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Organisations can win contracts worth up to £250,000 to develop new ways to meet challenges in areas such as housing, public transport and trade.

Public sector organisations in Scotland have challenged innovators to come up with digital solutions to some of the most pressing issues they face today.

These challenges have been issued by the Scottish Government Digital Directorate in its CivTech programme, which brings together public and private sectors to solve problems with new products and better services.

Organisations could win contracts that are ultimately worth up to £250,000 with their ideas for using technology.

Improving services and experiences

The challenges announced are:

• Scottish Anti-Illicit Trade Group is looking at how tech can stop illicit trading. The group is seeking ideas for using data to identify or predict trade in counterfeit and dangerous products at a community level

• Glasgow City Council wants to better connect people and places and address social isolation. Ideas should address how public transport could improve access to services, learning opportunities and employment

• Stirling Council is seeking ways of using technology to better understanding investment requirements for public buildings - including repairs, maintenance and property investment - to improve services

• Scottish Housing Regulator is inviting ideas to increase standards in social rented housing and give tenants a stronger voice in the services they pay for through the use of data

• Scottish Natural Heritage wants to use tech to enhance the experience of young people with the outdoor environment in Scotland

• NHS National Services Scotland wants to review how it manages single-use medical products and pharmaceuticals, as well as other medical devices, which could potentially be re-manufactured and re-used

• NHS National Services Scotland is also inviting ideas to make the NHS waiting time system more efficient and effective

• Scottish Government Digital Directorate wants to support employee engagement by improving how they monitor staff satisfaction, happiness and wellbeing

• Scottish Government Digital Planning is looking at how it can develop a world-leading planning system, specifically how technology and data might improve the quality and reach of public engagement

• Young Scot wants to empower young people in their access of technology by ensuring their rights online and off

Funding for the competition is under SBRI (the Small Business research Initiative).

Competition information

• the competition opens on 11 June 2018, and the deadline for applications is at 9 am on 2 July 2018
• it is open to any organisation that can demonstrate a route to market for its idea
• up to 3 contracts of £3,000 will be awarded to initially explore each challenge area
• a contract of up to £20,000 will then be awarded to develop the most promising idea within each challenge. Further funding could be available for field testing and implementation
• successful projects will attract 100% funded development contracts
• applications should be made through Public Contracts Scotland
• briefing events will be held on 11 June 2018 and 14 June 2018