Official UK procurement notice
Printed Book Production/CFP/PRO/2026 · UK public procurement notice
Authority: THE OPEN UNIVERSITY (Education)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Open University has awarded a closed framework for the supply of printed book production (to include paper supply, printing, finishing and binding) of educational materials for delivery into the The Open University's warehouse. The framework will support the production of printed learning materials for The Open University's students, with annual production volumes across a range of publication formats. The framework will be awarded for an initial period of two (2) years, with the option to extend by up to two further twelve (12) month periods, to a maximum duration of four (4) years.
- How the procedure runs: This is a multi-stage procurement. The Open University (the “OU”) is seeking to establish a contract with two suppliers in a closed framework for the supply of printed book production. The Competitive Flexible Procedure will consist of three stages: Stage 1 PSQ (shortlist to 5 highest scoring bidders) Stage 2 Invitation to Tender Stage 3 Commercial Negotiation
CPV: Printed books
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Closed framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Places
- up to 2 suppliers · 6 bids received (3.0 per place) · 2 appointed (full)
- Framework period
- 2 yrs · up to 4 yrs from 5 Oct 2026
Published description of the framework
Call-off orders placed under the framework will be based on technical specifications, price, operational requirements, supplier capability, performance and available capacity. Call-off orders will typically be placed by the OU's production planning function through agreed ordering processes established with the suppliers during contract mobilisation. Call-off orders will be placed in accordance with the agreed pricing schedules and rate cards submitted as part of the tender and incorporated into the resulting contracts with the two suppliers.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£6,500,000
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 award criteria (2)
- Quality: 1) Production Delivery and Implementation 2) Capacity and Resilience 3) Quality Assurance 4) Sustainability 5) Customer Service and Account Management
- Price: 1) Price 2) Commercial 3) Terms
- Price carries 55 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 5.5 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
- “Printed Book Production/CFP/PRO/2026” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 2 suppliers, 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
- Competitive flexible 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 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
- 28 Jan 2026, 16:53 GMT
- Last source update
- 13 Oct 2026, 11:39 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 14 Sept 2026
- Authority reference
OUPA11620- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-021564- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-061152Find a Tender
- How it runs
This is a multi-stage procurement.
The Open University (the “OU”) is seeking to establish a contract with two suppliers in a closed framework for the supply of printed book production.
The Competitive Flexible Procedure will consist of three stages:
Stage 1 PSQ (shortlist to 5 highest scoring bidders)
Stage 2 Invitation to Tender
Stage 3 Commercial Negotiation
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 7 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
- Appointment period ends
- 7 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 31 Mar 2026, 14:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
28 Jan 2026 → 13 Oct 2026 · 10 dates- Planning notice published265 days ago28 Jan 2026, 16:53 GMT
- Market engagement250 days ago12 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
The Open University is currently preparing to initiate a procurement activity for a dual supplier framework for it’s Printed Book Production requirements for student course module materials.
We wish to engage the market to establish the level of market interest and to gather information that will be beneficial in the tendering process.
Suppliers who wish to participate in the market engagement exercise should complete the preliminary market engagement questionnaire by no later than the 12th February 2026. Participation or non-participation in this pre-procurement market engagement shall not prevent any supplier from participating in a potential procurement process in the future.
Link to Preliminary Market Questionnaire, via the OU’s procurement portal:-
- Next notice expected231 days ago3 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Tender notice published224 days ago10 Mar 2026, 19:49 GMT
- Clarification questions by203 days ago31 Mar 2026, 14:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends196 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown7 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent37 days ago14 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
- Award decision expected by36 days ago14 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts16 days ago5 Oct 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published7 days ago13 Oct 2026, 11:39 BST
Notice history
9 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 28 Jan 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published28 Jan 2026, 16:53 GMTUK2
- Tender notice published10 Mar 2026, 19:49 GMTUK4
- Published value updated10 Mar 2026, 19:49 GMT
- Status changed to active10 Mar 2026, 19:49 GMT
- Procurement method changed10 Mar 2026, 19:49 GMT
- Contract award notice published14 Sept 2026, 16:32 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete14 Sept 2026, 16:32 BST
- Contract signature expected5 Oct 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published13 Oct 2026, 11:39 BSTUK7
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2026-01: 1 release · 28 Jan 2026
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hobbs the Printers LimitedSME, Sterling Press LtdSME5 Oct 2026 – 4 Oct 2028 · up to 4 Oct 2030Extensions: Two 12 month extensions. | £6,500,000 inc. VAT | 14 Sept 2026 | Awarded |
Contracts
Printed Book Production/CFP/PRO/2026 · Hobbs the Printers LimitedSME, Sterling Press LtdSME
- Signed
- 6 Oct 2026
- Value
- £6,500,000 inc. VAT
- Period
- 6 Oct 2026 – 5 Oct 2028 · up to 5 Oct 2030 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- Two twelve (12) month extension periods.
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6final-stage tenders | 5 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- wonHOBBS THE PRINTERS LIMITEDSME · South East England
- wonSTERLING PRESS LIMITEDSME · East Midlands
- did not winESP COLOUR LIMITEDSME · South West England
- did not winHENRY LING LIMITEDSME · South West England
- did not winBELL & BAIN LIMITEDSME · Scotland
- did not winPUREPRINT GROUP LIMITED · South East England
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Framework contractors & participating bidders
6 commercial parties on the notice · 2 awarded- BELL & BAIN LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- ESP COLOUR LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- HENRY LING LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- HOBBS THE PRINTERS LIMITEDFramework contractor
- PUREPRINT GROUP LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- STERLING PRESS LIMITEDFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications The procurement documents can be accessed via the link to the Open University's e-tendering portal.
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award 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