Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
APUC Limited
Unit 27, Stirling Business Centre, Wellgreen
Stirling
FK8 2DZ
UK
Contact person: Lorona Watts
Telephone: +44 1314428950
E-mail: lwatts@apuc-scot.ac.uk
NUTS: UKM77
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.apuc-scot.ac.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10402
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Education
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
SHEDL eBook Collections - Springer Nature
Reference number: LIB1026 AP
II.1.2) Main CPV code
80000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
APUC is seeking to enter into an agreement with Springer Nature to offer Scottish Higher Education Digital Library (SHEDL) members institutions access to Springer Nature online books, free of digital rights management (DRM), for up to 4 years.
APUC will not use the content but will facilitate the purchase on behalf of the HE institutions in Scotland and the National Library of Scotland. The Contract value is estimated based on potential participation by its members
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
2 500 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
80000000
22113000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
Main site or place of performance:
Scotland
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
APUC is seeking to enter into an agreement with Springer Nature to offer Scottish Higher Education Digital Library (SHEDL) members institutions access to Springer Nature online books, free of digital rights management (DRM), for up to 4 years.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Service Delivery & Framework Management
/ Weighting: 30
Price
/ Weighting:
70
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
The contract value is an estimate based on the potential aggregated subscription values over the possible term of 48 months.
APUC will not use or make payments under this contract but will facilitate the agreement on behalf of the Scottish HE Institutions and the National Library of Scotland.
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason: procurement aiming at the creation or acquisition of a unique work of art or artistic performance
Explanation
The publishing service is unique to the supplier and sector. The agreement falls within the derogation contained within Regulation 33(b)(i)of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, permitting APUC to enter into the direct award.
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2025/S 000-004610
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: LIB1026 AP
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
11/02/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Springer Nature Customer Service Center GmbH
Europaplatz 3, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg
69115
DE
Telephone: +44 07352741062
NUTS: DE
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 2 500 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
The following documents should be submitted prior to award. This is for information only and will not be scored:-
Appendix B - Freedom of Information
Appendix D -Sustain Supply Chain Code of Conduct
Appendix I(a) - GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Contractor Assessment Form
Appendix I(b) - GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Assessment Form (AI)
Appendix J - SCM RP Section 1
Contract of Performance Condition
SUBMISSION OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION
Prior to the commencement of the Contract, the Contractor will provide the Authority with contact details of the
Management Information contact who will be provided with a template spreadsheet/reporting schedule along with a username and password for the management information website http://www.ucsp.ac.uk/
The Contractors must provide the information on a quarterly basis, within 10 working days following the start of each quarter by logging into the website and uploading the template document. If there has been no spend for the quarter, then this will still require you to log in and record a nil spend return.
(SC Ref:801915)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Stirling Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court Sheriff Court
Sheriff Court House, Viewfield Place Stirling Country
Stirling
FK8 1NH
UK
Telephone: +44 1786462191
E-mail: stirling@scotcourts.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/stirling-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
23/07/2025