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Library Books and Digital Content

THE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH EAST COUNCILS LIMITED

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

01 Sep 2026 at 13:03

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

01 Apr 2026 at 12:58

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

01 Jul 2025 at 12:01

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Association of North East Councils Limited, trading as the North East Procurement Organisation, established the Library Books and Digital Content framework for contracting authorities across the United Kingdom, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey. It covers library books and related supply services, including adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction, reference and curriculum materials, adult, children’s and school multimedia, and a wrap service combining books and multimedia. Digital provision covers eAudiobooks, eBooks, eComics, eNewspapers, eMagazines and a full digital service. The arrangement includes social value commitments, governance, compliance and contract management. It supports call-off contracts for NEPO member and associate authorities, using either direct award where the framework’s objective mechanism applies or further competition between appointed suppliers.

This procurement has reached the award stage following a single-stage open procedure under the Procurement Act 2023. The framework has 13 completed lots, each with an estimated value of £68,000,000 excluding VAT and £81,600,000 including VAT. All lots have the same contract period, from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030, and awards were made on 1 September 2026. Adults, children’s and school books were awarded to Askews and Holts Library Services Ltd and Peters Ltd. All multimedia and wrap-service lots were awarded to Askews and Holts. Digital lots were awarded to Bolinda UK Ltd, OverDrive Global Ltd and OCLC (UK) Ltd, with OCLC awarded eComics only among those lots. Evaluation was 60% price, 30% quality and 10% social value. A rebate of up to 1% of awarded call-off invoices applies.

This opportunity demonstrates sustained public-sector demand for suppliers able to provide physical library collections, educational and curriculum materials, multimedia, or licensed digital content at national scale. Relevant competitors include book wholesalers, specialist library suppliers, educational distributors, publishers, digital platforms and providers able to combine catalogue access with fulfilment or wrap services. Credible suppliers would need dependable sourcing, licensing and rights management, robust ordering and delivery infrastructure, and the capacity to serve public libraries and schools across the eligible territories. Digital specialists should be able to support eAudiobooks, eBooks, eComics, newspapers and magazines, while full-service providers need an integrated digital offer. Strong quality systems, transparent pricing, social value delivery and the governance needed for compliant public-sector call-offs would strengthen a future response.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Library Books and Digital Content

Notice Description

The Association of North East Councils, trading as the North East Procurement Organisation ("NEPO"), is establishing a multi-supplier, multi-lot Framework Agreement for the provision of Library Books & Digital Content. The Framework will be accessible to Contracting Authorities throughout the United Kingdom. The Framework is intended to support a wide range of requirements and encompasses, but is not limited to, the following categories of goods and services: Adults Fiction & Non-Fiction Books including Reference Materials Children's Fiction & Non-Fiction Books School Library Services for Educational and Curriculum Books Adults Multimedia Materials Childrens Multimedia Materials School Library Multimedia Materials Wrap Service: Fiction, Non-Fiction Books & Multimedia Materials eAudiobooks eBooks eComics eNewspapers eMagazines Full Digital Service The Framework incorporates Social Value commitments and provides robust governance, compliance and contract management arrangements. It offers a multi-supplier solution that enables Contracting Authorities to employ flexible call-off and award procedures, supported by suitably experienced suppliers. Core and Core Plus Servicing costs, and headline discounts have been established for the following lots Lot 1: Adults Fiction & Non-Fiction Books including Reference Materials Lot 2: Children's Fiction & Non-Fiction Books Lot 3: School Library Services for Educational and Curriculum Books Lot 4: Adults Multimedia Materials Lot 5: Childrens Multimedia Materials Lot 6: School Library Multimedia Materials Lot 7: Wrap Service: Fiction, Non-Fiction Books & Multimedia Materials A future proofing mechanism has been built into the Core and Core-Plus servicing through annual reviews. With a fixed headline discount establish for the whole life of the contract. The Framework has established individual commercial and licensing models which can provide Contracting Authorities with transparency over any additional services or charges at call-off, supporting informed supplier selection, comparability and value-for-money decision making throughout the life of the solution for the following lots: Lot 8: eAudiobooks Lot 9: eBooks Lot 10: eComics Lot 11: eNewspapers Lot 12: eMagazines Lot 13: Full Digital Service The successful suppliers have been appointed following completion of a single-stage Open Procedure in accordance with PA23 Regulations.

Lot Information

Adults Fiction & Non-Fiction Books including Reference Materials Children's Fiction & Non-Fiction Books School Library Services for Educational and Curriculum Books Adults Multimedia Materials Childrens Multimedia Materials School Library Multimedia Materials Wrap Service: Fiction, Non-Fiction Books & Multimedia Materials eAudiobooks eBooks eComics eNewspapers eMagazines Full Digital Service

Planning Information

NEPO intend to publish a preliminary market engagement questionnaire via Open e-Tendering system (www.open-uk.org). The questionnaire responses will help NEPO design the framework by providing the level of market interest and provide insight from suppliers on the shaping of the future provision. The questionnaire will be made accessible via the Open e-Tendering system on 1st July 2025 with a submission deadline of 12:00 on 9 July 2025. Suppliers wishing to access and complete the questionnaire must first register on the e-Tendering system using the following link https://www.open-uk.org For guidance on how to create an account or submit your questionnaire response through Open, please visit https://www.open-hub.org/training to access the available Training Guides. If you need technical assistance from the Open Support team, this can be requested via open.support@nepo.org. PLEASE NOTE: Open is accessible 24/7 however, technical support is available Monday to Thursday 08:30 - 17:00 and Friday 08:30 - 16:30. NEPO also intend to hold individual Market Engagement meetings with interested Suppliers via Microsoft Teams between the dates of 17 July 2025 and 21st July, for 1 hour timeslots. Suppliers are required to register their interest via email to will.quinn@nepo.org. Once registered, a Microsoft Teams Invite will be issued to the appropriate representatives. A presentation will be given and there will be an opportunity to ask questions in the session. Suppliers must submit their questionnaire via Open before 12:00, midday, on 9th July 2025. Suppliers must confirm their attendance by 5pm on Thursday 10th July 2025, via email to will.quinn@nepo.org, the meeting invites will then be issued out by close of business on Friday 11th July. Attendance at the Microsoft Teams meeting(s) is optional and does not provide suppliers with an advantage in any future related procurement. Presentations and Q&A from the session will be published as part of the procurement process. Attendance also does not constitute as an intention to tender for any future related procurement. Please note the above information may be subject to change

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-055699
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082638-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

22 - Printed matter and related products

30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages

CPV Codes

22113000 - Library books

22114000 - Dictionaries, maps, music books and other books

30233150 - Optical-disk drives

30233151 - Compact disk (CD) reader and/or burner

30233152 - Digital versatile disc (DVD) reader and/or burner

30233153 - Compact disk (CD) and digital versatile disk (DVD) reader and/or burner

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£68,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£68,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£68,000,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
6 May 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
2 Oct 2025Expired
Award Date
1 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
1 Oct 2026 - 30 Sep 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH EAST COUNCILS LIMITED
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
GATESHEAD
Postcode
NE8 3DF
Postcode Area
Newcastle upon Tyne
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC43 Tyneside
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Gateshead
Electoral Ward
Bridges
Westminster Constituency
Gateshead Central and Whickham

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
5
Supplier Names

Askews and Holts Library Services Ltd

Peters Limited

Bolinda UK Ltd

OVERDRIVE GLOBAL LIMITED

OCLC (UK) 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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