Official UK procurement notice
Supply and Delivery of Education Materials
Authority: Scotland Excel
What is being bought9 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThis framework is for the supply and delivery of Education Materials.
This framework will provide councils and other participating bodies with a mechanism to procure a range of products including but not limited to, arts and crafts, board, card and paper, exercise books, musical instruments, science equipment and sports equipment. Users of the framework are likely to include schools and nurseries, including those for children with additional support needs.
CPV: Accessories of musical instruments · Art and craft paper · Art supplies · Corrugated paper or paperboard · Educational equipment · Educational games · Electrically amplified musical instruments · Exercise books · Exercise papers · Felt-tipped pens · Fibre pens · Field and court sports equipment · +29 more
How this framework works
From the published notice- Places
- up to 30 suppliers · 16 bids on the busiest of 8 lots (0.5 per place) · 20 appointed
Lots and requirements (9)Procurement structure
9 lots · 8 with a published value · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1General Education MaterialsCancelledPublished value£24,000,000
This lot will provide councils, associate members and other bodies participating with a mechanism to procure general education materials including but not limited to, arts and crafts, board, card and paper, exercise books, musical instruments, science equipment and sports equipment. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Please see the Invitation to Tender contained on PCS-Tender project relevant to this procurement and the other Tender Documents for further information.
Lot #2Arts and Crafts MaterialsCancelledPublished value£19,680,000
This lot will provide councils, associate members and other bodies participating with a mechanism to procure arts and crafts materials. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Please see the Invitation to Tender contained on PCS-Tender project relevant to this procurement and the other Tender Documents for further information.
Lot #3Board, Card, Paper and Exercise BooksCancelledPublished value£16,320,000
This lot will provide councils, associate members and other bodies participating with a mechanism to procure board, card, paper and exercise books. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Please see the Invitation to Tender contained on PCS-Tender project relevant to this procurement and the other Tender Documents for further information.
Lot #4Early Learning MaterialsCancelledPublished value£15,360,000
This lot will provide councils, associate members and other bodies participating with a mechanism to procure early learning materials. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Please see the Invitation to Tender contained on PCS-Tender project relevant to this procurement and the other Tender Documents for further information.
Lot #5Additional Support Needs (ASN) ProductsCancelledPublished value£2,880,000
This lot will provide councils, associate members and other bodies participating with a mechanism to procure additional support needs (ASN) products. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Please see the Invitation to Tender contained on PCS-Tender project relevant to this procurement and the other Tender Documents for further information.
Lot #6Musical InstrumentsCancelledPublished value£4,230,000
This lot will provide councils, associate members and other bodies participating with a mechanism to procure musical instruments. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Please see the Invitation to Tender contained on PCS-Tender project relevant to this procurement and the other Tender Documents for further information.
Lot #7Scientific EquipmentCancelledPublished value£4,800,000
This lot will provide councils, associate members and other bodies participating with a mechanism to procure scientific equipment. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Please see the Invitation to Tender contained on PCS-Tender project relevant to this procurement and the other Tender Documents for further information.
Lot #8Sports EquipmentCancelledPublished value£8,640,000
This lot will provide councils, associate members and other bodies participating with a mechanism to procure sports equipment. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Please see the Invitation to Tender contained on PCS-Tender project relevant to this procurement and the other Tender Documents for further information.
Lot #9Sports EquipmentPlannedLot estimate not published
This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is in relation to the renewal framework for Education Materials.
The services under this lot will include, but not be limited to, supply and delivery of Sports Equipment. Additional information: Please note that the lotting structure for this framework may be subject to change. Full details of the final lotting structure will be made available in the tender documents.
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 (2)
- Technical: 30%
- price: 70%
Published award criteria (2)
- Technical: 30
- Price: 70
- Economic & financial standing
1.SPD (Scotland) Questions 4B.5.1b and 4B.5.2: Insurance Requirements
2.SPD (Scotland) Question 4B.6: Other Economic & Financial Requirements
In accordance with Regulation 59 (12), as this proposed framework agreement is divided into lots, the technical and professional ability selection criteria apply to all lots except where stated otherwise.
Minimum: Tenderers must confirm that they already have, or can commit to obtain prior to the commencement of the Framework Contract, the following types and minimum levels of insurance cover on terms compatible with the requirements of the Framework Contract:- -Employer’s (Compulsory) Lia… - Technical & professional ability
In accordance with Regulation 59(12), as this proposed Framework Agreement is divided into Lots, these Technical and Professional
ability selection criteria apply.
-SPD (Scotland) Question 4C.10 – Subcontracting
-SPD (Scotland) Question 4C.12 - Certificates
-SPD (Scotland) Question 4D.1 - Quality Assurance Schemes and Health and Safety Procedures
-SPD (Scotland) Question 4D.2 - Environmental Management Standards
Minimum: Further to the identified selection criteria outlined above, full guidance and the minimum levels of standards required are outlined in the "0724 Education Materials_III.1.3 Technical and Professional Ability" document, which can be found in the "Contract Notice" folder in the Bu…
- Price carries 70 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 7 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
- “Supply and Delivery of Education Materials” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 30 suppliers, not a single contract.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- 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
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 9 Sept 2024, 15:38 BST
- Last source update
- 1 Sept 2025, 13:47 BST
- Award evaluation window
- 11 Apr 2025 – …
- Authority reference
0724- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-052813- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04994dFind a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
- Performance terms
Scotland Excel will require the members of any tendering group of entities (including, but not limited to, consortium members, members of a group of economic operators and / or sub-contractors) to be jointly and severally liable for the performance of the contract (no matter the legal form taken by those entities in order to enter into the contract.
For full details of the conditions relevant to the proposed Framework, and contracts to be called-off there under (to the extent known or settled at this stage), please see the Procurement Documents (details of how to access these being set out in section " “I.3 (Communication” of this Contract Notice).
- Review procedure
An economic operator that suffers, or risks suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (SSI2015/446)(as amended) may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.
Publisher note: This Tender process is subject to the Law and Guidance applicable in Scotland relative to the award of public contracts including (without limitation) as set out in the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, most recently amended to reflect the European Union exit by the UK. Any prior version of the relevant Law and Guidance, or terminology related thereto, which appears in these Procurement Documents should therefore be interpreted and applied as currently in force. Scotland Excel is a central purchasing body procuring this framework on behalf of the following contracting authorities (and successor bodies): - 32 local authorities in Scotland - Scotland Excel associate members: http://www.scotland-excel.org.uk/home/aboutus/ourmembers/Ourmembers.aspx - Tayside Contracts - Scottish Government - Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC Ltd) and their member organisations across the higher and further education sector in Scotland and their associated and affiliated bodies. - Any integration authority, or other body, established pursuant to the Public Bodies (Joint Working)(Scotland) Act 2014. The above is subject to each contracting authority entering into and maintaining a membership agreement or other access agreement with Scotland Excel. Tenderers are advised that the envisaged maximum number of participants that might be appointed to this framework agreement set out in section IV.1.3 of this contract notice is purely indicative. Scotland Excel reserves the right to appoint more or less bidders than the envisaged maximum number to the proposed Framework Agreement. Tenderers are advised that whether electronic ordering, invoicing and payment will be used or accepted is at the discretion of each Member Authority or Associate Member which will be settled by them during call off of a contract under this proposed Framework Agreement. IMPORTANT NOTE FOR TENDERERS: For some lots, particular requirements apply, including but not limited to, the requirement to evidence conformance with the Tender Specification in all lots. Bids MAY be excluded from evaluation (in whole, or in part) if they do not include the information required in accordance with instructions given. Bids may be subject to a specific EVALUATION APPROACH in particular circumstances detailed in the instructions. Further detailed information and instructions are contained within the tender documents located within the Information and Instructions to Tenderers inc Evaluation Methodology document. Retrospective rebates apply to this framework. For further details, please see the Special Conditions of Contract (SC Ref:807282)
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 11 Apr 2025, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bid validity
- 180 days from the deadline
- Bids opened
- 11 Apr 2025, 12:00 BST
Timeline
10 Jan 2025 → 1 Sept 2025 · 4 dates- Next notice expected10 Jan 2025
- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown11 Apr 2025, 12:00 BST
- Bids opened11 Apr 2025, 12:00 BST
- Notice published1 Sept 2025, 13:47 BST
Notice history
5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 14 Mar 2025- Published value updated to £96,000,00014 Mar 2025, 14:48 GMTwas £70,000,000
- Status changed to active14 Mar 2025, 14:48 GMT
- Procurement method changed14 Mar 2025, 14:48 GMT
- Deadline published: 11 Apr 2025, 12:00 BST14 Mar 2025, 14:48 GMT
- Status changed to complete1 Sept 2025, 13:47 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast8 suppliers are admitted to this framework without individual award values or dates, see the supplier list below.
Contracts
General Education Materials
- Signed
- 25 Jul 2025
- Value
- £24,000,000
- Status
- active
Arts and Crafts Materials
- Signed
- 25 Jul 2025
- Value
- £19,680,000
- Status
- active
Board, Card, Paper and Exercise Books
- Signed
- 25 Jul 2025
- Value
- £16,320,000
- Status
- active
Early Learning Materials
- Signed
- 25 Jul 2025
- Value
- £15,360,000
- Status
- active
Additional Support Needs (ASN) Products
- Signed
- 25 Jul 2025
- Value
- £2,880,000
- Status
- active
Musical Instruments
- Signed
- 25 Jul 2025
- Value
- £4,230,000
- Status
- active
Scientific Equipment
- Signed
- 25 Jul 2025
- Value
- £4,800,000
- Status
- active
Sports Equipment
- Signed
- 25 Jul 2025
- Value
- £8,640,000
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · General Education Materials | 12bids · 12 electronic · 12 from abroad | 8 | — | — |
| 2 · Arts and Crafts Materials | 16bids · 16 electronic · 16 from abroad | 12 | — | — |
| 3 · Board, Card, Paper and Exercise Books | 14bids · 14 electronic · 14 from abroad | 10 | — | — |
| 4 · Early Learning Materials | 11bids · 11 electronic · 11 from abroad | 7 | — | — |
| 5 · Additional Support Needs (ASN) Products | 10bids · 10 electronic · 10 from abroad | 6 | — | — |
| 6 · Musical Instruments | 11bids · 11 electronic · 11 from abroad | 9 | — | — |
| 7 · Scientific Equipment | 8bids · 8 electronic · 8 from abroad | 4 | — | — |
| 8 · Sports Equipment | 13bids · 13 electronic · 9 from abroad | 9 | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Court of SessionReview body
Framework contractors & participating bidders
20 commercial parties on the notice- ABACUS CREATIVE RESOURCES LTDFramework contractor
- BAND SUPPLIES LTDFramework contractor
- BISHOP SPORTS & LEISURE LTD.Framework contractor
- CPP Trading Group LtdFramework contractor
- CSG Global Education Ltd (KCS Education)Framework contractor
- Creative Activity Group LtdFramework contractor
- ESPO (Leicestershire County Council Trading as ESPO)Framework contractor
- Findel Education LtdFramework contractor
- Grosvenor House Papers LimitedFramework contractor
- Haydock Music LtdFramework contractor
Show 10 more suppliers
- LEARNING SPACE BELFAST LTDFramework contractor
- Lyreco UK LimitedFramework contractor
- Newitt & Co LtdFramework contractor
- Normans (Burton upon Trent) LimitedFramework contractor
- RM Educational Resources Ltd (T/A TTS)Framework contractor
- Scientific Laboratory Supplies LimitedFramework contractor
- Sensory Direct UK LtdFramework contractor
- The Wind Section LtdFramework contractor
- WF Education Group LimitedFramework contractor
- YPOFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.