The Energy Saving Scotland advice network is made up of five Energy Saving Scotland advice centres. The network, which was established in April 2008, is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by the Energy Saving Trust. The current advice centre contracts are due to expire in March 2013 hence the need for this procurement exercise.

The advice centres provide a range of services to encourage and support householders across Scotland to adopt low carbon lifestyles. The services include advising customers on the opportunities to reduce carbon impacts and save money by: adopting energy efficient and other low carbon behaviours; purchasing energy efficient appliances; installing insulation and other energy efficiency measures; generating energy through home renewables; improving water efficiency; fuel efficient driving; low carbon vehicle purchase; other low carbon transport opportunities as well as advising on and providing access to various schemes of financial support.

Advice is delivered to around 250,000 customers in Scotland each year:

- through a variety of channels including the telephone, events, home visits and digital media

- directly to consumers and through intermediaries such as community groups, housing associations, local authorities and employers.

As part of these services, the Energy Saving Scotland advice centres have been designated by the Scottish Government to provide the impartial and independent remote advice service for the Green Deal and ECO (Energy Company Obligation) in Scotland.

The advice network also acts as a framework for the delivery of other Scottish Government programmes such as those relating to fuel poverty and other aspects of the low carbon agenda.

The advice centres also:

- provide strategic and operational support to local authorities, housing associations, community groups and other organisations

- undertake local promotional activities to help generate demand for advice centre services

- work with supply chains to help build market capacity

The advice centres are also expected to use various tools and support systems provided by the Energy Saving Trust as well as using Energy Saving Trust procured national sub-contractors for services such as printing and scanning.

Third party suppliers are being sought to manage the five advice centres covering Highlands and Islands, North East Scotland, South East Scotland, Strathclyde and Central Scotland and South West Scotland. The contract is divided into 5 lots, one for each advice centre. As well as the core contracts for each advice centre, tenderers will also have the opportunity to bid for a number of additional services such as extended hours coverage and overspill services.

Tenders will be sought via the two stage OJEU restricted procedure. The first stage requires all interested parties to complete a questionnaire (PQQ) and return it to the Energy Saving Trust within the required timescale. As explained in more detail in the PQQ, in order to arrive at a shortlist of applicants which will be invited to tender for each lot, interested parties will be evaluated, amongst other matters and by reference to their PQQ responses, on their knowledge and experience of the following:-

- providing advice to consumers including advice to high volumes of customers

- delivering energy efficiency projects

- small scale renewables, low carbon personal transport, behaviour change and other aspects of a low carbon lifestyle

- developing and delivering local promotional campaigns

- making and managing referrals to third party organisations including commercial contractors such as insulation installers

- supply chain market development

- working with local government

- working with community groups, housing associations, businesses and other employers

- co-ordinating national and local delivery to achieve strategic objectives

- developing effective partnerships

- maximising local economic benefit associated with contract / project delivery

- successfully managing, delivering, monitoring and reporting against an advice service delivery contract involving both activity and outcome targets

Following on from the expiry of the existing advice centre contract, the contract duration will be 3 years from 1st April 2013 – 31st March 2016 with the option, at the Energy Saving Trust's discretion, for two further one year extensions