How to get in touch when you have a complaint about the service you receive from the Single Point of Enquiry (SPoE)
The Scottish Procurement Directorate is committed to being open and transparent and operates to the highest standards of administration and management. If you are dissatisfied with the SPoE's performance, you have the opportunity to submit a complaint. Details of how to complain are provided below
What is a complaint?
A complaint is a claim that the Single Point of Enquiry (SPoE) has failed to deal with a matter properly and fairly. it may involve for example:
- An allegation of failure to follow proper procedures or meet accepted standards because of impropriety, irregularity, poor performance or inefficiency
- An allegation of discrimination
- An allegation of discourtesy
In short, a complaint is a claim of dissatisfaction about the way in which the SPoE has conducted its dealings with you.
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What complaints are not handled by this procedure?
The procedure does not cover complaints about the merits of a decision or action taken by the SPoE but rather the way in which the decision or action has been taken.
The procedure does not cover matters which are, or have already been, the subject of litigation, legal proceedings or other forms of regulatory investigation.
A response will not be given to vexations or unreasonably persistent complainants. Such complaints will be handled within our existing policy for these matters.
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How to complain
If you are dissatisfied with the SPoE or its staff and wish to complain you can do this by:
1. By completing the online Complaints Form
2. By contacting the Head of Policy, Iain Moore at the Scottish Procurement Directorate at:
Get in touch with the Scottish Procurement Directorate:
Your complaint will be acknowledged within five working days and you will be sent a summary of the issues which you have raised. You will be asked to agree to this summary. This will help ensure that your complaint has been properly understood.
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What happens next?
The Head of Policy at the Scottish Procurement Directorate will contact you within 20 working days of receiving your agreement to our summary of the complaint with our response. In some circumstances, the nature of the complaint may be sufficiently complex to require a longer period of investigation in the interests of fairness to the complainant and the SPoE. In such a case, we will notify you of our proposed timetable for the investigation and keep you informed of progress.
The investigation of your complaint will be carried out by the Head of Policy, Scottish Procurement Directorate. The purposes of the investigation will be to establish the facts; decide whether the complaint should be upheld or rejected; and consider what action, if any, should be taken. You will have the opportunity to present your complaint in person to the Head of Policy if you wish. If we have made a mistake, we will apologise and explain how we will rectify matters.
If the Head of Policy has had any material involvement in the matter under investigation, then the investigation will be conducted by one of the other section heads. The investigation will always be carried out objectively and impartially and, wherever possible, by someone who has not had any material involvement previously.
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Confidentiality
All information held by the Scottish Government is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (2002) Scotland.
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