Prior information notice
This notice is for prior information only
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC)
111357
Reading Enterprise Centre, The University of Reading, Whiteknights Road, Earley Gate
Reading
RG6 6BU
UK
Contact person: Gavin Phillips
Telephone: +44 1183784304
E-mail: supc@reading.ac.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.supc.ac.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://uk.eu-supply.com/ctm/Company/CompanyInformation/Index/86623
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://uk.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/Documents/Folder/88552
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Education
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Books, e-books and associated services
Reference number: LIB4061 SU
II.1.2) Main CPV code
22113000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
Framework agreement for the supply of books, e-books and associated resources and services. This tender is split into 9 Lots. Participating consortia cover universities and other Public Sector members including (but not limited to) schools, colleges, Multi-Academy Trusts, government departments and research institutes across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The named consortia are SUPC, NEUPC, NWUPC, LUPC, HEPCW, Academic Libraries North, NEYAL, MUAL, and WHELF.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
450 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
The contracting authority reserves the right to award contracts combining the following lots or groups of lots:
Suppliers may bid on any appropriate combination of Lots with the following exceptions:
1. Suppliers may not bid for both Lot 1 and Lot 2
2, Suppliers bidding on Lot 8 may not bid on any other e-book Lot (Lots 4, 5, 6, or 7)
SUPC reserves the right to change the Lot structure between issuing this PIN and issuing the Contract Notice
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Print publications: standard suppliers for library stock
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22113000
22112000
22114000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Various locations within the UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Large-scale and library-focussed suppliers of printed publications and other hard copy materials including but not limited to maps, music scores, DVDs, CDs, Standing Orders and out-of-print materials. Suppliers must be capable of meeting operational requirements such as metadata provision, shelf-ready servicing, and interoperability with Library Management Systems. Suppliers may bid for either Lot 1 or Lot 2 but not both.
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Print publications: specialist suppliers for library stock
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22112000
22113000
22114000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Various locations within the UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Specialist suppliers of printed publications and other hard copy materials such as maps, music scores, DVDs, CDs, Standing Orders. Suppliers will specialise according to factors such as language, region of publication, material type, subject, etc. Suppliers may bid for either Lot 1 or Lot 2 but not both.
Lot No: 3
II.2.1) Title
Print publications: supply to schools, Multi-Academy Trusts, academic departments (generally non-library)
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22100000
22110000
22111000
22112000
22114000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Various locations within the UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Supply of printed publications and other hard copy materials, generally for non-library purposes of academic departments, schools, Multi-Academy Trusts, and other public sector organisations. Associated goods relating to reading provision may be supplied under this Lot where a dedicated framework is not required.
Lot No: 4
II.2.1) Title
E-book aggregator: title-by-title perpetual access purchase
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22113000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Various locations within the UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Title-by-title purchasing of e-books via an aggregator platform for delivery via the aggregator’s own platform. Packages may be offered, as may DDA and EBA programmes. Suppliers must offer perpetual access licences but may also offer alternatives (eg. 365 day licences) where perpetual licensing is not available.
Lot No: 5
II.2.1) Title
E-book aggregator: title-by-title perpetual access purchase for third-party platform
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22113000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Various locations within the UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Title-by-title purchasing of e-books via an aggregator platform for delivery via a third party or publisher platform. Packages may be offered, as may DDA and EBA programmes. Suppliers must offer perpetual access licences but may also offer alternatives (eg. 365 day licences) where perpetual licensing is not available.
Lot No: 6
II.2.1) Title
E-book aggregator: subscription packages
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22113000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Various locations within the UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Subscription e-book packages via aggregator’s own platform. Packages may include wider digital content in addition to e-books. Package content must be pre-defined in nature and not bespoke selections of titles
Lot No: 7
II.2.1) Title
E-book aggregator: e-textbooks
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22113000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Various locations within the UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
E-textbook access via an aggregator e-textbook platform. Title selections may be bespoke or pre-defined packages
Lot No: 8
II.2.1) Title
E-books: specialist and innovative solutions
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22113000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Various locations around the UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Specialised e-book solutions for delivery via Supplier’s own platform. This Lot offers a route to market for solutions that do not fit the specification of other e-book Lots (Lots 4, 5, 6, or 7). Solutions might include those that are not specifically designed for the HE market, that deliver specialist content, or that offer alternative business models that don’t fit in another Lot. Suppliers bidding for this Lot may not bid for any other e-book Lot (Lots 4, 5, 6, or 7).
Lot No: 9
II.2.1) Title
Sales to individual staff/students and bursary provision
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22100000
22110000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Various locations around the UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Where a member wishes to set up an approved supplier for individual staff or students to purchase hard copy or digital materials. Bursary provision may also be facilitated where operated on a credit basis and the supplier meets individual member requirements. In these cases, bursaries may include a wider scope of goods that support learning.
II.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice:
25/10/2024
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
The intention is to run a restricted (2 stage) procedure under the Public Contracts Regulstions (2015). The timeline is subject to change so the following is given as an idication only:
25th Oct 2024 - publication of Contract Notice and Stage 1 (Selection Questionnaire)
2nd Dec 2024 - deadline for Stage 1 submissions
6th Jan 2025 - publication of Stage 2 (Technical Questionnaire)
11th Feb 2025 - deadline for Stage 2 submissions
Late March 2025 - contract award and standstill
April 2025 - contracting and implementation
1st May 2025 - new framework goes live
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
07/08/2024