Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
ASTON UNIVERSITY
Aston Triangle
Birmingham
B47ET
UK
Contact person: Procurement
E-mail: procurement@aston.ac.uk
NUTS: UKG31
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.aston.ac.uk
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
Books and E Books
Reference number: 1183
II.1.2) Main CPV code
22113000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
Aston University has awarded contracts for the provision of books, e-books and e-textbooks through the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortia (SUPC) Books, e-books and associated services framework - LIB4061 SU.
The awarded provision covers print publications, title-by-title perpetual access e-books, subscription e-book packages and e-textbook access via aggregator platforms.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
2 342 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Print publications: standard suppliers for library stock
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22110000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Large-scale and library-focused suppliers of printed publications and other hard copy materials
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Value for Money
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Customer Service Support
/ Weighting: 30
Quality criterion: Innovation and Technical Merit
/ Weighting: 20
Quality criterion: Responsible Procurement
/ Weighting: 10
Price
/ Weighting:
30
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
Lot No: 4
II.2.1) Title
E-book aggregator: title-by-title perpetual access purchase
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22113000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Title-by-title purchasing of e-books via an aggregator platform for delivery through the aggregator's own platform.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Value for Money
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Customer Service Support
/ Weighting: 30
Quality criterion: Innovation and Technical Merit
/ Weighting: 20
Quality criterion: Responsible Procurement
/ Weighting: 10
Price
/ Weighting:
30
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
Lot No: 6
II.2.1) Title
E-book Aggregator: Subscription Packages
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22113000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Subscription e-book packages via aggregator platform
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Value for Money
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Customer Service Support
/ Weighting: 30
Quality criterion: Innovation and Technical Merit
/ Weighting: 20
Quality criterion: Responsible Procurement
/ Weighting: 10
Price
/ Weighting:
30
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
Lot No: 7
II.2.1) Title
E-book aggregator: e-textbooks
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
22113000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
E-textbook access via an aggregator e-textbook platform
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Value for Money
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Customer Service Support
/ Weighting: 30
Quality criterion: Innovation and Technical Merit
/ Weighting: 20
Quality criterion: Responsible Procurement
/ Weighting: 10
Price
/ Weighting:
30
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
The contracts were awarded following a desktop exercise under the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortia (SUPC) Books, e-books and associated services framework (LIB4061 SU). The framework permits award following evaluation of framework suppliers. No standalone competition was undertaken.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 1, 4 and 6
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/03/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 4
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Ebsco International Inc
916792
Alabama
UK
NUTS: UKG
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 246 667.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 1 and 4
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/03/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 4
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
A T Little & Sons Ltd (t/a Browns Books)
01607961
Melton
UK
NUTS: UKG
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 206 667.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 4 and 7
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/03/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 4
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Kortext Ltd
08617088
Christchurch
UK
NUTS: UKG
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 1 848 666.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 6
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/03/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 4
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
ProQuest LLC / Clarivate
01094204
Cambridge
UK
NUTS: UKG
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 40 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
The High Court of England and Wales
London
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
24/06/2026