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161_27 Artist Grounds', Brushes, Art Pads and Painting Tools

Leicestershire County Council

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Tender

03 Sep 2026 at 14:03

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

28 May 2026 at 10:51

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

07 May 2026 at 14:12

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Leicestershire County Council, trading as ESPO, is procuring a catalogue framework for artist grounds, brushes, art pads, painting tools and related educational art supplies. The six lots cover artist brushes; painting tools and equipment such as rollers, knives, sponges and mixing tools; artists’ books, pads and papers; drying racks and easels; portfolios and canvases; and pots, palettes and jars. The framework is intended primarily for education customers and wider public-sector requirements. Most products will be delivered to ESPO’s distribution centre, with drying racks, easels and associated accessories also available for direct delivery to individual customer establishments. The procurement is for goods, including handicraft and art supplies, painters’ brushes, paper and educational equipment. ESPO’s catalogue serves customers across the United Kingdom.

The process has reached tender: ESPO invited offers through an open procedure. It is a six-lot framework, with call-offs either without competition or through further competition between appointed suppliers. The tender deadline is 12:00 on 2 October 2026, and questions are due by 17:00 on 25 September 2026. The framework is scheduled to run from 1 March 2027 to 31 March 2029, with an option to extend by up to 23 months. The estimated total value is £6,666,667 excluding VAT and £8,000,000 including VAT. Lot values excluding VAT are £603,333, £103,333, £4,793,333, £533,333, £413,333 and £220,000 respectively. Price carries 80% and non-price quality 20% in every lot. A 1% framework fee on supplier turnover is payable quarterly.

This opportunity suits manufacturers, wholesalers and specialist distributors of art and education supplies that can provide consistent product quality, competitive pricing and reliable fulfilment across the United Kingdom. Suppliers can target individual lots matching their range, including brushes, painting accessories, artists’ paper, easels, drying equipment, canvases, portfolios or paint containers. The requirement is explicitly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. Bidders must satisfy the economic and technical conditions set out in the tender documents, so relevant financial standing, product knowledge, supply-chain capability and dependable stock and delivery arrangements will be important. The framework allows ESPO to add or remove products within scope during its lifetime. Appointed suppliers may receive orders directly or compete for further selections, depending on the requirement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

161_27 Artist Grounds', Brushes, Art Pads and Painting Tools

Notice Description

ESPO is a trading department of Leicestershire County Council. It is a non-profit making body owned and operated jointly by six local authorities. We provide a catalogue range, providing our customers with access to over 28,000 products that cover all key areas of education and wider public sector requirements. We are establishing a catalogue framework for the supply of Artist brushes, Artist grounds, portfolios, easels and mats for delivery to ESPO's distribution centre and to individual customers. The Framework is divided into 6 lots. Please refer to the tender documents for any further details (including further details on each of the lots) - the closing date for submission of Tenders is 12:00 (12 noon / 12pm) on 02 October 2026. To tender (please proceed to step (e) if an expression of interest has already been completed): (a) Go to https://www.eastmidstenders.org/ (b) Register (if not already registered on ProContract e.g., via https://procontract.due-north.com/Register); (c) Search for tender opportunity 161_27 (via "View Opportunities" from the EastMidsTenders Portal, or alternatively via searching on https://procontract.due-north.com/Opportunities/Index); (d) Express an interest; (e) Download the tender documents (from the ProContract Activity summary screen). Any questions or clarifications relating to this tender opportunity should be submitted to ESPO as a message on the eProcurement Portal, once an Expression of interest has been completed.

Lot Information

Artist Brushes

The purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced artist brushes made of various materials such as hog hair brushes, synthetic brushes, round and flat brushes. These products are intended for use primarily within educational sector, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre (Supply Method A).

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 161_27) throughout the lifetime of the Framework, so long as they are within the Framework scope.

Renewal: Once the initial period of the contract has ended (i.e., 31 March 2029), there is an option to extend the framework by up to a further 23 months. This is dependent on ESPO, ESPO Customers, and market needs, as well as the performance of sales. Total estimated values captured in this notice include the option to extend the framework as noted above.

Painting Tools and Equipment

The purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced painting tools and equipment, including rollers, painting knives, sponges, mixing tools and other accessories. These products are intended for use primarily within the education sector, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre (Supply Method A).

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 161_27) throughout the lifetime of the Framework, so long as they are within the Framework scope.

Renewal: Once the initial period of the contract has ended (i.e., 31 March 2029), there is an option to extend the framework by up to a further 23 months. This is dependent on ESPO, ESPO Customers, and market needs, as well as the performance of sales. Total estimated values captured in this notice include the option to extend the framework as noted above.

Artists Books, Pads and Papers

The purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced artists' books, pads and papers, including sketchbooks, cartridge paper, watercolour paper and specialist art papers. These products are intended for use primarily within the education sector, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre (Supply Method A).

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 161_27) throughout the lifetime of the Framework, so long as they are within the Framework scope.

Renewal: Once the initial period of the contract has ended (i.e., 31 March 2029), there is an option to extend the framework by up to a further 23 months. This is dependent on ESPO, ESPO Customers, and market needs, as well as the performance of sales. Total estimated values captured in this notice include the option to extend the framework as noted above.

Drying Racks and Easels

The purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced drying racks and easels suitable for use in educational art environments. Products include tabletop and floor-standing easels, drying racks and associated accessories, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre or direct delivery to individual customer establishments (Supply Method A and B).

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 161_27) throughout the lifetime of the Framework, so long as they are within the Framework scope.

Renewal: Once the initial period of the contract has ended (i.e., 31 March 2029), there is an option to extend the framework by up to a further 23 months. This is dependent on ESPO, ESPO Customers, and market needs, as well as the performance of sales. Total estimated values captured in this notice include the option to extend the framework as noted above.

Portfolios and Canvasses

The purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced portfolios and canvases, including canvas boards, stretched canvases, canvas rolls and art storage portfolios. These products are intended for use primarily within the education sector, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre (Supply Method A).

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 161_27) throughout the lifetime of the Framework, so long as they are within the Framework scope.

Renewal: Once the initial period of the contract has ended (i.e., 31 March 2029), there is an option to extend the framework by up to a further 23 months. This is dependent on ESPO, ESPO Customers, and market needs, as well as the performance of sales. Total estimated values captured in this notice include the option to extend the framework as noted above.

Pots, Palettes and Jars

The purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced products for use with paints and other art materials. Products include paint pots, mixing palettes, water pots, storage jars and related accessories. These products are intended for use primarily within the education sector, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre (Supply Method A).

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 161_27) throughout the lifetime of the Framework, so long as they are within the Framework scope.

Renewal: Once the initial period of the contract has ended (i.e., 31 March 2029), there is an option to extend the framework by up to a further 23 months. This is dependent on ESPO, ESPO Customers, and market needs, as well as the performance of sales. Total estimated values captured in this notice include the option to extend the framework as noted above.

Planning Information

The purpose of the Pre-Market Engagement (PME) is to cover a range of topics designed to best explore our requirements in a possible future procurement. These topics may include: 1. Develop ESPO’s requirements and approach to the procurement. 2. Help better identify suitable suppliers in the market and to understand their supply chains. 3. Understand products/service offerings from suppliers and the marketplace in general. Engagement with suppliers is anticipated to be a mix of methods, including Requests for Information (RFI) hosted on the EastMidsTenders eProcurement Portal (www.eastmidstenders.org), and meetings (both virtual and in-person). Visits to supplier’s premises may also be used where deemed to be of particular use. Suppliers wishing to participate in the engagement process must first express an interest as follows: (a) Go to https://www.eastmidstenders.org/; (b) Register (if not already registered on ProContract); (c) Search for tender opportunity '161_27' (via "View Opportunities" from the EastMidsTenders Portal); d) Express an interest. Suppliers can then access the RFI questionnaire in the ‘Messages’ section via the ‘Activity’ dashboard once an expression of interest has been registered - the deadline for responding to the RFI is 17:00 (5pm) on 03 July 2026. Responses to the RFI as well as any questions or clarifications should be submitted to ESPO as a message on the eProcurement Portal. Notwithstanding the above process, as this procurement exercise is a renewal of an existing ESPO framework, ESPO reserves the right to engage with some, all or none of the incumbent suppliers appointed to the existing ESPO framework, alongside any additional suppliers identified following the above expressions of interests and/or a RFI exercise.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-069373
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083497-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

37 - Musical instruments, sport goods, games, toys, handicraft, art materials and accessories

39 - Furniture (incl. office furniture), furnishings, domestic appliances (excl. lighting) and cleaning products

CPV Codes

30197600 - Processed paper and paperboard

37800000 - Handicraft and art supplies

39162000 - Educational equipment

39224210 - Painters' brushes

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£6,666,667 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£6,666,665 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
2 Oct 20263 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
4 Sep 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Leicestershire 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
LEICESTER
Postcode
LE19 1ES
Postcode Area
Leicester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF22 Leicestershire CC and Rutland
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Blaby
Electoral Ward
Enderby
Westminster Constituency
South Leicestershire

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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