Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice

Published 1 Sept 2025, 12:05 BST

Official UK procurement notice

002652 Shared Repository Service

Official notice

Authority: British Library Board (Central government)

ServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitableVCSE suitable

Sectors: IT Services & Software (72) Delivery: UK

Published estimate£340,000≈ £272k / year · £408,000 inc. VAT12.8% below published estimate

Submissions closed 30 Sept 2025awarded 17 Nov 2025

Awarded to 4Science S.p.A.

Contract term 1 yr 3 moends 31 Mar 2027 · up to 31 Mar 2029 with extensions · starts 1 Jan 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The British Library was seeking suppliers for the Shared Repository Service (iro.bl.uk ↗) for its next phase of operation from 1.1.2026 - 31.3.2029. During this period, the Shared Repository Service will transition to a cost recovery model. The initial duration of this contract is 15 months (1.1.2026-31.3.2027) with an option to extend for a further 12 + 12 months, subject to the success of the cost recovery model. The service currently provides discovery and access to over 16,000 research outputs, including articles, datasets, conference contributions, theses etc.

CPV: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published

Lot #1AwardedRenewal 1 yr 3 moSMEVCSEPublished value£340,000

Contract period: 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 (1 yr 3 mo) · up to 31 Mar 2029 with extensionsValue: £340,000 exc. VAT · £408,000 inc. VAT

Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible

Extensions: The British Library is seeking suppliers for the Shared Repository Service for its next phase of operation from 1.1.2026 – 31.3.2029. During this period, the Shared Repository Service will transition to a cost recovery model. The initial duration of this contract is 15 months 1.1.2026-31.3.2027 with an option to extend for a further 12 + 12 months, subject to the success of the cost recovery model.

72000000 IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

What it takes to win
i
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more

How bids were scored

Quality: 60%Price: 40%

Published sub-criteria (2)

Criterion 2: 60%
Criterion 1: 40%

Published award criteria (2)

Criterion 1
Criterion 2

What this means for your bid

Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record

Procedure method: Open procedure
Legal basis: UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category: Services
Notice status: Awarded
Procurement threshold: Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type: Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered: Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement: Unspecified in notice
First published: 1 Sept 2025, 12:05 BST
Last source update: 2 Jan 2026, 09:44 GMT
Award evaluation window: Submission end – 17 Nov 2025
Authority reference: 002652
FTS notice number: 2025/S 000-052765
Latest notice: Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV): IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
Delivery area: UK
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-059137 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice

Run through: Delta eSourcing · Who buys & how to bid on Delta

Public notice page · account needed to bidElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN

Access & registration note: Free Select account; no DUNS asked at signup

Submission deadline: 30 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
Clarification deadline: 19 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
Submission channel: Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission: Allowed
Accepted languages: en

Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

www.delta-esourcing.com ↗

Timeline

1 Sept 2025 → 2 Jan 2026 · 8 dates

Tender notice published
1 Sept 2025, 12:05 BST
Clarification questions by395 days ago
19 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
Submission deadline385 days ago
30 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
Assessment summaries sent337 days ago
17 Nov 2025
Award decision expected by336 days ago
17 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
Standstill ends327 days ago
26 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
Contract starts292 days ago
1 Jan 2026
Latest notice published291 days ago
2 Jan 2026, 09:44 GMT

Notice history

5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 1 Sept 2025

Tender notice published
1 Sept 2025, 12:05 BST
UK4
Contract award notice published
17 Nov 2025, 16:02 GMT
UK6
Status changed to complete
17 Nov 2025, 16:02 GMT
Contract signature expected
27 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
scheduled
Contract details notice published
2 Jan 2026, 09:44 GMT
UK7

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Awards 1

Awarded value £296,6501 award exc. VAT

Bids received 55 from SMEs

Contracts signed 1latest 18 Dec 2025

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
4Science S.p.A.SME1 Jan 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 · up to 31 Mar 2029Extensions: The initial duration of this contract is 15 months 1.1.2026-31.3.2027 with an option to extend for a further 12 + 12 months, subject to the success of the cost recovery model.	£296,650	17 Nov 2025	Awarded

Contracts

Contract 1 · 4Science S.p.A.SME
Signed
18 Dec 2025
Value
£296,650
Period
1 Jan 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 · up to 31 Mar 2029 with extensions
Status
active
Extensions
12 + 12 Months
No agreed KPIs: Does not apply

Bid statistics published by the authority

Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
5final-stage tenders · 9 at stage one	5	5	—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

British Library Board

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PCXZ-9362-XQJM 96 Euston Road, London, London, NW1 2DBContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

4Science S.p.A.Awarded supplierGB-PPON: PVRG-1445-NNXP Viale Achille Papa, 30, Milano, IT, 20149, ITContact email

Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender2 Jan 2026, 09:44 GMT
Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender17 Nov 2025, 16:02 GMT
Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender1 Sept 2025, 12:05 BST