Books, e-books and associated services
Estimated value
—
Awarded value
—
Suppliers
42
Lots
9
Published
06 Aug 2025
Description
Framework agreement for the supply of books, e-books and associated resources and services. This tender is split into 9 Lots. Participating consortia cover universities and other Public Sector members including (but not limited to) schools, colleges, Multi-Academy Trusts, government departments and research institutes across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The named consortia are SUPC, NEUPC, NWUPC, LUPC, HEPCW, Academic Libraries North, NEYAL, MUAL, and WHELF.
Scope
- Reference
- LIB4061 SU
- Commercial tool
- Standalone contract
- Contract dates
The initial term is to be 24 months with extension(s) possible for up to a further 24 months (maximum 48 months total).
- Main category
- goods
- CPV classifications
- 221000002211000022112000221140002211100022113000
- Contract locations
- UK
Award criteria
Criteria the buyer will use to evaluate bids.
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Framework Management | 20 | quality | — |
| Customer Service Support | 20 | quality | — |
| Value For Money | 10 | quality | — |
| Innovation & Technical Merit | 20 | quality | — |
| Responsible Procurement | 10 | quality | — |
| — | 20 | price | — |
| Customer Service Support | 25 | quality | — |
| Innovation & Technical Merit | 15 | quality | — |
| Innovation & Technical Merit | 10 | quality | — |
| — | 30 | price | — |
Submission & procedure
- Procedure
- Open procedure
Award details· 9 awards
Awarded supplier(s), contract period and value as published in the award notice.
Awarded value
—
Award date
—
Contract start
—
Contract end
—
Lots · 9 total
Divisions of the contract. Each lot can be awarded separately.
| Lot | Title | Est. value | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Print publications: standard suppliers for library stock | £70.0m | cancelled |
| 2 | Print publications: specialist suppliers for library stock | £10.0m | cancelled |
| 3 | Print publications: supply to schools, Multi-Academy Trusts, academic departments (generally non-library) | £40.0m | cancelled |
| 4 | E-book aggregator: title-by-title perpetual access purchase | £120.0m | cancelled |
| 5 | E-book aggregator: title-by-title perpetual access purchase for third-party platform | £40.0m | cancelled |
Award 1· 2 suppliers
Awarded —
Award 2· 5 suppliers
Awarded —
Award 3· 6 suppliers
Awarded —
Award 4· 5 suppliers
Awarded —
Award 5· 2 suppliers
Awarded —
Award 6· 5 suppliers
Awarded —
Award 7· 5 suppliers
Awarded —
Award 8· 7 suppliers
Awarded —
Award 9· 5 suppliers
Awarded —
Total lots
9
Awarded
9
Estimated total
£450.0m
Awarded total
—
Print publications: standard suppliers for library stock
Start
—
End
—
Estimated
£70.0m
CPV
Print publications: specialist suppliers for library stock
Start
—
End
—
Estimated
£10.0m
CPV
Print publications: supply to schools, Multi-Academy Trusts, academic departments (generally non-library)
Start
—
End
—
Estimated
£40.0m
CPV
E-book aggregator: title-by-title perpetual access purchase
Start
—
End
—
Estimated
£120.0m
CPV
E-book aggregator: title-by-title perpetual access purchase for third-party platform
Start
—
End
—
Estimated
£40.0m
CPV
E-book aggregator: subscription packages
Start
—
End
—
Estimated
£20.0m
CPV
E-book aggregator: e-textbooks
Start
—
End
—
Estimated
£120.0m
CPV
E-books: specialist and innovative solutions
Start
—
End
—
Estimated
£20.0m
CPV
Sales to individual staff/students and bursary provision
Start
—
End
—
Estimated
£10.0m
CPV
Other contracts from Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium
Full notice and award history for this contracting authority is on the buyer profile.
Other contracts awarded to A T Little & Sons Ltd T/A Browns Books· 10
Cross-buyer view of this supplier's public-sector wins.
| Title | Type | Value | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| 991_26 Supply of Early Years and Curriculum Product Ranges | contract | — | 24 Apr 2026 |
| 376F_26 Library Stock | contract | — | 13 Apr 2026 |
| 991_26 Supply of Early Years and Curriculum Product Ranges | contract | — | 13 Mar 2026 |
| 376F_26 Library Stock | contract | — | 11 Mar 2026 |
| Supply of Printed Books | contract | £111k | 12 Sept 2025 |
| Supply of E-Books | contract | £661k | 11 Sept 2025 |
| Call off order from SUPC awarded framework agreement for Books, e-books, e-textbooks, and associated services (LIB4061 SU) | contract | £55k | 01 Aug 2025 |
| NICE Knowledge Resources Framework | contract | — | 13 Jun 2025 |
| ecm_12846 Books, e-books, e-textbooks, and associated services | contract | £38k | 25 Apr 2025 |
| 376E_24 Digital Library Content and Print Books | call off | £4.0m | 21 Nov 2024 |