Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA
Norwich Research Park,Earlham Road
NORWICH
NR47TJ
Contact
Rob Bloomer
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH15 - Norwich and East Norfolk
Companies House
RC000651
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Library Archives Services: Collection reconfiguration, storage and retrieval
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 92510000 - Library and archive services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
UEA Library intends to enter into a contract with Archive Vault in respect of the services described below. The proposed contract has a term of 5 years.
"Library and archives services: collection reconfiguration, storage and retrieval " is an expansion of an existing service used by UEA Library for its ongoing Library collections reconfiguration project. The service is essential as it provides bespoke services that enable the Library to "right size" its physical collections and maximize the space available for study over a planned project timescale.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £312,500
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH15 - Norwich and East Norfolk
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
"Library and archive services" covers bespoke academic library collections cataloguing, classification, moving, storage, retrieval, scanning, archiving and disposal service and is the existing service used by UEA Library for its ongoing Library collections project. The contract involves the scaling up of the existing custom logistics solution based on existing bespoke workflows and bespoke software. The solution has been engineered to minimize disruption to library users whilst maximising the return on investment from having set up a bespoke solution in which all the above services are interrelated.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed Below:
32(2)(b) "where the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator for any of the following reasons":-
(ii) competition is absent for technical reasons
Explanation:
This award is lawful in accordance with the regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) because the competition is absent for technical reasons. UEA Library has used the bespoke services of Archive Vault since July 2018, and the system is an essential component of the Library's collection management infrastructure such that any splitting up of the services would have a detrimental effect on the day to day running of the Library's current and future services. Academic Libraries like UEA are increasingly using off site storage options for their collections. What makes this project more complex than simply off site storage is that UEA Library is also combining this off site storage move with a bespoke collections "right-sizing" project requiring selective de-accessioning, withdrawal and disposal of stock. This requires consultancy, specialist knowledge of the UEA collections, appropriately trained staff, the ability to keep track of stored and withdrawn materials, the ability to return or scan material in high demand, and adherence to ISO standards for quality and security.
At the present time it would be impossible for UEA Library to procure an alternative economic operator to provide this service as all the current and future stock needs to be managed using the same retrieval software under its bespoke configuration, otherwise the existing stored collections would have to be de-accessioned at great cost and re-catalogued to fit with another service providers cataloging schedules which are unlikely to be suitable for library specific stock. A change of service provider would dramatically increase the risks of stock loss and disruption of existing retrieval services would be high and the Library services could not cease for the duration of such a transfer of services. This would also mean we were unable to keep to our project timescales.
The cataloguing of the UEA material is bespoke and has been devised through consultancy between UEA and Archive Vault. The current solution has also been devised to maximise the sustainability of the solution, ensuing a local company to keep transport costs as low as possible, and bespoke scanning services where possible to avoid unnecessary journeys. It is key that stability of provision is ensured over the next few years to allow proper consideration of the above mentioned aspects.
No other economic provider would be able to provide this bespoke service at this time and in the timeframes required.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract/concession
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
1 August 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Archive Vault Limited
Cooper House, Wendover Road, Rackheath
Norwich
NR13 6LH
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKH15 - Norwich and East Norfolk
Companies House
05939594
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £312,500
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
University of East Anglia
Earlham Road
Norwich
NR47TJ
Country
United Kingdom