Connecting local firm Miracle Clean with multi-year public sector contract

Project: Environmental Cleaning
Client/Contractor name: Thenue Housing Association and Miracle Clean
Location: Glasgow
DPS: RM DPS

About the project

As Scotland’s attention shifts to procurement that empowers community wealth building, housing providers across the public sector are seeking compliant, efficient routes to source local suppliers equipped to build and revitalise Scottish communities.

As a major social landlord managing around 3,000 properties across Glasgow, Thenue Housing Association recognised the need to engage a reliable, community-based business to formalise their four-year environmental cleaning contract. Requiring services ranging from street cleans and landscaping, to void home deep cleans and hoarder clear outs, SPA’s Repair and Maintenance DPS supported a responsive, community-led procurement approach rooted in quality, consistency and value that lasts.

As a flexible pathway into public sector procurement, the DPS enabled family-owned SME Miracle Clean to apply, compete and secure the multi-year contract that may otherwise have been out of reach.

Often a barrier for many smaller suppliers across Scotland, the opportunity is actively transforming how Miracle Clean engage with the public sector, from building capacity, growing their partnerships, and strengthening how they deliver lasting impact in their local community.

The challenge

For public sector organisations like Thenue, using a framework or DPS can offer a fast, flexible alternative to traditional tendering, securing contracts with capable suppliers that deliver stronger community outcomes and protect the areas they serve.

Yet all too often, smaller, community-based firms can lack awareness and confidence needed to branch into public sector opportunities. Often, translating decades of proven, compliant delivery can be a challenge in unfamiliar applications, especially when facing tight submission deadlines, limited spaces, and complex requirements.

As Miracle Clean’s existing client network progressed towards public procurement routes, they needed an accessible entry point that would enable quick onboarding, fair competition, and sustainable business development.

The process

Year on year, SPA have several framework opportunities that companies can apply for alongside our dynamic purchasing systems (DPS) on our e-tendering portal. As an open market solution, the DPS allows suppliers to join with no application deadlines or limits on supplier numbers, fostering a diverse, and localised supply network.

Like many first-time applicants, the family-owned business experienced the common bidding pitfalls that often arise when applying initially.

To support new suppliers, we have compiled a suite of guidance including an e‑tendering tutorial, insights on avoiding common pitfalls, and events in partnership with Supplier Development Programme (SDP) and Business Gateway. By signposting support at events including our DPS roadshow, Social Value workshops and SDP Meet the Buyer sessions, we can help simplify the process while remaining fully compliant and impartial.

Within 8 weeks of being successfully appointed to the Repair and Maintenance DPS, Miracle Clean were able to compete in a mini-competition for Thenue’s environmental cleaning opportunity. Following evaluation, they were successfully awarded the project, securing £100k worth of works that will span until 2030.

Going forward with SPA

Serving as a springboard for business growth, the DPS has given Miracle Clean the exposure needed to secure additional work with other local housing providers, onboard new team members, and support the increasing demand for specialised services.

By engaging with SPA and securing a place on the DPS, owner Stephen McDevitt expressed the immense value in being appointed to the DPS as a gateway to a reliable future pipeline. While the complexities of procurement frameworks initially seemed daunting, the decision to seek support and trust the process with SPA has provided the business with long-term stability.

As Stephen says: "I think there is a lot of fear based around trying something new for small businesses, but making the effort to go outside of your comfort zone and get started is often the first step to a network of opportunities. Once appointed, SPA were incredibly supportive throughout the process, and as a free-to-join procurement provider, there is no cost to get started.”

How SPA support SME opportunities

Over the last decade, SPA has established itself as Scotland’s procurement provider of choice for over 145 leading public sector organisations, enabling localised and community-focused solutions to accelerate procurement delivery across Scotland.

To ensure organisations of all sizes can successfully secure contracts, we reserve framework spaces specifically for micro and small businesses while segmenting works by region or value. Complemented by our flexible DPS’, our approach removes traditional barriers to entry for SME’s.

By combining this accessible model with proactive guidance, SPA now work with over 300 appointed companies, 81% of which are SME’s. This dedicated focus on local capacity empowers our partners to champion community wealth building, ensuring that Scottish investment stays exactly where it is generated.