Scotland.