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286_27 Musical Instruments

Leicestershire County Council

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Tender

05 Aug 2026 at 13:06

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

28 May 2026 at 09:36

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

07 May 2026 at 14:19

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Leicestershire County Council, trading as ESPO, is seeking suppliers for a catalogue framework covering musical instruments and associated products for ESPO stock and direct delivery to end-user establishments across the United Kingdom. The requirement is divided into three lots. Lot 1 covers a broad range of instruments and equipment for educational environments, including percussion, world music instruments, guitars, keyboards, pianos, brass, woodwind and string instruments, electrical music equipment, stands and storage. Lot 2 covers musical instrument essentials such as glockenspiels, tuned percussion tubes, djembes, recorders and ukuleles. Lot 3 covers Smartbuy instruments, including percussion packs, tambourines, castanets, triangles, claves, recorders and ukuleles, for direct delivery to customer establishments.

The procurement has reached tender: ESPO invited offers through an open procedure. It is a three-lot, closed framework agreement using call-offs either without further competition or through further competitive selection. Enquiries were due by 17:00 on 21 August 2026, and tenders by 12:00 on 4 September 2026. The framework is planned from 1 March 2027 to 31 March 2029, with an option to extend by up to 23 months, and award is scheduled by 4 December 2026. The estimated gross values are £600,000 for Lot 1, £280,000 for Lot 2 and £120,000 for Lot 3; the overall estimated gross value is £1,000,000. Lot 1 is evaluated 20% price and 80% quality; Lots 2 and 3 are 80% price and 20% quality. A 1% framework fee on awarded turnover is payable quarterly.

This opportunity suits musical instrument manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and specialist education suppliers able to provide reliable product ranges for schools and other public-sector establishments. Suppliers may target a broad full-range offer through Lot 1, focused essential instruments through Lot 2, or the Smartbuy range and direct-to-establishment fulfilment through Lot 3. The buyer states that all lots are suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. Competitors should be able to demonstrate both economic standing and technical capability, with detailed participation conditions in the tender documents. Relevant strengths include dependable sourcing and supply chains, product knowledge across the specified instrument categories, catalogue and pricing management, stock availability, order fulfilment, and the capacity to deliver either to ESPO in Leicester or directly to customer establishments. Framework suppliers may receive orders directly or compete in further selections.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

286_27 Musical Instruments

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 Musical Instruments and associated products for ESPO stock and for direct delivery to end user establishments. The Framework is divided into 3 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 04 September 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); (c) Search for tender opportunity 286_27 (via "View Opportunities" from the EastMidsTenders Portal); (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

Supply of Musical Instruments

Lot 1 is for the supply of musical instruments including but not limited to percussion packs, glockenspiels, chime bars, xylophones, world music, bongos, drums and accessories, ocarinas and ocarina resources, guitars and guitar accessories, keyboards, pianos and accessories, brass, woodwind and string instruments, electrical equipment for music and music stands and storage all for use in educational environments. Goods for delivery to ESPO, Leicester, or direct delivery to individual customer establishments.

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 286_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.

Musical Instrument Essentials

Lot 2 is for the supply of musical instruments including but not limited to glockenspiels, tuned percussion tubes, djembes, recorders and ukuleles all for use in educational environments. Goods for delivery to ESPO, Leicester, or direct delivery to individual customer establishments.

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 286_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.

Smartbuy Musical Instrument

Lot 3 is for the supply of musical instruments including but not limited to percussion packs, tambourines, castanets, triangles, claves, tuned percussion tubes, recorders and ukuleles all for use in educational environments. Goods for direct delivery to individual customer establishments.

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 286_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 '286_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 12 June 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-06937b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074181-2026
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

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

33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

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

CPV Codes

32321200 - Audio-visual equipment

32330000 - Apparatus for sound, video-recording and reproduction

32340000 - Microphones and loudspeakers

32351300 - Audio equipment accessories

32353000 - Sound recordings

33120000 - Recording systems and exploration devices

37000000 - Musical instruments, sport goods, games, toys, handicraft, art materials and accessories

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£833,333 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£833,333 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
4 Sep 2026Expired
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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