4 year Framework Agreement for the provision of Landscape Architect services for new build housing

Link is seeking to enter into a Framework Agreement with a maximum of five Landscape Architects Practices for the provision of Landscape Architect services for a four-year period. Successful Practices should be registered with the Landscape Institute (or the equivalent bodies within the country your organisation is registered).

Link works in partnership with a number of subsidiary companies who will also be entitled to purchase services from the Framework Agreement. The subsidiaries of Link Group include C~urb 6 Ltd, Link Living, Horizon Housing Association Ltd, Larkfield Housing Association Ltd and West Highland Housing Association Ltd. Although it is possible that other organisations may join the Group, becoming subsidiary companies, during the term of the Framework Agreement, and may wish to "call off" from the Framework.

Link also works in partnership with several external organisations, refer to Section 1.1 of the Contract Notice for further details, who will also be entitled to purchase services from the Framework Agreement. In addition, it is intended that any Registered Social Landlord registered and operating in Scotland will also be entitled to purchase services from the framework, subject to Link's prior agreement.

There is no guarantee of any work. It is however, likely that individual commissions will be "called off" either by direct selection or by mini tendering, within the terms of the Framework Agreement, to identify the most economically advantageous tender.

The location of projects will vary but in the main will be in the Central Belt of Scotland, Argyll & Bute and Highland. Commissions may however be located in any part of Scotland.

The total number of housing units in each of the geographical areas may vary and no specific numbers can be guaranteed in any area or in total. Applicants should have experience of projects within the affordable housing sector for projects between 5 and 500 units including flats, houses and retirement living projects with a mix of tenures.

Link is fully committed to producing housing developments of the highest design calibre and believes that the public realm plays a significant factor in the success of each development. We believe that external hard and soft landscaping is as important as the design and quality of the building and can produce both social and environmental benefits.

Consequently, Link has taken a leading role in the development of proposals which see the Landscape Architect as fundamental and central to the master planning and external design process. Link is therefore looking for Landscape Architects with a similar ethos and capabilities who can demonstrate fully an ability to provide a range of services from site-wide master planning to the design and implementation of small intimate landscaping responses which will add value to the development and supplement the built environment.

Link will expect the successful Landscape Architect Practices to deliver a high quality and value for money service. Link Group Ltd is undertaking the procurement in accordance with Regulation 29, Restricted Procedure and Regulation 34, Framework Agreements of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulation 2015.

A maximum of eight bidding organisations that submit a SPD (Scotland) Document response and meet the selection criteria will be invited to submit a tender for the Framework Agreement in accordance with Regulation 66 ‘Reduction of the number of otherwise qualified candidates to be invited to participate’. Additional information: Economic Operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.