Find a TenderOpen for tender Tender notice
Published 2 Nov 2026, 14:11 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

ID 6139805 - DAERA - CAFRE - Provision of Graphic Design, Artwork and Print Management Services

Authority: College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) (Central government)·On behalf of: CPD - Supplies and Services Division

ServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: Delivery location not published
Published estimate£2,000,000≈ £667k / year · £2,400,000 inc. VAT
Submission deadline 30 Nov 202615:00 GMT · 27 days left
Clarification cut-off 20 Nov 202615:00 GMT · questions to the authority
Contract term 3 yrsends 31 Jan 2030 · up to 31 Jan 2032 with extensions · starts 1 Feb 2027
Notice summaryFrom the published notice

The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) wishes to establish a contract for the provision of graphic design, artwork and print management services to develop the corporate brand in its application to the wide range of communication methods used by CAFRE. It is anticipated that this Contract will commence on 1st February 2027 for an initial period of three years. CAFRE may, at its sole discretion, extend the duration of this Contract for up to two periods of one year.

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) wishes to establish a contract for the provision of graphic design, artwork and print management services to develop the corporate brand in its application to the wide range of communication methods used by CAFRE. It is anticipated that this Contract will commence on 1st February 2027 for an initial period of three years. CAFRE may, at its sole discretion, extend the duration of this Contract for up to two periods of one year. Please refer to "ID 6139805 - Mid-Tier Schedule 02 Specification" for further information.

CPV: Digital printing services · Graphic design services · Lithographic services · Print finishing services · Printing and delivery services · Printing and distribution services · Printing and related services · Printing services · Proofreading services · Services related to printing

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1Renewal 3 yrsSMEPublished value£2,000,000
Contract period: 1 Feb 2027 – 31 Jan 2030 (3 yrs) · up to 31 Jan 2032 with extensionsValue: £2,000,000 exc. VAT · £2,400,000 inc. VAT
Eligibility: SME eligibleTurnover guideline: ~£1,332,117/yr≈ 2× annual value
Extensions: Following the initial contract period, there are 2 potential extension periods of 12 months each. Optional extension periods will be subject to review and satisfactory performance assessment by the Contracting Authority
Pre-qualification & selection criteria (PQQ)1
  • Technical & professional ability

    As per Tender documentation.

Who is likely to bid for this lot ↓

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 are scored
Quality: 49.800000000000004%Price: 40%Social value: 10.2%
Published sub-criteria (6)
  • AC1 - Proposed Team Experience: 15%
  • AC2 - Proposed Methodology: 15%
  • AC3 - Key Account Manager Experience: 10.2%
  • AC4 - Contract Management: 9.6%
  • AC6 - Total Contract Price: 40%
  • AC5 - Social Value: 10.2%
Published award criteria (6)
  • AC1 - Proposed Team Experience: As per Tender Documentation
  • AC2 - Proposed Methodology: As per Tender Documentation
  • AC3 - Key Account Manager Experience: As per Tender Documentation
  • AC4 - Contract Management: As per Tender Documentation
  • AC5 - Social Value: As per Tender Documentation
  • AC6 - Total Contract Price: As per Tender Documentation
Conditions of participation1
  • Technical & professional ability

    As per Tender documentation.

What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. Quality carries 49.8 of 100: the paper moves it further than the discount.
  • Turnover usually expected at this size: about £1,332,117 (twice the annual value).

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula. Turnover is an indicative market norm (≈2× annual value), not a published condition.

Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid

How College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) buys Services related to printing (CPV 7982), and who usually turns up

College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE)’s published record next to the market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are left out: they draw different bid counts. Whole-market view: Services related to printing (CPV 7982) →

1

How the contest usually goes

Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.

Question for the bid
The marketServices related to printing (CPV 7982) · Northern Ireland (authority’s region)
What to do with it
How often do SMEs win?
i

How often small and medium firms win.

Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.

The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.

Last 36 months.

Buyer: 11 of 11 known-size awards · market: CPV 7982 · Northern Ireland (authority’s region), n=5
100%100%

Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.

How often do local suppliers win?
i

How often local firms win similar work.

Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.

Local means the winner is registered in the region where that award was delivered. The market figure counts awards delivered in Northern Ireland (authority’s region).

A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.

Last 36 months.

Buyer: 14 of 17 known-location awards · market: CPV 7982 · Northern Ireland (authority’s region), n=6
82%100%

Most of this buyer’s recorded winners were registered in the region where that award was delivered.

How long to a decision?
i

How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.

Middle value in days from the bid deadline to the award date, on competitions that published both.

Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.

Last 36 months.

Buyer: 5 decided notices · market: CPV 7982 · Northern Ireland (authority’s region), n=5
27 days56 days

Half of these awards have an award date within 27 days of the bid deadline.

How often single-bid or direct?
i

How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.

Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.

The market share is a minimum: some awards have no bid count.

Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.

Last 36 months.

Buyer: exactly 2 of 5 procurements with awards had no recorded rival · market: CPV 7982 · Northern Ireland (authority’s region), n=10
40%20%

Direct awards or one recorded bid are common here. Check the route before spending time on a bid.

How many bids did past lots attract?

i

How many bids past lots received.

Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.

Past bids do not predict this tender.

Last 36 months.

This buyer19 lots with bid counts · all categories
16% had one bid
The market9 lots with bid counts · CPV 7982 · Northern Ireland (authority’s region)
22% had one bid
Buyer / market · select a colour for counts
1 bid16% / 22%
Buyer: 3 of 19 lots with published bid counts. Market: 2 of 9 lots with published bid counts.
2–379% / 11%
Buyer: 15 of 19 lots with published bid counts. Market: 1 of 9 lots with published bid counts.
4–65% / 22%
Buyer: 1 of 19 lots with published bid counts. Market: 2 of 9 lots with published bid counts.
7+0% / 44%
Buyer: 0 of 19 lots with published bid counts. Market: 4 of 9 lots with published bid counts.

How did awards compare with estimates?

i

Where winning prices landed against estimates.

Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.

Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.

Last 36 months.

This buyer19 lots with estimate and award · all categories
21% below estimate
The market8 lots with estimate and award · CPV 7982 · Northern Ireland (authority’s region)
25% below estimate
Buyer / market · select a colour for counts
Below estimate21% / 25%
Buyer: 4 of 19 lots with an estimate and award. Market: 2 of 8 lots with an estimate and award.
Within ±2%53% / 63%
Buyer: 10 of 19 lots with an estimate and award. Market: 5 of 8 lots with an estimate and award.
Above estimate26% / 13%
Buyer: 5 of 19 lots with an estimate and award. Market: 1 of 8 lots with an estimate and award.
2

Assess each lot
i

What past awards tell you about each lot.

See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.

No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.

Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list

Lot #1CPV 7936 monthsSME suitablePublished estimate£2.0m

This lot lists more than one class in CPV 79. The comparison uses that group.

Expected competition
i

How many bids this lot may attract.

The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.

Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 205 past lots.

A forecast, not a list of bidders.

—No model forecast yet23% chance of a single bid
Past bids on 205 similar lots
1 bid23%
48 of 205 similar past lots received 1 bid (23%).
2–327%
56 of 205 similar past lots received 2–3 (27%).
4–628%
58 of 205 similar past lots received 4–6 (28%).
7+21%
43 of 205 similar past lots received 7+ (21%).
Comparable past lots usually drew 3 bids.
Commercial price forecast
i

Where the award price may land.

The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.

No comparable awards for this lot yet.

A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.

—No model forecast yet
No comparable awards on record for this lot’s category yet. The published estimate is £2.0m, and the forecast stays empty until the market has a record to read.

Who has supplied this buyer on similar work?
i

Who has done similar work for this buyer.

Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.

A past supplier may not bid again.

No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.

Who could compete for this lot?
i

Who could compete for this lot?

Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.

None is confirmed as a bidder.

Candidate suppliers for this notice have not been worked out yet, so this is not a verdict that nobody fits.

About this data
  • Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
  • Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
  • Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
  • Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.

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
Open for tender
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
2 Nov 2026, 14:11 GMT
Last source update
2 Nov 2026, 14:11 GMT
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 11 Jan 2027
Authority reference
ID 6139805
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-103768
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
Digital printing servicesGraphic design servicesLithographic servicesPrint finishing servicesPrinting and delivery servicesPrinting and distribution servicesPrinting and related servicesPrinting servicesProofreading servicesServices related to printing
Delivery area
Not published
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0795a6 Find a Tender
Contract terms summary

For further details on invoicing procedures please see : www.finance-ni.gov.uk/articles/account-ni-… ↗

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.

Review and risk notes
Risks

The Contracting Authority expressly reserves the rights:

(I). not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice;

(II). to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the tendering Competition;

(III). to award (a) contract(s) in respect of any part(s) of the services covered by this notice; and

(IV). to award contract(s) in stages.

and in no circumstances will the Authority be liable for any costs incurred by candidates.

How to participate & submission route

Official notice Submit via eTendersNI
Submission portal named on this notice: eTendersNI · Who buys & how to bid on eTendersNI
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free Northern Ireland registration
Requests to participate (first stage)
—
Tender submission deadline
30 Nov 2026, 15:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
20 Nov 2026, 15:00 GMT
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 ↗

Published estimate £2,000,000 excludes VAT (£2,400,000 including VAT).

Timeline

2 Nov 2026 → 1 Feb 2027 · 5 dates
  1. Tender notice published11h ago
    2 Nov 2026, 14:11 GMT
  2. Today
    3 Nov 2026
  3. Clarification questions byin 17 days
    20 Nov 2026, 15:00 GMT
  4. Submission deadlinein 27 days
    30 Nov 2026, 15:00 GMT
  5. Award decision expected byin 69 days
    11 Jan 2027, 23:59 GMT
  6. Contract startsin 89 days
    1 Feb 2027

Notice history

1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender
  1. Tender notice published
    2 Nov 2026, 14:11 GMT
    UK4

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Nothing awarded yet
Awards (0)
No award published
Contracts (0)
No contract published
Bid statistics
No aggregate bid statistics published

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

2 public bodies on the notice

College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE)

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central governmentNorthern Irish devolved regulations apply GB-PPON: PYCL-3331-QQMP 45 Tirgracy Road, Antrim, Northern Ireland, BT41 4PSContact email

Other public bodies

  • CPD - Supplies and 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

Official documents & specifications (1)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender