Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
Telephone
+44 1206872954
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.1) Name and addresses
Dukefield Procurement Limited
Parkside House 167, Chorley
Bolton
BL1 4RA
steve.davies@dukefieldprocurement.co.uk
Telephone
+44 7966040564
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKD3 - Greater Manchester
Internet address(es)
Main address
http://www.dukefield.co.uk/about-us/
Buyer's address
http://www.dukefield.co.uk/about-us/
one.1) Name and addresses
Public Sector
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
Telephone
+44 1206872954
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
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
Print and Associated Services Framework to include Hybrid Mail and Digital Transformation Solutions
Reference number
CA15282 - UOE/DU/PRINT/01
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79800000 - Printing and related services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Framework will provide access to a comprehensive range of Print and Associated Services including Hybrid Mail and Digital Transformation Solutions. It is let by the University of Essex and is open for use by all contracting authorities across the public sector throughout the UK (and any future successors to these organisations). These include (but not limited to) central government departments and agencies, Non Departmental Public Bodies, NHS bodies, Local Authorities, Police Authorities, Emergency Services, Educational Establishments, Hospices, Registered Charities, National Parks, Registered Social Landlords and any other body permitted by the Contracting Authority. Full details of the classification of eligible end user establishments and geographical areas is available at https://www.dukefieldprocurement.co.uk/fts-eligible-users
The Framework will be let across a single Lot. There will be a maximum of fifteen (15) suppliers awarded a place on the framework.
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: £100,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79995100 - Archiving services
- 30131000 - Mailroom equipment
- 22000000 - Printed matter and related products
- 72512000 - Document management services
- 72212310 - Document creation software development services
- 79820000 - Services related to printing
- 64100000 - Post and courier services
- 79810000 - Printing services
- 79571000 - Mailing services
- 79821000 - Print finishing services
- 22458000 - Bespoke printed matter
- 79570000 - Mailing-list compilation and mailing services
- 48782000 - Storage management software package
- 64110000 - Postal services
- 79811000 - Digital printing services
- 22150000 - Brochures
- 22140000 - Leaflets
- 72412000 - Electronic mail service provider
- 64216120 - Electronic mail services
- 63121000 - Storage and retrieval services
- 30197630 - Printing paper
- 22800000 - Paper or paperboard registers, account books, binders, forms and other articles of printed stationery
- 22822000 - Business forms
- 79415200 - Design consultancy services
- 79824000 - Printing and distribution services
- 79999100 - Scanning services
- 63120000 - Storage and warehousing services
- 64227000 - Integrated telecommunications services
- 22100000 - Printed books, brochures and leaflets
- 64000000 - Postal and telecommunications services
- 48300000 - Document creation, drawing, imaging, scheduling and productivity software package
- 79823000 - Printing and delivery services
- 79822500 - Graphic design services
- 22900000 - Miscellaneous printed matter
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
united kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The framework will provide access to a comprehensive suite of Print and Associated Services to include, but not be limited to:
• Print Supplies and Services
• Design Services
• Hybrid Mail Services and Solutions
• Digital Transformation Solutions - including Cloud Services, Document Management Services, Document Storage and Distribution Services, Omni Channel Communications, Mailing and Mail Management Solutions and Scanning and Archiving Services.
• Consultancy Services - there will also be access to a range of consultancy service to support the operation and use of the framework across all framework supply and service areas.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60.00%
Price - Weighting: 40.00%
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2025/S 000-005981
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
CA15282
Title
Print and Associated Services Framework to include Hybrid Mail and Digital Transformation Solutions
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
23 May 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 7
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: Yes
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
PSL Print Management Ltd
Unit A59, RedScar Business Park
Preston
PR2 5ND
Telephone
+44 1772704515
Fax
+44 1772703848
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
FCS Laser Mail
20 Wood Lane, Erdington
BIRMINGHAM
B24 9QL
Telephone
+44 1213064300
Fax
+44 1213064310
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Harlow Solutions
7-21 Maxwell Street,
South Shields
NE33 4PU
Telephone
+44 1914554286
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
https://harlowsolutions.co.uk/
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
MBA Group Ltd
MBA House, Garman Road
London
N17 0HW
Telephone
+44 2083764300
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Sterling Press Ltd
Sterling House, Kettering Venture Park
Kettering
NN15 6XU
tenders@sterlingsolutions.co.uk
Telephone
+44 1536527300
Fax
+44 8700842100
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
http://www.sterlingsolutions.co.uk
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
CDS PRINT SERVICES LTD
Riverside House 7 Canal Wharf,
LEEDS
LS11 5AS
Telephone
+44 1133994000
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
CDP Print Management
Form House, 74-82 Rose Lane
Liverpool
L18 8EE
Telephone
+44 1517247000
Fax
+44 1517246478
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £100,000,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The University of Essex's Internal Reference Number is UOE/DU/PRINT/01. The framework is being delivered by the University of Essex and its partners Dukefield Procurement Ltd (who are a subsidiary of Dukefield Ltd). Dukefield Procurement Ltd are acting as agents of the University of Essex in the development and ongoing contract management of this framework. The contracting authority will be using an eTendering system to conduct the procurement exercise. To access the procurement documentation suppliers must register their company details on the Sourcing Cloud system at: https://suppliers.multiquote.com
The tender is available from the opportunities menu on the login page of the site. The Contracting Authority shall not be under any obligation to accept the lowest tender or indeed any tender. The University of Essex expressly reserves the rights:
(a) to terminate the procurement process and not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process at any time;
(b) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the procurement as detailed within the tender documentation;
(c) to award a contract covering only part of it's requirements if explicitly detailed within the tender documentation;
(d) to disqualify any organisation from the process that canvasses any employee of the Contracting Authority during the procurement process or standstill period if applicable;
(e) seek clarifications to tender responses on the basis that any clarification sought will not confer any undue competitive advantage in the favour of any supplier from whom such clarifications are being sought;
(f) where the contracting authority can evidence that there is a conflict of interest, either personal or in consideration of any organisation bidding for the contract, the contracting authority shall have the explicit right to immediately exclude that person or organisation from the tender process entirely;
(g) where the contracting authority has engaged in any pre-market soft testing prior to the commencement of the procurement process, the contracting authority reserves the right to name any organisation that has been involved in these discussions and release any and all specifications/ discussion documents to the market where appropriate to the subject matter of this procurement;
(h) the contracting authority will not be liable for any costs incurred by tenderers;
(i) the value of the framework provided in section II.1.5 is only an estimate and the contracting authority will not guarantee any business through this framework agreement;
and
(j) the contracting authority wishes to establish a framework agreement open for use by all Public Sector Bodies as stated in II.1.4. Tenderers should note, in reference to section IV.1.3, envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework:
Where, following the evaluation of bids, more than one tenderer is tied with the same final evaluation score and are ranked in the last supplier award position, each of these tenderers shall be deemed to occupy the last framework agreement contract award position for the purpose of calculating the maximum number of suppliers under the framework. The
contracting authority will award a framework agreement to additional tenderers on the framework beyond the stated maximum number, where their final evaluation score(s) is within 0.5% of the last placed position on the framework. For the avoidance of doubt, the 15th placed position in respect of this framework. Therefore, tenderers within 0.5%, along with the tenderer in last placed position, shall be deemed to occupy the last framework agreement contract award position for the framework.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The University of Essex will incorporate a minimum 10-day standstill period at the point information on the award of contract is communicated to tenderers. Bidders who are unsuccessful shall be informed by the Contracting Authority as soon as possible after the decision is made as to the reasons why the bidder was unsuccessful. If an appeal regarding the award of the contract has not been successfully resolved, the Public Procurement Regulations provide for the aggrieved parties who have been harmed or who are at risk of harm by the breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and
Northern Ireland). Any action must be generally brought within 3 months. If a declaration of
ineffectiveness is sought, any such action must be brought within 30 days where the Contracting Authority has communicated the award of the contract and a summary of reasons to tenderers, or otherwise within 6 months of the contract being entered into.
Where a contract has not been entered into, the Court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the Contracting Authority to amend any document and may award damages. If the Contract has been entered into the Court may, depending on the circumstances, award damages, make a declaration of ineffectiveness, order the
Contracting Authority to pay a fine, and/or order that the duration of the contract the shortened. The purpose of the standstill period referred to above is to allow the parties to apply to the Courts to set aside the award decision before the contract is entered into.
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
Country
United Kingdom