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25041 Provision of Estock for Cambridgeshire County Council Library service

Cambridgeshire County Council

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

08 Oct 2026 at 10:59

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

19 Mar 2026 at 16:41

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

09 Dec 2025 at 18:58

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

28 Aug 2025 at 14:50

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Cambridgeshire County Council procured digital lending services for its public library service, giving county residents access to e-books, e-audiobooks, e-magazines and e-newspapers. The service is intended to broaden the library’s digital content offer and must support lending, searching and account management through a website and mobile app, with compatibility across iOS and Android. Magazine and newspaper services include access to current and back issues, with specified core titles; library-management-system integration, MARC records and user-loan visibility or verification are desirable for those lots. The service is for residents across Cambridgeshire. The council reserved the option to add large-print and spoken-word services during the contract, depending on need and available routes to market.

The procurement is complete and contracts have been signed. It used an open procedure, with bids assessed on quality (70%) and price (30%). The published contract period runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029, with an extension of up to 12 months. The stated overall contract value is £660,000 excluding VAT (£770,000 including VAT). OverDrive Global Ltd was awarded the e-Audio lot; BOLINDA UK LTD was awarded e-Audio and eAudiobooks; and Ulverscroft Limited (uLibrary) was awarded eAudiobooks. The award date was 19 March 2026, and contracts were signed on 1 April 2026. The lot values shown separately in the tender were £385,000 for e-Audio, £239,000 for eAudiobooks, and £73,000 each for eMagazines and eNewspapers; these are tender estimates, not individual award values.

This requirement favours suppliers able to provide substantial, relevant digital content collections and operate an accessible, user-friendly lending service through both web and mobile applications, including support for iOS and Android. Suppliers need experience in digital content provision, inclusive digital library services and public-sector delivery to residents. For magazine and newspaper services, a credible offer includes the required core titles and current and archived issues; library-system integration, MARC records and clear loan or user-verification functions strengthen the service. The contract also shows demand for distinct content-specialist offers: multiple suppliers received awards across the audio and audiobook lots. SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises were considered suitable. Suppliers positioned for a comparable future requirement should be able to evidence service quality and value for money, since quality carried greater evaluation weight than price.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

25041 Provision of Estock for Cambridgeshire County Council Library service

Notice Description

Cambridgeshire County Council is an upper tier Council in the East of England. The Authority's vision is to create a greener, fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire. It is responsible for the provision of a range of services including highways, adult and children's social care, transport and libraries. The Authority is inviting tenders for the provision of eLending services to support and enhance its public library offer. The Authority is looking to procure the widest possible offer/access to Estock resources for the residents of the County in the most effective and efficient manner. Bidders will be required to provide and deliver a high-quality digital lending solution that is accessible via both website and mobile application, compatible with iOS and Android devices, allowing for the lending, searching and management of eLending format specific to the Lot they are bidding for. This opportunity is open to bidders with experience in digital content provision, delivering innovative, user-friendly and inclusive digital library services and public section service delivery to the residents of Cambridgeshire. The contract opportunity is divided into four distinct Lots: eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, and eNewspapers. The Authority reserves the right to add the following additional requirements to the Service under this Contract during the Contract Period to provide Large print and spoken word services in addition to the services described in these procurement documents, based on needs and future market routes available to the Council.

Lot Information

e-Audio

Renewal: The Authority may choose to extend the contract in any monthly duration up to the total but not exceeding twelve (12) months.

eAudiobooks

Renewal: The Authority may choose to extend the contract in any monthly duration up to the total but not exceeding twelve (12) months.

eMagazines

Lot 3 involves supplying a wide selection of eMagazines, including a defined core list of required titles. Users must be able to access current and past issues via both web and app platforms. MARC records, LMS integration, and user-loan dashboard visibility are desirable additions.

Renewal: The Authority may choose to extend the contract in any monthly duration up to the total but not exceeding twelve (12) months.

eNewspapers

Lot 4 covers the provision of a broad range of UK and international eNewspapers, alongside a required core list of titles. The service must enable user access to current and back issues across devices. As with magazines, LMS integration, MARC records, and full user verification features are desirable.

Renewal: The Authority may choose to extend the contract in any monthly duration up to the total but not exceeding twelve (12) months.

Planning Information

Bidders are asked to read the Premarket document and provide responses via the MS forms questionnaire. All information can be found on the Authority's Etendering system ProContract see link: https://procontract.due-north.com/Procurer/Advert/View?advertId=f9553315-0584-f011-813a-005056b64545&fromAdvertEvent=True https://forms.office.com/e/igWgfvbtEa

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-058f7d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095078-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

22 - Printed matter and related products

32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

22113000 - Library books

22200000 - Newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazines

32321300 - Audio-visual materials

92511000 - Library services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£660,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£697,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
£660,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
£660,000 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
8 Oct 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
19 Jan 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
18 Nov 2025Expired
Award Date
19 Mar 20267 months ago
Contract Period
1 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active, Pending
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Cambridgeshire County 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
ALCONBURY WEALD, HUNTINGDON
Postcode
PE28 4YE
Postcode Area
Peterborough
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH42 Cambridgeshire CC
Delivery Location
TLH12 Cambridgeshire CC
Local Authority
Huntingdonshire
Electoral Ward
The Stukeleys
Westminster Constituency
Huntingdon

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
3
Supplier Names

OVERDRIVE GLOBAL LIMITED

Bolinda UK Ltd

Ulverscroft Limited (uLibrary)

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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