The Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016

SECTION 3 S Choice of participants and award of contracts

General principles S

74.—(1) For the purpose of selecting participants in their procurement, a utility—

(a) which has provided rules and criteria for the exclusion of tenderers or candidates in accordance with regulations 76(1) (criteria for qualitative selection) or 78 (use of exclusion grounds and selection criteria provided for under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations), must exclude economic operators identified in accordance with such rules and fulfilling such criteria;

(b) must select tenderers and candidates in accordance with the objective rules and criteria mentioned in regulations 76 (criteria for qualitative selection) and 78 (use of exclusion grounds and selection criteria provided for under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations);

(c) must, where appropriate and in accordance with regulation 76(2) and (3) (criteria for qualitative selection), reduce the number of candidates selected in accordance with sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) in—

(i) restricted procedures;

(ii) negotiated procedures with a call for competition;

(iii) competitive dialogues; and

(iv) innovation partnerships.

(2) When a call for competition is made by means of a notice on the existence of a qualification system and for the purpose of selecting participants in a procurement for the specific contracts which are the subject of the call for competition, a utility must—

(a) qualify economic operators in accordance with regulation 75 (qualification systems);

(b) apply to such qualified economic operators those provisions of paragraph (1) that are relevant to restricted or negotiated procedures, to competitive dialogues or to innovation partnerships.

(3) When selecting participants for a restricted or negotiated procedure, a competitive dialogue or an innovation partnership, in reaching its decision as to qualification or when the criteria and rules are being updated, a utility must not—

(a) impose administrative, technical or financial conditions on certain economic operators which would not be imposed on others;

(b) require tests or evidence which would duplicate objective evidence already available.

(4) Where information or documentation to be submitted by an economic operator is or appears to be incomplete or erroneous, or where specific documents are missing, a utility may request the economic operator concerned to submit, supplement, clarify or complete the relevant information or documentation within an appropriate time limit, provided that such requests are made in full compliance with the principles of equal treatment and transparency.

(5) A utility must verify that the tenders submitted by the selected tenderers comply with the rules and requirements applicable to tenders and award the contract on the basis of the criteria laid down in regulations 80 (contract award criteria) and 82 (abnormally low tenders), taking into account regulation 62 (variants).

(6) A utility may decide not to award a contract to, or conclude a framework agreement with, the tenderer submitting the most economically advantageous tender where the utility has established that the tender does not comply with applicable obligations in the fields of environmental, social and employment law established by F1 ... national law, collective agreements or [F2 , subject to paragraphs (6A) and (6B),] by the international environmental, social and employment law provisions listed in Annex XIV to the Utilities Contracts Directive as amended from time to time.

[F3 (6A) Where—

(a) the United Kingdom has ratified an international agreement establishing obligations in any of the fields mentioned in paragraph (6), and

(b) the agreement is not already listed,

the Scottish Ministers may make regulations providing that paragraph (6) is to have effect as if the agreement were listed.

(6B) Where the United Kingdom has ceased to ratify an international agreement that is already listed, the Scottish Ministers may make regulations providing that paragraph (6) is to have effect as if the agreement were not listed.

(6C) In paragraphs (6A) and (6B)—

(a) “listed” means listed as described in paragraph (6), and

(b) where paragraph (6) already has effect as if an agreement were listed, “already listed” includes that agreement.]

(7) In open procedures, a utility may decide to examine tenders before verifying the suitability of tenderers, provided that the relevant provisions of regulations 74 to 82 are observed.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 74(6) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(43)(a)(i) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

F2 Words in reg. 74(6) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(43)(a)(ii) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

F3 Reg. 74(6A)-(6C) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(43)(b) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 74 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

SUB-SECTION 1 S Qualification and qualitative selection

Qualification systems S

75.—(1) A utility may establish and operate a system of qualification of economic operators.

(2) A utility which establishes or operates a system of qualification must ensure that economic operators are at all times able to request qualification.

(3) The system under paragraph (1) may involve different qualification stages.

(4) A utility must establish objective rules and criteria for—

(a) the exclusion and selection of economic operators requesting qualification; and

(b) the operation of the qualification system, covering matters such as—

(i) inscription in the system;

(ii) periodic updating of the qualifications, if any; and

(iii) the duration of the system.

(5) Where the rules and criteria referred to in paragraph (4) include technical specifications, regulations 58 to 60 apply.

(6) The rules and criteria referred to in paragraph (4)—

(a) must be made available to economic operators upon request; and

(b) may be updated as required and, if so, must be communicated to interested economic operators.

(7) Where a utility considers that the qualification system of certain other entities or other bodies meets its requirements, it must communicate the names of those entities and bodies to interested economic operators.

(8) A utility must keep a written record of qualified economic operators, which may be divided into categories according to type of contract for which the qualification is valid.

(9) When a call for competition is made by means of a notice on the existence of a qualification system, specific contracts for the works, supplies or services covered by the qualification system must be awarded by restricted or negotiated procedure, competitive dialogue or innovation partnership as modified so that all tenderers and participants are selected among the candidates already qualified in accordance with such a system without being required to submit further information for qualitative selection or to submit a request to participate.

(10) Any charges that are billed to an economic operator by a utility in connection with requests for qualification or with updating or conserving an already obtained qualification in accordance with the system must be proportionate to the generated costs.

Commencement Information

I2 Reg. 75 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

Criteria for qualitative selection S

76.—(1) A utility—

(a) may establish objective rules and criteria for the exclusion and selection of tenderers or candidates; and

(b) if so, must make those rules and criteria available to interested economic operators.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), where a utility needs to ensure an appropriate balance between the particular characteristics of the procurement and the resources required to conduct it, it may, in restricted procedures, negotiated procedures, competitive dialogues or innovation partnerships, establish objective rules and criteria that reflect that need and enable the utility to reduce the number of candidates that will be invited to tender or to negotiate.

(3) A utility must take account of the need to ensure adequate competition when selecting the number of candidates.

Commencement Information

I3 Reg. 76 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

Reliance on the capacities of other entities S

77.—(1) This regulation applies where there are objective rules and criteria for the exclusion and selection of—

(a) economic operators requesting qualification in a qualification system; or

(b) candidates and tenderers in open, restricted or negotiated procedures, competitive dialogues or innovation partnerships.

(2) Where the objective rules and criteria for the exclusion and selection of those referred to in paragraph (1) include requirements relating to the economic operator’s economic and financial capacity or technical and professional abilities, an economic operator may, where necessary rely upon the capacities of other entities, regardless of the legal nature of the links which it has with them.

(3) With regard to criteria relating to the educational and professional qualifications of the service provider or contractor or those of the undertaking’s managerial staff or to relevant professional experience, economic operators may only rely upon the capacities of other entities where the latter will perform the works or services for which these capacities are required.

(4) Where an economic operator wants to rely upon the capacities of other entities, it must prove to the utility that the necessary resources will be available to it, for example by producing a commitment by those entities to that effect.

(5) For the purposes of paragraph (4), an economic operator requesting qualification in a qualification system must prove that the necessary resources will be available to it throughout the period of the qualification system.

(6) Where, in accordance with regulation 78 (use of exclusion grounds and selection criteria provided for under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations), a utility has referred to exclusion or selection criteria provided for under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations, the utility must verify, in accordance with the provisions applied by regulation 78(4)—

(a) whether the other entities upon whose capacity the economic operator intends to rely fulfil the relevant selection criteria; or

(b) whether there are grounds for exclusion, to which the utility has referred, under regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations.

(7) The utility—

(a) must require the economic operator to replace an entity which does not meet a relevant selection criterion or in respect of which there are compulsory grounds for exclusion; and

(b) may require the economic operator to substitute an entity in respect of which there are non-compulsory grounds for exclusion.

(8) Where an economic operator relies upon the capacities of other entities with regard to criteria relating to economic and financial standing, the utility may require the economic operator and those entities to be jointly liable for the performance of the contract.

(9) A group of economic operators as referred to in regulation 35(4) (economic operators) may rely upon the capacities of participants in the group or of other entities, and paragraphs (1) to (8) apply in relation to such a group in the same way that they apply in relation to an economic operator.

(10) In the case of works contracts, supply contracts requiring siting or installation work and [F4 service] contracts, a utility may require certain critical tasks to be performed directly by the tenderer itself or, where the tender is submitted by a group of economic operators as referred to in regulation 35(4) (economic operators), by a participant in that group.

Textual Amendments

F4 Word in reg. 77(10) substituted (1.7.2019) by The Public Procurement etc. (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/173), regs. 1(2), 2(6)

Commencement Information

I4 Reg. 77 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

Use of exclusion grounds and selection criteria provided for under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations S

78.—(1) This regulation applies to objective rules and criteria for the exclusion and selection of—

(a) economic operators requesting qualification in a qualification system; and

(b) candidates and tenderers in open, restricted or negotiated procedures, competitive dialogues or innovation partnerships.

(2) The objective rules and criteria may include—

(a) the exclusion grounds referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations on the terms set out in that regulation;

(b) the selection criteria listed in regulation 59 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations on the terms set out in that regulation, including as regards the limits to requirements concerning yearly turnovers as provided for under regulation 59(9) and (10) of those Regulations.

(3) Where the utility is a contracting authority, the criteria and rules referred to in paragraph (1) must include the exclusion grounds listed in regulation 58(1) to (3) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations on the terms set out in that regulation.

(4) For the purposes of applying paragraphs (1) to (3), regulations 60 to 62 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations apply.

(5) For the purposes of paragraphs (2) and (4), any reference to a contracting authority in regulations 58 to 62 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations must be read as a reference to a utility.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Reg. 78 modified (18.4.2016) by S.S.I. 2013/50, Sch. 3 para. 10(2)(b) (as substituted by The Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016 (S.S.I. 2016/49), reg. 1, sch. 3 para. 3(2)(b))

Commencement Information

I5 Reg. 78 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

Quality assurance standards and environmental management standards S

79.—(1) A utility must, where it requires the production of certificates drawn up by independent bodies attesting that the economic operator complies with certain quality assurance standards, including on accessibility for disabled persons, refer to quality assurance systems based on the relevant European standards series certified by accredited bodies.

F5 (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) A utility must also accept other evidence of equivalent quality assurance measures where the economic operator concerned had no possibility of obtaining such certificates within the relevant time limits for reasons that are not attributable to that economic operator, provided that the economic operator proves that the proposed quality assurance measures comply with the required quality assurance standards.

(4) Where a utility requires the production of certificates drawn up by independent bodies attesting that the economic operator complies with certain environmental management systems or standards, the utility must refer to F6 ...

F6 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F6 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c) F7 ... environmental management standards based on the relevant European or international standards by accredited bodies,

F8 ...

(5) Where an economic operator had demonstrably no access to such certificates referred to in paragraph (4) or no possibility of obtaining them within the relevant time limits for reasons that are not attributable to that economic operator, the utility must accept other evidence of environmental management measures, provided that the economic operator proves that these measures are equivalent to those required under the applicable environmental management system or standard.

Textual Amendments

F5 Reg. 79(2) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(44)(a) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

F6 Words in reg. 79(4) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(44)(b)(i) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

F7 Word in reg. 79(4)(c) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(44)(b)(ii) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

F8 Words in reg. 79(4) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(44)(b)(iii) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

Commencement Information

I6 Reg. 79 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

SUB-SECTION 2 S Award of the Contract

Contract award criteria S

80.—(1) A utility must base the award of contracts on the most economically advantageous tender assessed from the point of view of the utility.

(2) Where the utility is a person mentioned in regulation 4(1)(a) (utilities) it must not use price only or cost only as the sole award criteria.

(3) A utility must identify the most economically advantageous tender on the basis of the price or cost using a cost-effectiveness approach (such as life-cycle costing in accordance with regulation 81 (life-cycle costing)) and may include the best price-quality ratio which must be assessed on the basis of criteria linked to the subject-matter of the contract in question.

(4) Criteria referred to in paragraph (3) may comprise or include—

(a) quality, including technical merit, aesthetic and functional characteristics, accessibility, design for all users, social, environmental and innovative characteristics and trading and its conditions;

(b) organisation, qualification and experience of staff assigned to performing the contract, where the quality of the staff assigned can have a significant impact on the level of performance of the contract; and

(c) after-sales service and technical assistance, delivery conditions such as delivery date, delivery process and delivery period or period of completion and commitments with regard to parts and security of supply.

(5) The cost element may also take the form of a fixed price or cost on the basis of which economic operators will compete on quality criteria only.

(6) Award criteria must be considered to be linked to the subject-matter of the contract where they relate to the works, supplies or services to be provided under that contract in any respect and at any stage of their life cycle, including factors involved in—

(a) the specific process of production, provision or trading of those works, supplies or services; or

(b) a specific process for another stage of their life cycle,

even where such factors do not form part of their material substance.

(7) Award criteria must—

(a) not have the effect of conferring an unrestricted freedom of choice upon the utility;

(b) ensure the possibility of effective competition; and

(c) be accompanied by specifications that allow the information provided by the tenderers to be effectively verified in order to assess how well the tenders meet the award criteria.

(8) In case of doubt, the utility must verify effectively the accuracy of the information and proof provided by the tenderers.

(9) The utility must specify, in the procurement documents, the relative weighting which it gives to each of the criteria chosen to determine the most economically advantageous tender.

(10) The weightings referred to in paragraph (9) may be expressed by providing for a range with an appropriate maximum spread.

(11) Where weighting is not possible for objective reasons, the utility must indicate the criteria in descending order of importance.

Commencement Information

I7 Reg. 80 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

Life-cycle costing S

81.—(1) Life-cycle costing must, to the extent relevant, cover part or all of the following costs over the life cycle of a product, service or works—

(a) costs, borne by the utility or other users, such as—

(i) costs relating to acquisition;

(ii) costs of use, such as consumption of energy and other resources;

(iii) maintenance costs;

(iv) end of life costs, such as collection and recycling costs; and

(b) costs imputed to environmental externalities linked to the works, product or service during its life cycle, provided their monetary value can be determined and verified.

(2) The costs mentioned in paragraph (1)(b) may include the cost of emissions of greenhouse gases and of other pollutant emissions and other climate change mitigation costs.

(3) The method used for the assessment of costs imputed to environmental externalities must fulfil all of the following conditions—

(a) it is based on objectively verifiable and non-discriminatory criteria and, in particular, where it has not been established for repeated or continuous application, it must not unduly favour or disadvantage certain economic operators;

(b) it is accessible to all interested parties;

(c) the data required can be provided with reasonable effort by normally diligent economic operators F9 ... .

(4) Where a utility assesses costs using a life-cycle costing approach, the utility must indicate in the procurement documents—

(a) the data to be provided by the tenderers; and

(b) the method which the utility will use to determine the life-cycle costs on the basis of those data.

F10 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F10 (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F9 Words in reg. 81(3)(c) omitted (31.12.2021) by virtue of The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(4), 7(3) (with sch. paras. 1-5, 10-15)

F10 Reg. 81(5)(6) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(45)(b) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

Commencement Information

I8 Reg. 81 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

Abnormally low tenders S

82.—(1) A utility must require a tenderer to explain the price or costs proposed in the tender where the tender appears to be abnormally low in relation to the works, supplies or services.

(2) The explanations given in accordance with paragraph (1) may, in particular, relate to—

(a) the economics of the manufacturing process, of the services provided or of the construction method;

(b) the technical solutions chosen or any exceptionally favourable conditions available to the tenderer for the execution of the works or for the supply of the products or services;

(c) the originality of the works, supplies or services proposed by the tenderer;

(d) compliance with obligations referred to in regulation 34(4) (principles of procurement);

(e) compliance with obligations referred to in regulation 85 (subcontracting);

F11 (f) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) The utility must assess the information provided by consulting the tenderer.

(4) The utility may only reject the tender where the explanations given and any evidence supplied do not satisfactorily account for the low level of price or costs proposed, taking into account the elements referred to in paragraph (2).

(5) The utility must reject the tender where the utility has established that the tender is abnormally low because it does not comply with applicable obligations referred to in regulation 34(4) (principles of procurement).

F12 (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F11 Reg. 82(2)(f) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(46)(a) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

F12 Reg. 82(6)(7) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(46)(b) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

Commencement Information

I9 Reg. 82 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)