Library and archive services: UK Tenders, Buyers & Competition

CPV 92510000Services · classin Recreational, cultural and sporting services

Codes and neighbouring classes

The 8-digit CPV codes notices in this class actually use, and the other classes of the same division

Open tenders in library and archive services

4 live at the nightly build · soonest deadline first

Who buys

All notices carrying this code · official UK_CA_TYPE where published (NHS bodies are central government authorities), else derived from the authority name

Buyer type
  • Central government 33% (44 notices)
  • Local authorities 27% (36 notices)
  • Education & universities 18% (24 notices)
  • NHS & health 5% (7 notices)
  • Other public bodies 4% (5 notices)
  • Not classified 13% (18 notices)
Contracting authorityTypeNoticesLast 12 monthsOpen now
University of StrathclydeEducation & universities770
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial ServiceCentral government600
Bath Spa UniversityEducation & universities500
Cambridgeshire County CouncilLocal authorities431
London Borough of LewishamLocal authorities410
NHS Business Services AuthorityCentral government430
the Education AuthorityCentral government400
ESPOnot classified300
Education Authority NIEducation & universities300
Government Commercial AgencyCentral government330

87 distinct authorities in total · the ten most active shown.

Where the work is delivered

Delivery regions (ITL1) published on 82 of 135 notices · a notice covering several regions counts in each · competition columns: contracts awarded in the last 36 months, lots delivered in the region

RegionNoticesBids / lotSME winsLocal wins
Greater London15 · 18%
Scotland15 · 18%
East of England13 · 16%
Northern Ireland13 · 16%
North West England9 · 11%
West Midlands8 · 10%
South West England7 · 9%
Wales (Cymru)7 · 9%
East Midlands6 · 7%
South East England6 · 7%
Yorkshire and the Humber5 · 6%
North East England4 · 5%

Local wins = the winner’s registered region is the delivery region. Dashes: fewer than ten observations.

How it is bought

Commercial tool, procedure route and threshold as published on the notice, not a legal-regime claim

Commercial tool
  • Contract 72% (97 notices)
  • Framework 24% (33 notices)
  • Dynamic purchasing system 4% (5 notices)
Procedure route
  • Open 50% (68 notices)
  • Route not published 25% (34 notices)
  • Limited / restricted 16% (22 notices)
  • Selective 8% (11 notices)
Threshold
  • Above threshold 68% (21 notices)
  • Below threshold 32% (10 notices)
Typical tender window34 daysrobust · n=27median, notice to deadline

Competition

Contracts published in the last 36 months (52) · bid counts per lot from award notices · values are net contract awards, framework and DPS ceilings excluded · SME and local status as declared

Bids per lot · n=16
  • 1 bid 0% (0)
  • 2–3 44% (7)
  • 4–6 31% (5)
  • 7 or more 25% (4)
Contract value, net
p25 £193,363median £2,000,000p75 £80,000,000
interquartile range of 49 awards · p90 £80,000,000
Typical bids per lot5robust · n=7middle half 3–6
Competed62%robust · n=52open or selective route, no direct-award transparency notice
Bids from SMEs75%robust · n=40of bids on lots publishing an SME split
Awards won by SMEs23%robust · n=47single-supplier awards with a declared scale
Won locally44%robust · n=18winner registered in the delivery region
Abandoned0%robust · n=52cancelled, unsuccessful or terminated without an award
Frameworks & DPS: bidders per lot9robust · n=1025 vehicle procedures · admission to a panel, not a contest

Who wins

Single-supplier active awards with a canonical supplier on notices carrying this code · 239 awards to 107 suppliers · the five most frequent winners hold 32% of contract awards in the last 36 months

Where to submit

E-sourcing portals named in the submission address · 31 of 135 notices name one · each portal page explains registration

JAGGAER / BravoSolution6 notices · 19%
In-tend Electronic Procurement5 notices · 16% · 1 open
Proactis / ProContract5 notices · 16%
EU-Supply Complete Tender Management4 notices · 13% · 1 open
Sell2Wales4 notices · 13% · 1 open
eTendersNI2 notices · 6%
SAP Ariba1 notices · 3%

Method

What the numbers on this page are and are not

Which notices count?

Every Find a Tender notice that carries a CPV code starting 9251. A notice with several codes counts in each sector it names. Earliest notice 2021; latest 16 Sept 2026.

Competition figures

From the 36-month lot-grain contest statistics: a lot counts where its own CPV codes (or, for single-class notices, the procedure’s) start 9251. Bids per lot come from the award notice’s bid statistics; “competed” means an open or selective route with no direct-award transparency notice; contract values are net, on single-supplier awards, with framework and DPS ceilings excluded. Frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems are reported separately because their “bids” are admissions to a panel.

Why no total value or month-by-month chart?

Sums of notice estimates repeat framework ceilings and mix net with gross. Monthly volumes per sector are not shown yet: the catalogue’s CPV coverage per notice changed in May 2026 (compiled records carry every lot’s codes), so a curve would show the catalogue, not the market.