Official UK procurement notice
EDR-24-008 DIGITAL LIBRARY FOR LIBRARIES NI
Authority: Libraries Ni·Consortium: 3 public authorities
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Education Authority (the Authority) on
behalf of Libraries NI (the Client) invites Tenders for A Digital
Lending Platform to include downloadable eBooks, eAudio books,
eMagazines and eNewspapers ie the Digital Library Offer for a
period of 24 months with the option to extend for period(s) of up
to and including 24 months.
CPV: Computer-related services · Library management services · Library management system · Library services · Magazines · Newspapers · Newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazines · Subscription services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1The Education Authority (the Authority) on behalf ofAwardedPublished value£8,000,000
The Education Authority (the Authority) on behalf of
Libraries NI (the Client) invites Tenders for A Digital Lending
Platform to include downloadable eBooks, eAudio books, eMagazines
and eNewspapers ie the Digital Library Offer for a period of 24
months with the option to extend for period(s) of up to and
including 24 months. Additional information: The Contracting Authority can make no commitment or guarantee as to when orders will be placed for the service throughout the period of the Contract or as to the value/volume of the orders.
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 (2)
- Digital Library Offer: 50%
- Total Overall Cost: 50%
Published award criteria (2)
- Digital Library Offer: 50
- Total Overall Cost: 50
- Suitability
Full details can be found in the CfT documents section on eTendersNI.
- Economic & financial standing
Full details can be found in the CfT documents section on eTendersNI.
- Technical & professional ability
Full details can be found in the CfT documents section on eTendersNI.
- Price carries 50 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 5 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Yes
- First published
- 30 Aug 2024, 15:45 BST
- Last source update
- 22 Jan 2026, 12:34 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- 25 Mar 2025 – …
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-005729- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0496e6Find a Tender
- Performance terms
Full details can be found in the CfT documents section on eTendersNI.
- Review procedure
The UK does not have any special review body. with responsibility for appeal/mediation. procedures in public. procurement competitions. Instead; any challenges are dealt with. by. the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may. be issued regarding alleged. breaches of the PCR 2015.The EA. operated a standstill period (i.e. a. minimum of 10 calendar. days). at the point information on the award of contract was communicated. to tenderers.. That notification provided full information on the. award decision. This provided time for the. unsuccessful tenderers. to challenge the award decision before the contract was entered into.
Publisher note: The Contracting Authority can make no commitment or guarantee as to when orders will be placed for the service throughout the period of the Contract or as to the value/volume of the orders.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 2 Apr 2025, 15:00 BST
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bids opened
- 25 Mar 2025, 15:30 GMT
Timeline
12 Dec 2024 → 22 Jan 2026 · 5 dates- Next notice expected12 Dec 2024
- Bids opened25 Mar 2025, 15:30 GMT
- Submission deadline2 Apr 2025, 15:00 BST
- Bids must remain valid until23 Jun 2025, 23:59 BST
- Notice published274 days ago22 Jan 2026, 12:34 GMT
Notice history
8 events · 6 releases on Find a Tender · since 21 Mar 2025- Deadline published: 2 Apr 2025, 15:00 BST21 Mar 2025, 10:38 GMT
- Buyer details updated21 Mar 2025, 10:38 GMT
- Published value published: £8,000,00012 May 2025, 16:06 BST
- Status changed to active12 May 2025, 16:06 BST
- Procurement method changed12 May 2025, 16:06 BST
- Deadline moved to 25 Mar 2025, 15:00 GMT12 May 2025, 16:06 BST-8 days · was 2 Apr 2025, 15:00 BST
- Status changed to complete22 Jan 2026, 12:34 GMT
- Buyer details updated22 Jan 2026, 12:34 GMT
Published amendments (3 · 3 deadline changes)
| When | What | Before | After | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | DeadlineIV.2.2) | 25 Mar 2025 | 2 Apr 2025 | +8 d |
| — | DeadlineIV.2.2) | 30 Apr 2025 | 14 May 2025 | +14 d |
| — | DeadlineIV.2.2) | 14 May 2025 | 28 May 2025 | +14 d |
Please note that following a review of the Specification and Award Criteria, the Education Authority together with the Client, Libraries NI, have amended the Specification in relation to the requirement for Section C (eNewspaper subscription) and Section D (eMagazine subscription). Suppliers should also note that additional information has been included within section 1.2 of the Specification of R…
2 amendments published without a description.
Routine re-releases (6)
- 2025-04: 1 release · 30 Apr 2025
- 2025-03: 1 release · 21 Mar 2025
- 2024-08: 1 release · 30 Aug 2024
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overdrive INC.Contract | £8,000,000 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract · Overdrive INC.
- Signed
- 29 Dec 2025
- Value
- £8,000,000
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3bids · 3 electronic · 2 from abroad | 2 | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- the Education AuthorityContracting authorityBody governed by public lawEducation
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- The UK does not currently have any such bodies with responsibilities for appeal/mediation proceduresReview body
- The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended.Review body
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- OVERDRIVE INC.Awarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.