Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
UK
Telephone: +44 1206872954
E-mail: philip.sweeting@essex.ac.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.essex.ac.uk/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.essex.ac.uk/
I.1) Name and addresses
Dukefield Procurement Limited
Parkside House 167, Chorley
Bolton
BL1 4RA
UK
Telephone: +44 7966040564
E-mail: steve.davies@dukefieldprocurement.co.uk
NUTS: UKD3
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.dukefield.co.uk/about-us/
Address of the buyer profile: http://www.dukefield.co.uk/about-us/
I.1) Name and addresses
Public Sector
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
UK
Telephone: +44 1206872954
E-mail: philip.sweeting@essex.ac.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.essex.ac.uk/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.essex.ac.uk/
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
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
Print and Associated Services Framework to include Hybrid Mail and Digital Transformation Solutions
Reference number: CA15282 - UOE/DU/PRINT/01
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79800000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.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.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
100 000 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79410000
79995100
30131000
22000000
72512000
72212310
79820000
64100000
79810000
79571000
79821000
22458000
79570000
48782000
64110000
79811000
22150000
22140000
72412000
64216120
63121000
30197630
22800000
22822000
79415200
79824000
79999100
63120000
64227000
22100000
64000000
48300000
79823000
79822500
22900000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
united kingdom
II.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.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 60.00%
Price
/ Weighting:
40.00%
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
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
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 000-005981
Section V: 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
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
23/05/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 7
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
Yes
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
PSL Print Management Ltd
Unit A59, RedScar Business Park
Preston
PR2 5ND
UK
Telephone: +44 1772704515
E-mail: tenders@pslprint.co.uk
Fax: +44 1772703848
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: www.pslprint.com
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
FCS Laser Mail
20 Wood Lane, Erdington
BIRMINGHAM
B24 9QL
UK
Telephone: +44 1213064300
E-mail: sales@fcslasermail.co.uk
Fax: +44 1213064310
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: www.fcslasermail.co.uk
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Harlow Solutions
7-21 Maxwell Street,
South Shields
NE33 4PU
UK
Telephone: +44 1914554286
E-mail: sales@harlowprinting.co.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://harlowsolutions.co.uk/
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
MBA Group Ltd
MBA House, Garman Road
London
N17 0HW
UK
Telephone: +44 2083764300
E-mail: tfoo@mba-group.com
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: www.mba-group.com
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Sterling Press Ltd
Sterling House, Kettering Venture Park
Kettering
NN15 6XU
UK
Telephone: +44 1536527300
E-mail: tenders@sterlingsolutions.co.uk
Fax: +44 8700842100
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: http://www.sterlingsolutions.co.uk
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
CDS PRINT SERVICES LTD
Riverside House 7 Canal Wharf,
LEEDS
LS11 5AS
UK
Telephone: +44 1133994000
E-mail: bids@cds-print.co.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: www.cds.co.uk
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
CDP Print Management
Form House, 74-82 Rose Lane
Liverpool
L18 8EE
UK
Telephone: +44 1517247000
E-mail: tenders@cdp.co.uk
Fax: +44 1517246478
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: www.cdp.co.uk
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 100 000 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.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.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.essex.ac.uk/
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.essex.ac.uk/
VI.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.
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.essex.ac.uk/
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
23/05/2025