Official UK procurement notice
The supply of Event and Venue Signage Services at Manchester Central Convention Complex Limited - 074-2025
Authority: MANCHESTER CENTRAL CONVENTION COMPLEX LIMITED (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionManchester Central is currently looking for a company to provide print services across various sites including Manchester Central Convention Complex, Junction and Town Hall Central Library for event signage and high-impact venue branding opportunities to raise event and sponsor profiles. Signage and branding opportunities are required across various event types including conferences, exhibitions and banquets.
The successful supplier will be expected to provide and install a wide range of effective print services for Manchester Central and its clients. Manchester Central gives clients the opportunity to brand key areas of the complex - including but not limited to, feature sites
like our iconic station clock;, foyers, reception desks, pillars, banners windows and even snapframes in washroom cubicles. Given the dynamic nature of the events industry the successful supplier must be able to complete necessary work with flexibility and out of
standard business hours (9-5).
The full site plans, attached in Appendix C & D, highlights the variety of current branding opportunities at Manchester Central & Junction, the scope of opportunities however is not limited to this plan.
Further to the full site overview examples of Manchester Centrals & Junctions most utilised branding opportunities are attached (providing more details) within the attached Appendix C: MCCC Branding opportunities Brochure & Appendix D: Junction Branding Opportunities Brochure.
Alongside the requirement to provide effective printing services the successful supplier will be expected to attend onsite client meetings to discuss in detail any branding or signage queries together with Manchester Central representatives. The client
requirements can sometimes be at short notice so next day availability would be required at times.
The Contract will be for a period of two (2) years with a Manchester Central Only option to extend for a further twelve (12) months, with a commencement date of 01st October 2025
Appendix B Service Level Agreement will be adhered to in this contract.
The current annual estimated contract value directly with Manchester Central is circa £33K to £40k and is indicative of potential direct works required. However, it should be noted that the scope of requirements varies so work at these levels is not guaranteed. Importantly it should be noted that the value in this contract effectively lies in the preferred supplier status as set out below.
CPV: Advertising services · Miscellaneous printed matter
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£40,000
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
Published sub-criteria (3)
- Quality: 50%
- Price: 30%
- Sustainability & Social Value: 20%
Published award criteria (3)
- Quality: Weighted scores will be calculated by multiplying the score for each quality criteria by its weighting. The weighted scores will be totalled for each tender. The totals will be normalised so that the normalised highest total will attract the highest quality score i.e. (50%). There is an un-weighted quality threshold of (35%). This means that if a tenderer's quality score does not reach the un-weighted quality threshold the weighting will not be applied to the quality criteria and the tender will no longer be considered.
- Sustainability & Social Value: Weighted scores will be calculated by multiplying the score for each Sustainability criteria by its weighting. The weighted scores will be totalled for each tender. The totals will be normalised so that the normalised highest total will attract the highest quality score i.e. (20%).
- Price: With regards to the price evaluation, the lowest price tenderer will be awarded the maximum price score (30%) and tenderers will thereafter be ranked and scored in accordance with how much more expensive their prices are compared to the lowest price.
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 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
- Below threshold - open competition
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Below threshold
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 12 Aug 2025, 15:40 BST
- Last source update
- 4 Nov 2025, 12:59 GMT
- Authority reference
Venue Signage and Branding - 074-2025- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-048126- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-058664Find a Tender
- Reserved participation area
- E11000001
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 2 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 26 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
- Electronic submission
- Not allowed
Email submissions to be submitted to [email protected]. Please ensure all supporting information, if applicable, is sent in one email to the emails address provided.
Timeline
12 Aug 2025 → 4 Nov 2025 · 5 dates- Tender notice published12 Aug 2025, 15:40 BST
- Clarification questions by26 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
- Submission deadline2 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
- Contract starts387 days ago1 Oct 2025, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published352 days ago4 Nov 2025, 12:59 GMT
Notice history
5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 12 Aug 2025- Tender notice published12 Aug 2025, 15:40 BSTUK4
- Contract award notice published10 Oct 2025, 12:20 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete10 Oct 2025, 12:20 BST
- Contract signature expected17 Oct 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published4 Nov 2025, 12:59 GMTUK7
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astra Signs LimitedSME1 Nov 2025 – 31 Oct 2027 · up to 31 Oct 2028Extensions: The Contract will be for a period of two (2) years with a Manchester Central Only option to extend for a further twelve (12) months, with a initial commencement date of 01st November 2025 | £120,000 inc. VAT | 26 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
Contracts
Astra Signs Ltd - Venue Signage & Branding - T&Cs - 2025 · Astra Signs LimitedSME
- Signed
- 3 Nov 2025
- Value
- £120,000 inc. VAT
- Period
- 3 Nov 2025 – 31 Oct 2027 · up to 31 Oct 2028 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- The Contract will be for a period of two (2) years with a Manchester Central Only option to extend for a further twelve (12) months, with a initial commencement date of 01st November 2025
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4final-stage tenders | 4 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- ASTRA SIGNS LIMITED - Trading as Astra GroupAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (12)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications Appendix A - Manchester Central Terms and Conditions - 2025 - Draft
- Bidding documents and specifications Appendix B - Service Level Agreement
- Bidding documents and specifications Appendix C - MCCC Branding Opportunities Brochure
- Signed contract
- Bidding documents and specifications Appendix E - Background and Company Values
- Bidding documents and specifications Appendix F - Sustainable Procurement
- Bidding documents and specifications Appendix D - Junction Branding Opportunities Brochure
- Signed contract
- Bidding documents and specifications Venue Signage and Branding - 074-2025 - ITT
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender