Executive and Senior Specialist Search and Associated Recruitment Services – APUC

Title:  Executive and Senior Specialist Search and Associated Recruitment Services

Reference number:  PFB1048 AP

Short description:  The Authority is seeking Contractor(s) for the provision of Executive and Senior Specialist Search and Associated Recruitment Services to the higher education (HE) institutions and further education (FE) institutions (and affiliated bodies) in Scotland. A list of the Institutions can be found in Appendix E. In addition, the following purchasing consortia and their respective members have agreed in principle to participate in the Framework Agreement:

• London Universities Purchasing Consortium and its members (LUPC) – Lots 3, 5 and 6 only
• North Western Universities Purchasing Consortium and its members (NWUPC)
• Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium its members (SUPC) – Lot 6 only
• NHS National Procurement and its members
• Healthcare Improvement Scotland
• NHS Education for Scotland
• NHS Golden Jubilee
• NHS24
• Scotland Excel and its members
• Scottish Ambulance Service
• Scottish Government
• The State Hospitals Board for Scotland

The framework agreement will be available for use by 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 Office for the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, councils constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, , bodies registered as social landlords under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, Scottish health boards or special health boards, Student Loans Company Limited, the Commissioner of Northern Lighthouse operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board, Scottish Futures Trust, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Business Stream Ltd, the Business Gateway National Unit at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, further or higher education institutions being fundable bodies within the meaning of section 6 of the further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, 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 foregoing, bodies financed wholly or mainly by one or more of the foregoing, bodies subject to management supervision by one or more of the foregoing 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 foregoing. In addition to the contracting authorities listed, the framework agreement will be available to charities entered on the Scottish Charity Register and voluntary organisations entered on the Membership Database of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.

 

Estimated total value excluding VAT: £12,000,000

Evaluation weightings:  technical 60% and price 40%

Contract duration:  36 months with the right to extend for up to 12 months subject to satisfactory performance and continued Institutions requirements

Type of procedure:  Open procedure

The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement with several operators.  Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 36

Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate:  2pm, 13th April 2026

This contract is divided into lots and tenders may be submitted for all lots

 

Lot 1 – Recruitment related services

This lot is for recruitment related services to support the recruitment activities of the institutions. The activities that may be included would be:

• Succession planning
• Board reviews
• Salary and remuneration benchmarking
• Skills audit
• Candidate market scoping
• Panel training
• Unconscious bias training
• Access to Recruitment Technology

The pricing for this would be on an hourly, half day and day rate basis however fixed fees may be agreed on call off for a prescribed piece of work before this work is conducted.

The Authority is seeking to appoint a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 Contractors to service this lot.

 

Lot 2 – Executive Search – North

This Lot relates to the provision of search and selection services for executive roles based in Scotland and the areas represented by NWUPC, including Northern Ireland. The Contractor shall be responsible for identifying, assessing, and presenting suitably qualified candidates in accordance with the Authority’s requirements.

The Authority is seeking to appoint a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 Contractors to service this Lot.

 

Lot 3 – Executive Search – South

This Lot relates to the provision of search and selection services for executive roles based in England and the areas represented by LUPC. The Contractor shall be responsible for identifying, assessing, and presenting suitably qualified candidates in accordance with the Authority’s requirements.

The Authority is seeking to appoint a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 Contractors to service this Lot.

 

Lot 4 – Senior Specialist Search – North

This lot is for the search and selection of highly qualified candidates for senior specialist level roles based in Scotland and the areas represented by NWUPC, including Northern Ireland. The Contractor shall be responsible for identifying, assessing, and presenting suitably qualified candidates in accordance with the Authority’s requirements.

The Authority is seeking to appoint a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 Contractors to service each of these lots.

 

Lot 5 – Senior Specialist Search – South

This lot is for the search and selection of highly qualified candidates for senior specialist level roles based in England and the areas represented by LUPC. The Contractor shall be responsible for identifying, assessing, and presenting suitably qualified candidates in accordance with the Authority’s requirements.

The Authority is seeking to appoint a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 Contractors to service each of these lots.

 

Lot 6 – Chairs of Court and members of governing committees and boards

This lot is for the search and selection of highly qualified candidates for Chairs and members of governing committees and board roles based in the UK.

The Authority is seeking to appoint a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 Contractors to service each of these lots.

 

Name and addresses

APUC Limited

Unit 27, Stirling Business Centre, Wellgreen

Stirling

FK8 2DZ

Contact:  Graeme Kerr

Email:  gkerr@apuc-scot.ac.uk

Telephone:  +44 1314428930

 

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at:  https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAR551180

 

Full contract notice:  https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020525-2026?origin=SearchResults&p=1