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Find a TenderAwarded without competitionContract details notice
Published 13 Aug 2026, 17:08 BST

Official UK procurement notice

CLA - Copyright Licensing Agency

Official notice

Authority: University of Keele (Charity / VCSE)

Direct awardSME suitable
Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: West Midlands (UKG24)
Awarded value£388,000published award · exc. VAT
Awarded 6 Aug 2026no call for competition
Awarded to THE COPYRIGHT LICENSING AGENCY LTD

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Following the publication of a Transparency Notice on 13 August 2026, and a Contract Award Notice on 14 August 2026, University of Keele is publishing this Contract Details Notice to announce, in accordance with its statutory obligations under Section 53 of the Procurement Act 2023, that it has awarded a contract to the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) for a CLA Higher Education Licence.

  1. Direct Award Justification

This contract has been awarded by direct award in accordance with Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Direct Award in Special Cases). The justification for direct award is set out under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5 (Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights) of the Act.

  1. Justification Narrative

The University requires a Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) Higher Education Licence to lawfully support the copying, digitisation, storage and distribution of copyrighted extracts from books, journals, magazines and certain digital publications for teaching, learning, administration and research purposes.

The CLA Licence is not a discretionary subscription but the legal mechanism enabling the University to comply with copyright law. CLA is the sole collective licensing organisation in the UK authorised by participating publishers and authors to grant these permissions in the higher education sector.

No alternative supplier can provide an equivalent licence covering the same copyright repertoire and permissions. The procurement therefore falls within the direct award provisions relating to exclusive copyright and intellectual property rights under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5 of the Act.

  1. Reasons for Direct Award

The University has determined that:

CLA holds exclusive rights to grant the copyright permissions required.

No reasonable alternative supplier exists for this requirement.

Failure to secure the licence would place the University in breach of copyright law.

  1. Estimated Contract Value

The estimated value of the contract over the 48-month period (including potential renewals) is £388,000 (excluding VAT).

  1. Known Risks

None identified. The University reserves the right to terminate or renew the subscription at its sole discretion.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1AwardedSME
Delivery: West MidlandsEligibility: SME eligible
79980000 Subscription services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
13 Aug 2026, 17:08 BST
Last source update
28 Sept 2026, 17:40 BST
Authority reference
KU/880/DP/EL/2026
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-091606
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Delivery area
West Midlands (UKG24)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e401 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Intellectual Property Exclusive Rights
Published justification

Following the publication of a Transparency Notice on 13 August 2026, and a Contract Award Notice on 14 August 2026, University of Keele is publishing this Contract Details Notice to announce, in accordance with its statutory obligations under Section 53 of the Procurement Act 2023, that it has awarded a contract to the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) for a CLA Higher Education Licence.

  1. Direct Award Justification

This contract has been awarded by direct award in accordance with Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Direct Award in Special Cases). The justification for direct award is set out under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5 (Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights) of the Act.

  1. Justification Narrative

The University requires a Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) Higher Education Licence to lawfully support the copying, digitisation, storage and distribution of copyrighted extracts from books, journals, magazines and certain digital publications for teaching, learning, administration and research purposes.

The CLA Licence is not a discretionary subscription but the legal mechanism enabling the University to comply with copyright law. CLA is the sole collective licensing organisation in the UK authorised by participating publishers and authors to grant these permissions in the higher education sector.

No alternative supplier can provide an equivalent licence covering the same copyright repertoire and permissions. The procurement therefore falls within the direct award provisions relating to exclusive copyright and intellectual property rights under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5 of the Act.

  1. Reasons for Direct Award

The University has determined that:

CLA holds exclusive rights to grant the copyright permissions required.

No reasonable alternative supplier exists for this requirement.

Failure to secure the licence would place the University in breach of copyright law.

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
—

Timeline

27 Aug 2026 → 28 Sept 2026 · 2 dates
  1. Standstill ends57 days ago
    27 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
  2. Notice published25 days ago
    28 Sept 2026, 17:40 BST

Notice history

4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 13 Aug 2026
  1. Transparency notice published
    13 Aug 2026, 17:08 BST
    UK5
  2. Contract award notice published
    14 Aug 2026, 17:15 BST
    UK6
  3. Contract signature expected
    1 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
    scheduled
  4. Contract details notice published
    28 Sept 2026, 17:40 BST
    UK7

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £388,0001 award exc. VAT
Contracts signed 1latest 2 Sept 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
THE COPYRIGHT LICENSING AGENCY LTDSME1 Sept 2026 – 31 Jul 2027 · up to 31 Jul 2030Extensions: The estimated value of the contract over the 48-month period (including potential renewals) is £388,000 (excluding VAT). The University reserves the right to terminate or renew the subscription at its sole discretion.£388,0006 Aug 2026Awarded

Contracts

  • CLA - Copyright Licensing Agency · THE COPYRIGHT LICENSING AGENCY LTDSME

    Signed
    2 Sept 2026
    Value
    £388,000
    Period
    2 Sept 2026 – 31 Jul 2027 · up to 31 Jul 2030 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    The estimated value of the contract over the 48-month period (including potential renewals) is £388,000 (excluding VAT). The University reserves the right to terminate or renew the subscription at its sole discretion.

    No agreed KPIs: The value of the awarded contract is less than £5 million including VAT.

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

University of Keele

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-CHC: RC000655 · GB-PPON: PMPH-8367-VGCY Procurement Office, Directorate of Finance, Innovation Centre I, Keele University Science and Innovation Park,, Keele, Staffordshire,, West Midlands, ST5 5NBContact name, email, phone

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

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 Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender