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Supplier Opportunity with CCS: Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Solutions

Scottish suppliers have a unique opportunity to win a place on a UK-wide Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) agreement with Crown Commercial Service (CCS) to support Buyers with developing the vehicle charging infrastructure within Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Solutions DPS has been purposefully designed to be high level, with the intention of attracting SMEs and local suppliers throughout the United Kingdom. Buyers will set their own requirements at the call off stage.

The vehicle charging infrastructure agreement will run for four years, and suppliers can register interest via the Supplier Registration Service. Should suppliers miss the initial launch for whatever reason, including the COVID-19 crisis, they will still be able to register throughout the four years of the DPS.

The Supplier Registration Service allows potential suppliers to access the bid pack documents, register interest including the services they can deliver, and raise clarification questions.

Suppliers will be asked to state their installation location (Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Wales or UK) and detail the range of services they can supply under seven products and services:

• Consultancy and Feasibility
• Groundworks (Civil Engineering and Construction)
• Hardware and Accessories
• Installation and Decommissioning Services
• Servicing and Maintenance
• Software and Back Office solutions
• End to End service

Suppliers are required to meet specific basic criteria to be appointed to the DPS with regard to security, insurance levels and financial scores. These include:

• Security
• Current Cyber Essentials certificate
• Insurance levels
• Professional indemnity insurance with cover of not less than £1million. Applicable to Construction and Feasibility, Groundworks (Civil Engineering and Construction) and End to End Services;
• Public liability insurance with cover of not less than £1million.
• Product liability insurance with cover of not less than £1m. Applicable to Hardware and Accessories and End to End services;
• Employers’ (compulsory) liability insurance with cover of not less than £ 5 million.
• Finance failure score set at 45

CCS has developed a supplier webinar to help suppliers understand the DPS and how to apply.

Working with the Supplier Development Programme

The Supplier Development Programme is working in partnership with CCS to promote this opportunity to Scottish SMEs and supported businesses. While a place on a DPS is no guarantee of work, it is an essential step that suppliers can take to ensure they are positioned to gain a share of the total spend by CCS buyers throughout the UK. SDP offers Scottish suppliers additional support to become “tender ready” through its range of free training, currently delivered via webinar.