Find a TenderClosedTender notice
Published 18 Sept 2026, 10:26 BST

Official UK procurement notice

LEGISLATION PRINT PUBLISHING CONTRACT

Official notice

Authority: The National Archives (Central government)

ServicesCompetitive flexible procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Published estimate£3,500,000≈ £1.8m / year · £4,200,000 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 30 Oct 2026
Contract term 2 yrsends 31 Jul 2029 · up to 31 Jul 2032 with extensions · starts 1 Aug 2027
Notice summaryFrom the published notice

The purpose of this Procurement Process is for The National Archives (TNA) to select a Print Publishing Supplier to deliver its Legislation Print Publishing Contract. The intention is to award the Contract for an initial period 2 years, with options to extend for three further periods of up to twelve months each (2+1+1+1). We estimate the maximum contract value over the whole contract term (i.e. 5 years) to be circa £4,200,000 (inc. The Print Publishing Supplier is responsible for all aspects of print production.

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The purpose of this Procurement Process is for The National Archives (TNA) to select a Print Publishing Supplier to deliver its Legislation Print Publishing Contract.

The intention is to award the Contract for an initial period 2 years, with options to extend for three further periods of up to twelve months each (2+1+1+1).

The attached Invitation to Tender document gives an overview of the print publishing requirements and should be read in conjunction with Annexes 1 - 4, which provide more information about what is printed and why. If you require access to them, please contact us at [email protected]

We estimate the maximum contract value over the whole contract term (i.e. 5 years) to be circa £4,200,000 (inc. VAT).

The Print Publishing Supplier will operate the print publishing of legislation, associated documents, annual bound volumes of legislation and legislative effects, Chronological Tables and correction slips. The Print Publishing Supplier is responsible for all aspects of print production.

The Print Publishing Supplier will make sure that all printed items are made available for sale and deliver all aspects of order fulfilment and customers services related to the printing and sale of legislation items, including taking payment, handling enquiries and complaints, despatch and record keeping.

Printing legislation is a statutory requirement - the Print Publishing Supplier must provide a print publishing service that meets exacting quality standards and specifications, and that prints legislative items to prescribed and non-negotiable deadlines.

In addition, government departments pay a publishing fee for online publishing. The Print Publishing Supplier is not responsible for online publishing but is responsible for the financial administration of the publishing charges made to government departments. This involves invoicing departments for the correct publishing fees and ensuring that invoices are paid in a timely manner, including chasing where invoices have not been paid. The Print Publishing Supplier then transfers the publishing fees to The National Archives on a quarterly basis. The Print Publishing Supplier needs to inform The National Archives of any overdue outstanding departmental invoices.

  • How the procedure runs: Stage 1' Tender submissions will be evaluated applying the criteria specified in paras 8.1 to 8.3 of the attached ITT document. Once all of those submissions have been evaluated, the top-four-ranked bidders will be issued with a 'Stage 2' ITT document and invited to submit a 'Stage 2' Tender response. A contract award decision will be made by scoring the 'Stage 2' Tender responses against the criteria specified in para 8.4 of the attached ITT document.

CPV: Printing and related services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1Renewal 2 yrsSMEPublished value£3,500,000
Contract period: 1 Aug 2027 – 31 Jul 2029 (2 yrs) · up to 31 Jul 2032 with extensionsValue: £3,500,000 exc. VAT · £4,200,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: Three extension options of 12 months each.

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
Quality: 45%Price: 45%Social value: 10%
Published award criteria (3)
  • Quality
  • Price
  • Social Value
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 45 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4.5 points. Quality carries 45 of 100: the paper moves it further than the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Competitive flexible procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Closed
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
18 Sept 2026, 10:26 BST
Last source update
19 Oct 2026, 15:43 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 22 Jan 2027
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-098612
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
Printing and related services
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-077519 Find a Tender
How it runs

Stage 1' Tender submissions will be evaluated applying the criteria specified in paras 8.1 to 8.3 of the attached ITT document.

Once all of those submissions have been evaluated, the top-four-ranked bidders will be issued with a 'Stage 2' ITT document and invited to submit a 'Stage 2' Tender response.

A contract award decision will be made by scoring the 'Stage 2' Tender responses against the criteria specified in para 8.4 of the attached ITT document.

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
30 Oct 2026, 17:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
8 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Submissions are to be sent to [email protected]

The National Archives' website address is www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ↗

Timeline

18 Sept 2026 → 1 Aug 2027 · 6 dates
  1. Tender notice published48 days ago
    18 Sept 2026, 10:26 BST
  2. Clarification questions by28 days ago
    8 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
  3. Latest notice published17 days ago
    19 Oct 2026, 15:43 BST
  4. Submission deadline6 days ago
    30 Oct 2026, 17:00 GMT
  5. Today
    6 Nov 2026
  6. Award decision expected byin 77 days
    22 Jan 2027, 23:59 GMT
  7. Contract startsin 267 days
    1 Aug 2027, 00:00 BST

Notice history

2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 18 Sept 2026
  1. Tender notice published
    18 Sept 2026, 10:26 BST
    UK4
  2. Tender notice published
    19 Oct 2026, 15:43 BST
    UK4
Published amendments (1)

Published clarification questions and answers document.

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

The National Archives

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PTBZ-4379-JQQX Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 4DUContact email

Official documents & specifications (4)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Notices published for this procedure

  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender