Public Procurement and Property

Baby Box and Best Start Grant Re-Let

March 24, 2021 by Fiona McCaig No Comments | Category community benefits, contracts, Scottish Procurement

Our Scottish Government Procurement Team are pleased to announce a new contract between Scottish Government and APS Group (Scotland) to continue to support the supply and distribution of Scotland’s Baby Box and support for the Best Start Grant. The anticipated contract commencement date is 1 April 2022 for an initial five year period with the option to extend for an additional two years, with an estimated annual value of £8 million per year.

The Baby Box initiative was launched in 2017 and is designed to give every single baby in Scotland an equal start in life. The Boxes aim to support parents and provide families with essential items needed in the baby’s first few months of life as well as providing a safe space for babies to sleep. Expectant parents can register for the scheme at antenatal appointments and the box is delivered free of charge within 4 weeks of a baby’s due date.

The current take up rate amongst parents is 93% and, as of Friday 12 March 2021, 168,541 Baby Boxes have been delivered to families across Scotland.

As the incumbent supplier, APS have performed very highly to date (including winning the GO Awards 2019 for Best Service for Scotland’s Baby Box).

There are a number of benefits stemming from the new contract including:

• SMEs represent 70% of the APS supply chain;
• The secure employment of 27 members of staff including 3 Modern Apprentices;
• A commitment to engage with Barnardos Works to secure work placements for trainees as they prepare for the workplace.
• APS are an accredited Scottish Living Wage supplier and have signed up to the Scottish Business Pledge
• APS are committed to promoting the delivery of the Scottish Government’s flagship policy on Fair Work First as well as the delivery of various Community Benefits;
• APS have identified a number of options for reducing the environmental impact of Scotland’s Baby Box as well as generating savings, for example manufacturing the hat contained in the box with material left over from the manufacture of the baby wrap.

Children and Families policy colleagues are delighted at the recent award of the contract, and said “Scotland’s Baby Box strongly signals our determination that every child, regardless of their circumstances, should get the best start in life by ensuring that every family with a new-born has access to essential items needed in the first six months of a child’s life”.

If you want to learn more about Scottish Government procurement frameworks and contracts visit our directory here, to find out more about upcoming opportunities pleases visit Public Contracts Scotland.

Tags: Community benefits, contracts, procurement, public sector, public sector procurement, Scottish Procurement

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