Official UK procurement notice
Elections and Registration Services
Authority: Birmingham City Council (Local council)
What is being bought2 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionBirmingham City Council wishes to establish a framework agreement for the provision of Elections and Registration Services.
Birmingham Elections Office deals with all elections within the local authority area. This involves dealing with over 750,000 electors, including 75,000 postal voters. There are usually citywide elections at least every 2 years, with local elections scheduled in 2026 and 2030, Police and Crime Commissioner and Combined Authority Mayoral Elections in 2028 and 2032. The General Election will be held at some point before July 2029. This contract would cover all elections held within Birmingham during the life of the contract, including these citywide elections, but also ward by elections, and neighbourhood planning referendums. It would not cover BID Ballots or non-binding local referendums.
The contract would also cover the provision of statutory forms relating to Electoral Registration – including all Household correspondence sent out during the annual canvass period (including Canvass Forms, Canvass Communication As and Bs) and Invitations to Register for individual electors. This could amount to mailings to 450,000 properties. The Annual Canvass happens every year (usually between August and November).
The framework agreement being procured have been split into 2 Lots, as follows.
- Lot 1: A managed postal vote service to handle returned postal votes during elections.
- Lot 2: Printing for all statutory elections and electoral registration, including poll cards, ballot papers, postal votes, and any registration or canvass forms
The following outcomes are anticipated over the life of the contract as a result of the proposed procurement process to be carried out:
- Ensuring all citizens have the opportunity to vote.
- Empowering citizens to make their voices heard
- Guaranteeing voting access for all eligible citizens
- Increasing resident engagement in statutory processes
- Providing a secure and accurate result that everyone trusts due to the election being carried out to a high standard in accordance with all relevant legislation
The framework agreement will commence on 27th January 2026 and will be in place for a period of 4 years. (Unless terminated under the terms and conditions of the contract)
- No preliminary market engagement: Following market consultation, it has been identified that there are a small number of key organisations in the market with the ability to deliver the service required. The organisations identified have adequate knowledge and experience of delivering such services, and there is confidence that the market can deliver this service to a sufficient quality standard.
CPV: Electoral forms · Mailing services · Postal services · Postal services related to letters · Printed matter and related products · Printed stationery except forms · Printing and delivery services · Printing and distribution services · Printing and related services · Printing services · Scheduled airmail transport services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Closed framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs are awarded directly to appointed suppliers, without further competition
- Places
- up to 2 suppliers · 4 bids on the busiest of 2 lots (2.0 per place) · 2 appointed (full)
- Framework period
- 4 yrs from 27 Jan 2026
Published description of the framework
The framework agreement being procured have been split into 2 Lots, as follows.
- Lot 1: A managed postal vote service to handle returned postal votes during elections.
- Lot 2: Printing for all statutory elections and electoral registration, including poll cards, ballot papers, postal votes, and any registration or canvass forms Tenderers may bid for one or both lots. A single Provider has been appointed to each lot.
Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure
2 lots · all with a published valueLot #1A managed postal vote service to handle returned postal votes during elections.AwardedPublished value£750,000
A managed postal vote service to handle returned postal votes during elections.
(Electors have the choice to vote by post at any election, and there is very specific legislation around what a postal vote must include, and how it needs to be handled when it is returned by the elector to ensure that it is only included in the counting of the votes if it is valid).
Lot #2Printing for all statutory elections and electoral registration, including poll cards, ballot papers, postal votes, and any registration or canvass formsAwardedPublished value£3,250,000
Printing for all statutory elections and electoral registration, including poll cards, ballot papers, postal votes, and any registration or canvass forms The Council is seeking a supplier who specialises and has experience in providing all services related to the provision of election printing, including the provision of poll cards, ballot papers, postal voting packs, and associated services including pack assembling and mailing solutions. This includes printing forms for electoral registration – including Invitations to Register and Canvass Communications.
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).
- “Elections and Registration Services” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 2 suppliers, not a single contract, and call-offs are awarded directly: getting appointed is the whole game.
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
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 23 May 2025, 14:18 BST
- Last source update
- 11 Mar 2026, 14:03 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 1 Nov 2025
- Authority reference
P0358-2026- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-053579- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-052302Find a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 29 Sept 2025, 11:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 19 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
The Council will be using its free to use e-tendering system (in-tend) for the administration of this procurement process and potential suppliers must register with the system to be able to express an interest. If you wish to express an interest in this opportunity please click on the following link to access in-tendhost.co.uk/birminghamcc/ ↗ and submit your details to register. You will then be able to log on which will enable you to download all relevant Invitation to Tender (ITT) documentation. If you are unable to register with In-tend or have any questions or problems on how to use this web site please either email us at: [email protected]
Timeline
23 May 2025 → 11 Mar 2026 · 10 dates- Planning notice published23 May 2025, 14:18 BST
- Next notice expected2 Jul 2025, 00:59 BST
- Tender notice published3 Sept 2025, 14:31 BST
- Clarification questions by396 days ago19 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends387 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown29 Sept 2025, 11:00 BST
- Award decision expected by353 days ago1 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Assessment summaries sent328 days ago27 Nov 2025
- Standstill ends315 days ago9 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts267 days ago27 Jan 2026
- Latest notice published223 days ago11 Mar 2026, 14:03 GMT
Notice history
10 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 23 May 2025- Pipeline notice published23 May 2025, 14:18 BSTUK1
- Tender notice published3 Sept 2025, 14:31 BSTUK4
- Status changed to active3 Sept 2025, 14:31 BST
- Procurement method changed3 Sept 2025, 14:31 BST
- Deadline published: 29 Sept 2025, 11:00 BST3 Sept 2025, 14:31 BST
- Tender notice published3 Sept 2025, 14:54 BSTUK4
- Contract award notice published27 Nov 2025, 12:34 GMTUK6
- Status changed to complete27 Nov 2025, 12:34 GMT
- Contract signature expected10 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMTscheduled
- Contract details notice published11 Mar 2026, 14:03 GMTUK7
Routine re-releases (5)
- 2025-09: 1 release · 3 Sept 2025
- 2025-05: 1 release · 23 May 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · A managed postal vote service to handle returned postal votes during elections.1 award | |||
| IDOX SOFTWARE LTDLot 1: Managed Postal Vote Service26 Jan 2026 – 25 Jan 2030 | £750,000 | 26 Nov 2025 | Awarded |
| Lot 2 · Printing for all statutory elections and electoral registration, including poll cards, ballot papers, postal votes, and any registration or canvass forms1 award | |||
| CIVICA ELECTION SERVICES LIMITEDLot 2: Statutory Election and Registration Printing Services26 Jan 2026 – 25 Jan 2030 | £3,250,000 | 26 Nov 2025 | Awarded |
Contracts
Lot 1: A managed postal vote service to handle returned postal votes during elections. · IDOX SOFTWARE LTD
- Signed
- 26 Nov 2025
- Value
- £750,000
- Period
- 27 Jan 2026 – 26 Jan 2030
- Status
- active
Lot 2: Statutory Election and Registration Printing Services · CIVICA ELECTION SERVICES LIMITED
- Signed
- 26 Nov 2025
- Value
- £3,250,000
- Period
- 27 Jan 2026 – 26 Jan 2030
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · A managed postal vote service to handle returned postal votes during elections. | 2final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2 · Printing for all statutory elections and electoral registration, including poll cards, ballot papers, postal votes, and any registration or canvass forms | 4final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Framework contractors & participating bidders
2 commercial parties on the notice- Civica Election Services LtdFramework contractor
- Idox Software LtdFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (7)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender