Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Somerset Council
County Hall, The Crescent
Taunton
TA14DY
UK
Contact person: Ruby Reed
Telephone: +44 1823356970
E-mail: ruby.reed@somerset.gov.uk
NUTS: UKK23
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.5) Main activity
Recreation, culture and religion
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Libraries Digital Content
Reference number: ERFX1001956
II.1.2) Main CPV code
92511000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Somerset Council is the lead authority for the Libraries West Consortium which also comprises Bath & North East Somerset Council, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole) Council, Bristol City Council, Dorset Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council. Somerset Council is also working in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council (to procure E Books & E Audio Books) and Plymouth City Council (to procure E Magazines and E Newspapers).
An options paper which was circulated across the consortium, the decision was taken to go out to tender under ESPO Framework Agreement 376E_24 Digital Library Content and Print Books.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
2 000 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
92511000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Somerset Council, on behalf of itself and other named local authorities, following a compliant procurement exercise is looking to award a contract to a single supplier for the following content:
E books (Bath & North East Somerset, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole), Bristol, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Somerset, South Gloucestershire)
E audio books (Bath & North East Somerset, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole), Bristol, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Somerset, South Gloucestershire)
E magazines (Bath & North East Somerset, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole), Bristol, Dorset, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire)
E newspapers (Bath & North East Somerset, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole), Bristol, Dorset, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire)
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 45
Price
/ Weighting:
50
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
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Directive
Explanation
An options paper which was circulated across the consortium, the decision was taken to go out to tender under ESPO Framework Agreement 376E_24 Digital Library Content and Print Books.
This procurement was carried out in accordance with the authority's Contract Procedure Rules and Standing Orders and Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015).
Suppliers were invited to submit a response to the Further Competition through the e-Tendering System.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: ERFX1001956
Title: Libraries Digital Content
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
15/08/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 2
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Bolinda UK LTD
05086231
London
WC1N 2EB
UK
NUTS: UKI
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 2 000 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
Each authority will manage its own spend, £2,000,000 is the maximum amount that will be spent across the authorities through the duration of this contract
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Public Procurement Organisation Number: PPGC-1434-MQPJ
London
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
17/06/2026