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Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 8 May 2025, 11:51 BST

Official UK procurement notice

ID 5943773 DoF Procurement of monographs for NICS Libraries

Official notice

Authority: Department of Finance (Central government)·On behalf of: CPD

2 lotsGoodsOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitableVCSE suitable
Sectors: Printed matter and related products (22) Delivery: Northern Ireland (UKN)
Published estimate£350,000total for 2 lots · £420,000 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 11 Jun 2025awarded 31 Jul 2025
Awarded to Browns Books +2 more2 awards
Contract term 3 yrsends 16 Aug 2028 · up to 16 Aug 2029 with extensions · starts 17 Aug 2025

What is being bought2 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

The Department of Finance (DoF) requires the supply and delivery of monographs in both print and electronic format to all beneficiaries of the contract including the NICS libraries and the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Contract will include other libraries and public bodies who purchase books and ebooks which are listed at Appendix A of the Specification. The scope of the contract is in two Lots. Lot 1. General publications (publications generally available from a variety of publishers with a wide subject coverage)and Lot 2. E-books (general publications as in Lot 1 published in electronic format).

CPV: Library books · Printed books · Printed books, brochures and leaflets · Printed matter and related products · Publications · Technical publications

Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure

2 lots · all with a published value (£350,000 together) · same conditions of participation on every lot · evaluation weights differ by lot
Lot #1General publicationsAwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£200,000

Lot 1 requires the Supplier to provide publications generally available from a variety of publishers with a wide subject coverage

Contract period: 17 Aug 2025 – 16 Aug 2028 (3 yrs) · up to 16 Aug 2029 with extensionsValue: £200,000 exc. VAT · £240,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: Northern IrelandEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: Following the initial contract period there is one option to extend for a further period of one year. Following the initial contract period
22000000 Printed matter and related products22100000 Printed books, brochures and leaflets22110000 Printed books22113000 Library books22120000 Publications22121000 Technical publications
Pre-qualification & selection criteria (PQQ)1
  • Technical & professional ability

    As per Tender documentation.

Lot #2E-booksAwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£150,000

Lot 2 requires the Supplier to provide a wide selection of published books in ebook format.

Contract period: 17 Aug 2025 – 16 Aug 2028 (3 yrs) · up to 16 Aug 2029 with extensionsValue: £150,000 exc. VAT · £180,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: Northern IrelandEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: Following the initial contract period there is one option to extend for a further period of one year. Following the initial contract period
22000000 Printed matter and related products22100000 Printed books, brochures and leaflets22110000 Printed books22113000 Library books22120000 Publications22121000 Technical publications
Pre-qualification & selection criteria (PQQ)1
  • Technical & professional ability

    As per Tender documentation.

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

Lots publish different evaluation splits; there is no single procedure weighting.

LotQualityPriceSplit
1 · General publications50%50%
2 · E-books50%50%
Conditions of participation · identical on every lot1
  • Technical & professional ability

    As per Tender documentation.

What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 50 points on every lot: a 10% discount moves about 5 points.

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
Goods
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
8 May 2025, 11:51 BST
Last source update
20 Aug 2025, 08:01 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 2 Jul 2025
Authority reference
5943773
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-019665
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Library booksPrinted booksPrinted books, brochures and leafletsPrinted matter and related productsPublicationsTechnical publications
Delivery area
Northern Ireland (UKN)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-050e99 Find a Tender
Contract terms summary

For further details on invoicing procedures please see : www.finance-ni.gov.uk/ar ↗ ticles/account-ni-good-invoicing-practice

Contract Value

The estimated value figure indicated in the Scope Section represents an overall estimated contract value. This value reflects the potential scale of the contract and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation or increases to charges due to increases in the Real Living Wage. Neither CPD nor the contracting Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. Suppliers remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from the Supplier in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise (and a Supplier shall have no legitimate expectation that a contract will be entered into) until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the Contracting Authority.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: eTendersNI · Who buys & how to bid on eTendersNI
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free Northern Ireland registration
Submission deadline
11 Jun 2025, 15:00 BST
Clarification deadline
30 May 2025, 15:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the relevant Call for Tender (CfT) opportunity on eTendersNI, website details immediately below.

Paper submissions will not be accepted or considered and will be rejected by the Contracting Authority / Buyer.

The tender documents are available with unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: URL etendersni.gov.uk/epps ↗

Timeline

8 May 2025 → 20 Aug 2025 · 8 dates
  1. Tender notice published
    8 May 2025, 11:51 BST
  2. Clarification questions by
    30 May 2025, 15:00 BST
  3. Submission deadline
    11 Jun 2025, 15:00 BST
  4. Award decision expected by
    2 Jul 2025, 23:59 BST
  5. Assessment summaries sent
    31 Jul 2025, 00:00 BST
  6. Standstill ends
    12 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
  7. Contract starts
    17 Aug 2025, 00:00 BST
  8. Latest notice published
    20 Aug 2025, 08:01 BST

Notice history

6 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 8 May 2025
  1. Tender notice published
    8 May 2025, 11:51 BST
    UK4
  2. Contract award notice published
    30 Jul 2025, 20:06 BST
    UK6
  3. Status changed to complete
    30 Jul 2025, 20:06 BST
  4. Contract award notice published
    31 Jul 2025, 11:27 BST
    UK6
  5. Contract signature expected
    13 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
    scheduled
  6. Contract details notice published
    20 Aug 2025, 08:01 BST
    UK7
Routine re-releases (4)
  • 2025-05: 1 release · 8 May 2025

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 2
Awarded value £700,0002 awards exc. VAT
Bids received 53 from SMEs
Contracts signed 1latest 13 Aug 2025
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Across several lots2 awards
Browns BooksSME, EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INCjoint award17 Aug 2025 – 16 Aug 2028 · up to 16 Aug 2029Extensions: Following the initial contract period there is one option to extend for a further period of one year.£350,00031 Jul 2025standstill to 12 Aug 2025Standstill
Browns BooksSME, EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC, EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC.VCSEjoint award17 Aug 2025 – 16 Aug 2028 · up to 16 Aug 2029Extensions: Following the initial contract period there is one option to extend for a further period of one year.£350,00030 Jul 2025Awarded

Contracts

  • ID 5943773 - DoF Procurement of monographs for NICS Libraries · Browns BooksSME, EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC, EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC.VCSE

    Signed
    13 Aug 2025
    Value
    £350,000
    Period
    17 Aug 2025 – 16 Aug 2028 · up to 16 Aug 2029 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Following the initial contract period there is one option to extend for a further period of one year.

    No agreed KPIs: KPIs are not required to be published due to the contract value.

Bid statistics published by the authority

LotBidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1 · General publications2final-stage tenders10—
2 · E-books3final-stage tenders20—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

3 public bodies on the notice

Department of Finance

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central governmentNorthern Irish devolved regulations apply GB-PPON: PVTL-7513-YWVJ Room 55 Craigantlet Buildings Stoney Road Stormont Estate, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT4 3SXContact name, email

Other public bodies

  • CPDBeneficiary authority
  • Department of Finance - CPD - Supplies & Services DivisionProcess contact pointProcuring entityConstruction and Procurement Delivery, Supplies and Services Division, is a Centre of Procurement Expertise and provides a central procurement function for central government in Northern IrelandGB-PPON: PVWG-8426-YWXV Belfast, Northern IrelandContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

3 commercial parties on the notice
  • Browns BooksAwarded supplierGB-PPON: PCTY-7866-DWMW 5 Redcliff Road, Melton, East Yorkshire, Yorkshire & Humber, HU14 3RSContact email
  • EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC.Awarded supplierGB-COH: FC016134GB-PPON: PHHL-9383-NLJL 6th Floor Civic Centre, Silver Street, London, London, EN1 3XAContact email
  • EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC.Awarded supplierGB-PPON: PHHL-9383-NLJL 6th Floor Civic Centre, Silver Street, London, London, EN1 3XAContact email

Official documents & specifications (4)

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
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender