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Library E-Lending Services

Cheshire west and Chester Borough Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

07 Aug 2026 at 16:00

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council procured library e-lending services for delivery across England. The requirement covers four service areas: e-books, e-audiobooks, e-magazines and e-newspapers. The work is categorised as library services and is a public service contract rather than a goods supply or construction project. It is relevant to digital library platforms, e-content aggregators, publishers, audiobook providers and suppliers able to support public libraries with the licensing, hosting, discovery and delivery of electronic reading and listening content. The requirement spans multiple digital formats, so businesses with broad catalogue coverage or a specialist capability in one of the four content areas may find the buyer's purchasing pattern relevant to their market.

The procurement is complete and was awarded by direct award. The award date was 1 March 2026, to Bolinda Digital Ltd, with an awarded value of £300,000 including the stated currency of GBP. The contract period runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029. The tender submission deadline was 1 March 2026 at 10:00 UTC. The requirement was divided into four lots: e-books, e-audiobooks, e-magazines and e-newspapers. The opportunity was identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, and the procurement category was services. The award is active, and the selected supplier is recorded as an SME.

This award demonstrates an established public-sector requirement for a managed digital lending service covering several forms of electronic content. Suppliers well placed for a future requirement would need reliable access to sizeable, current e-book, audiobook, magazine and newspaper catalogues, together with the rights and licensing arrangements needed for public library lending. They would also need a dependable digital platform that supports secure user access, content discovery, downloads or streaming as applicable, usage controls and service reporting. Businesses specialising in one content type could be relevant to an individual lot, while broader providers would be positioned to cover several lots. The buyer's stated SME suitability indicates that smaller specialist providers can be credible competitors.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Library E-Lending Services

Notice Description

E-Lending Library Services Lot 1 - E-Books Lot 2 - E-Audiobooks Lot 3 - E-Magazines Lot 4 - E-Newspapers

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-2085600a-53eb-48c7-815c-29de79e4b5ec
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/62eaaeaf-cd5d-4728-b7d4-ad174dec2e9d
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

92511000 - Library services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£300,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£300,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
1 Mar 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
1 Mar 20265 months ago
Contract Period
1 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Cheshire west and Chester Borough Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
ELLESMERE PORT
Postcode
CH65 0BA
Postcode Area
Chester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD6 Cheshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD63 Cheshire West and Chester
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Cheshire West and Chester
Electoral Ward
Central & Grange
Westminster Constituency
Ellesmere Port and Bromborough

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Bolinda Digital Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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