Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 12 Aug 2025, 15:40 BST

Official UK procurement notice

The supply of Event and Venue Signage Services at Manchester Central Convention Complex Limited - 074-2025

Official notice

Authority: MANCHESTER CENTRAL CONVENTION COMPLEX LIMITED (Public body)

ServicesBelow threshold - open competitionBelow thresholdReserved: E11000001SME suitableVCSE suitable
Published estimate£40,000≈ £20k / year · £40,000 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 2 Sept 2025awarded 26 Sept 2025
Awarded to Astra Signs Limited
Contract term 2 yrsends 30 Sept 2027 · up to 30 Sept 2028 with extensions · starts 1 Oct 2025

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Manchester Central is currently looking for a company to provide print services across various sites including Manchester Central Convention Complex, Junction and Town Hall Central Library for event signage and high-impact venue branding opportunities to raise event and sponsor profiles. Signage and branding opportunities are required across various event types including conferences, exhibitions and banquets.

The successful supplier will be expected to provide and install a wide range of effective print services for Manchester Central and its clients. Manchester Central gives clients the opportunity to brand key areas of the complex - including but not limited to, feature sites

like our iconic station clock;, foyers, reception desks, pillars, banners windows and even snapframes in washroom cubicles. Given the dynamic nature of the events industry the successful supplier must be able to complete necessary work with flexibility and out of

standard business hours (9-5).

The full site plans, attached in Appendix C & D, highlights the variety of current branding opportunities at Manchester Central & Junction, the scope of opportunities however is not limited to this plan.

Further to the full site overview examples of Manchester Centrals & Junctions most utilised branding opportunities are attached (providing more details) within the attached Appendix C: MCCC Branding opportunities Brochure & Appendix D: Junction Branding Opportunities Brochure.

Alongside the requirement to provide effective printing services the successful supplier will be expected to attend onsite client meetings to discuss in detail any branding or signage queries together with Manchester Central representatives. The client

requirements can sometimes be at short notice so next day availability would be required at times.

The Contract will be for a period of two (2) years with a Manchester Central Only option to extend for a further twelve (12) months, with a commencement date of 01st October 2025

Appendix B Service Level Agreement will be adhered to in this contract.

The current annual estimated contract value directly with Manchester Central is circa £33K to £40k and is indicative of potential direct works required. However, it should be noted that the scope of requirements varies so work at these levels is not guaranteed. Importantly it should be noted that the value in this contract effectively lies in the preferred supplier status as set out below.

CPV: Advertising services · Miscellaneous printed matter

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 2 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£40,000
Contract period: 1 Oct 2025 – 30 Sept 2027 (2 yrs) · up to 30 Sept 2028 with extensionsValue: £40,000 exc. VAT · £40,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: North WestEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contract will be for a period of two (2) years with a Manchester Central Only option to extend for a further twelve (12) months, with a initial commencement date of 01st October 2025

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: 50%Price: 30%Social value: 20%
Published sub-criteria (3)
  • Quality: 50%
  • Price: 30%
  • Sustainability & Social Value: 20%
Published award criteria (3)
  • Quality: Weighted scores will be calculated by multiplying the score for each quality criteria by its weighting. The weighted scores will be totalled for each tender. The totals will be normalised so that the normalised highest total will attract the highest quality score i.e. (50%). There is an un-weighted quality threshold of (35%). This means that if a tenderer's quality score does not reach the un-weighted quality threshold the weighting will not be applied to the quality criteria and the tender will no longer be considered.
  • Sustainability & Social Value: Weighted scores will be calculated by multiplying the score for each Sustainability criteria by its weighting. The weighted scores will be totalled for each tender. The totals will be normalised so that the normalised highest total will attract the highest quality score i.e. (20%).
  • Price: With regards to the price evaluation, the lowest price tenderer will be awarded the maximum price score (30%) and tenderers will thereafter be ranked and scored in accordance with how much more expensive their prices are compared to the lowest price.
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not 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
Below threshold - open competition
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Below threshold
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
12 Aug 2025, 15:40 BST
Last source update
4 Nov 2025, 12:59 GMT
Authority reference
Venue Signage and Branding - 074-2025
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-048126
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Advertising servicesMiscellaneous printed matter
Delivery area
North West (UKD3)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-058664 Find a Tender
Contract terms
Reserved participation area
E11000001

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
2 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
Clarification deadline
26 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
Electronic submission
Not allowed
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Email submissions to be submitted to [email protected]. Please ensure all supporting information, if applicable, is sent in one email to the emails address provided.

Timeline

12 Aug 2025 → 4 Nov 2025 · 5 dates
  1. Tender notice published
    12 Aug 2025, 15:40 BST
  2. Clarification questions by
    26 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
  3. Submission deadline
    2 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
  4. Contract starts387 days ago
    1 Oct 2025, 00:00 BST
  5. Latest notice published352 days ago
    4 Nov 2025, 12:59 GMT

Notice history

5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 12 Aug 2025
  1. Tender notice published
    12 Aug 2025, 15:40 BST
    UK4
  2. Contract award notice published
    10 Oct 2025, 12:20 BST
    UK6
  3. Status changed to complete
    10 Oct 2025, 12:20 BST
  4. Contract signature expected
    17 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
    scheduled
  5. Contract details notice published
    4 Nov 2025, 12:59 GMT
    UK7

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value (inc. VAT) £120,0001 award inc. VAT; no net value published
Bids received 44 from SMEs
Contracts signed 1latest 3 Nov 2025
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Astra Signs LimitedSME1 Nov 2025 – 31 Oct 2027 · up to 31 Oct 2028Extensions: The Contract will be for a period of two (2) years with a Manchester Central Only option to extend for a further twelve (12) months, with a initial commencement date of 01st November 2025£120,000 inc. VAT26 Sept 2025Awarded

Contracts

  • Astra Signs Ltd - Venue Signage & Branding - T&Cs - 2025 · Astra Signs LimitedSME

    Signed
    3 Nov 2025
    Value
    £120,000 inc. VAT
    Period
    3 Nov 2025 – 31 Oct 2027 · up to 31 Oct 2028 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    The Contract will be for a period of two (2) years with a Manchester Central Only option to extend for a further twelve (12) months, with a initial commencement date of 01st November 2025

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
4final-stage tenders40—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

MANCHESTER CENTRAL CONVENTION COMPLEX LIMITED

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-COH: 00953285 · GB-PPON: PGBC-7173-HLXX Manchester Central Convention Complex Limited Windmill Street, Manchester, North West, M2 3GXContact name, email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Official documents & specifications (12)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender