Official UK procurement notice
Supply and Delivery of Period Hygiene Products
Authority: the Education Authority (Central government)
What is being bought2 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThis Framework Agreement has been established on behalf of EA, Primary and Post Primary schools under the control of the EA, Catholic Maintained Schools, Independent Schools in NI, Irish Medium Schools in NI, both Controlled and Voluntary Grammar Schools, Nursery School for NI (both controlled and Catholic Maintained), and Controlled Youth Centres (https:// www.education-ni.gov.uk/services/schools-plus ↗),
Further Education Colleges in NI (www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/further-edu… ↗),
Grant Controlled Integrated Education Schools in NI (https:// www.ni ↗ cie.org/parents/
school -finder/), Independent Schools in NI (www.isc.co.uk ↗
schools/northernireland/),
Libraries NI (https:// www.librariesni.org.uk ↗ Libraries/),
EA Teachers' and Educational Centres,
Council for the Curriculum, Examination and Assessment NI (CCEA),
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium,
Middletown Centre for Autism,
Controlled Schools Support Council (CSSC),
Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) who may also use this Framework
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 27 Jun 2029, 23:59 BST.
CPV: Disposable personal wipes · Sanitary towels or tampons · Underwear
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Closed framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Bids received
- 6 bids on the busiest of 2 lots · 6 suppliers appointed
- Framework period
- 4 yrs from 1 Oct 2025
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- N/A
Published description of the framework
Direct call off at prices contained within the Framework Agreement. Allowable provision for supplemental tenders as detailed within Framework document FMM-24-006 Mid-Tier Supplies Framework Agreement.
Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure
2 lots · all with a published value · same conditions of participation on every lot · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1Supply and Delivery of Period ProductsAwardedPublished value£2,890,000
Lot 1 will be a ranked arrangement with multiple Suppliers. The Supplier(s) will be required to supply and deliver the relevant period hygiene products to schools and other EA locations across Northern Ireland on an ad-hoc basis.
- Technical & professional ability
Previous Experience
Lot #2Fully Managed Service for Primary School Annual ProvisionAwardedPublished value£121,000
Lot 2 will be awarded to a single Supplier to provide a fully managed service for the supply and delivery of period products to all primary schools in Northern Ireland.
- Technical & professional ability
Previous Experience
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 (1)
- AC1 - Price: 100%
Published award criteria (1)
- AC1 - Price: The evaluation of this tender will be based on the assessment of Mandatory Requirements (Pass/Fail) and the prices submitted within the document FMM-24-006 Pricing Schedule to achieve the MAT bid for each Lot/Section.
- Technical & professional ability
Previous Experience
- Price carries 100 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 10 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
- “Supply and Delivery of Period Hygiene Products” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
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
- Framework agreement
- Who may use the vehicle
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · next expected 27 Jun 2029
- First published
- 7 Mar 2025, 15:51 GMT
- Last source update
- 15 Oct 2025, 15:54 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 22 Sept 2025
- Authority reference
FMM-24-006- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-035914- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04eab2Find a Tender- Contract terms summary
Full details can be found in the CfT documents section on eTendersNI etendersni.gov.uk/epps/home.do ↗
- Risks
The recent legislative expansion mandating the provision of period products to a broader range of end users—beyond pupils and students—introduces a degree of uncertainty that may impact contract performance. The extended scope potentially includes staff and visitors across participating bodies, for whom no historical usage data exists. While an additional contingency has been factored into the Framework value, actual demand levels remain difficult to forecast with precision and may exceed anticipated thresholds.
Other risks to satisfactory performance include:
Product Unavailability or Recall: There is a risk of supply chain disruptions or product recalls, particularly affecting branded items. This is mitigated through the appointment of multiple suppliers across sections within Lot 1, alongside a mechanism allowing Suppliers from the unbranded sanitary towels section (Lot 2) to deliver in the event of supplier failure or no award.
Manufacturer-Led Product Changes: Alterations to product specifications—such as pack sizes, formulations, or packaging—may affect perceived value or suitability. The Specification includes allowances for reasonable modifications where products continue to provide best value for money.
Legislative or Regulatory Shifts: Future changes to environmental, public health, or product safety legislation may necessitate updates to product requirements. The Specification has been designed to accommodate such changes without requiring separate procurement action.
Variable Uptake by Participating Bodies: Participation by bodies such as LibrariesNI remains unconfirmed. Should they onboard during the life of the Framework—subject to approval from the Education Authority—the resulting increase in demand could be substantial and is not currently reflected in contingency values. In such a scenario, a contract modification may be required to safeguard ongoing delivery.
These risks have been identified as "known unknown" risks.
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 1 Aug 2025, 15:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 22 Jul 2025, 15:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- call-off levy · N/A
Timeline
7 Mar 2025 → 15 Oct 2025 · 10 dates- Planning notice published7 Mar 2025, 15:51 GMT
- Market engagement21 Mar 2025, 23:59 GMT
Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI) is currently preparing to initiate a procurement process to award a framework for the supply of period hygiene products to the Education Authority throughout Northern Ireland. EANI wishes to engage with the market at this stage to establish the level of market interest and to gather information that will be beneficial in the retendering process. Suppliers who wish to participate in the market engagement exercise should complete the pre-market engagement questionnaire. Further information including the questionnaire can be downloaded from CfT Documents of CfT 5847100. The questionnaire must be completed and submitted no later than 3 pm on the closing date detailed. There are no formal tender documents to be completed other than the questionnaire. Any information gathered will NOT be considered in any future tender evaluation exercise. Participation or non-participation in this pre-procurement market engagement shall not prevent any supplier/provider from participating in a potential procurement process nor is it intended that any information supplied shall place any supplier/ provider at an advantage in any forthcoming procurement process. For the avoidance of doubt, this stage of the project is not part of a formal procurement process and there is no commitment, at this stage to carrying out such a process.
- Tender notice published27 Jun 2025, 16:47 BST
- Clarification questions by22 Jul 2025, 15:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown1 Aug 2025, 15:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent10 Sept 2025, 00:00 BST
- Standstill ends392 days ago19 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
- Award decision expected by389 days ago22 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts381 days ago1 Oct 2025, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published366 days ago15 Oct 2025, 15:54 BST
Notice history
12 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 7 Mar 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published7 Mar 2025, 15:51 GMTUK2
- Tender notice published27 Jun 2025, 16:47 BSTUK4
- Published value published: £3,011,00027 Jun 2025, 16:47 BST
- Status changed to active27 Jun 2025, 16:47 BST
- Procurement method changed27 Jun 2025, 16:47 BST
- Deadline published: 29 Jul 2025, 15:00 BST27 Jun 2025, 16:47 BST
- Tender notice published25 Jul 2025, 14:25 BSTUK4
- Deadline moved to 1 Aug 2025, 15:00 BST25 Jul 2025, 14:25 BST+3 days · was 29 Jul 2025, 15:00 BST
- Contract award notice published10 Sept 2025, 12:18 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete10 Sept 2025, 12:18 BST
- Contract signature expected22 Sept 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published15 Oct 2025, 15:54 BSTUK7
Published amendments (1)
The deadline for the submission of tenders has been extended from 29/07/2025 at 15:00 to 01/08/2025 at 15:00
Routine re-releases (5)
- 2025-06: 1 release · 27 Jun 2025
- 2025-03: 1 release · 7 Mar 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · Supply and Delivery of Period Products1 award | |||
| Banner Group Limited, CHEEKY BABY PRODUCTS LIMITEDSME, Eco Hygiene Care Ltd, Findel Education Ltd, John Preston & Co (Belfast) LtdSME, Lyreco UK LimitedLot 1 Supply and Delivery of Period Products1 Oct 2025 – 30 Sept 2029Options: The Buyer reserves the right to run Secondary Competitions within Lot 1 as detailed within the tender documents. | £2,890,000 | 10 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
| Lot 2 · Fully Managed Service for Primary School Annual Provision1 award | |||
| Banner Group LimitedLot 2 Fully Managed Service for Primary School Annual Provision1 Oct 2025 – 30 Sept 2029 | £121,000 | 10 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 1 · Banner Group Limited, CHEEKY BABY PRODUCTS LIMITEDSME, Eco Hygiene Care Ltd, Findel Education Ltd, John Preston & Co (Belfast) LtdSME, Lyreco UK Limited
- Signed
- 24 Sept 2025
- Value
- £2,890,000
- Period
- 1 Oct 2025 – 30 Sept 2029
- Status
- active
- Options
- The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid. Details regarding allowable secondary competitions is contained in framework document FMM-24-006 Mid-Tier Supplies Framework Agreement.
Contract 2 · Banner Group Limited
- Signed
- 24 Sept 2025
- Value
- £121,000
- Period
- 1 Oct 2025 – 30 Sept 2029
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Supply and Delivery of Period Products | 6final-stage tenders | 4 | 0 | — |
| 2 · Fully Managed Service for Primary School Annual Provision | 5final-stage tenders · 6 at stage one | 4 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Framework contractors & participating bidders
6 commercial parties on the notice- BANNER GROUP LIMITEDFramework contractor
- CHEEKY BABY PRODUCTS LIMITEDFramework contractor
- ECO HYGIENE CARE LTDFramework contractor
- FINDEL EDUCATION LIMITEDFramework contractor
- JOHN PRESTON & CO. (BELFAST) LIMITEDFramework contractor
- LYRECO UK LIMITEDFramework 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
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender