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DBC (EE) Provision of Election Printing (PME)

Dacorum Borough Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

21 Jul 2026 at 11:19

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

20 Jul 2026 at 15:09

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Dacorum Borough Council is exploring a printing and distribution service for election materials and annual canvass requirements. The work covers electoral forms and related printed materials, including their distribution. The Council’s Electoral Services Department manages elections across Dacorum Borough, which currently contains approximately 70,000 properties and 115,000 electors, 25 wards and 16 Town and Parish Councils. The Council is responsible for one parliamentary constituency; two other constituencies are handled by other local authorities. The intended service would support the Council’s election and canvass activity during a period of local government reform involving Dacorum, St Albans and Hertfordshire County Council. The buyer is Dacorum Borough Council, based in Hemel Hempstead.

This procurement is at the planning stage and the Council has not yet invited tenders. It is conducting preliminary market engagement to understand market interest, feasible commercial structures and possible innovation in service delivery. Interested suppliers are being asked to complete a questionnaire through the Supply Hertfordshire e-tendering portal, with responses expected by midday on 7 August 2026. The Council expects a further notice around 21 September 2026. The anticipated contract period is 1 June 2027 to 31 May 2031. The procurement is planned as a single-lot service covering the election printing requirements. Participation in the market engagement carries no commitment, and the Council states that it will not meet suppliers’ costs.

The engagement is intended for experienced suppliers able to print and distribute electoral forms and other election-related materials at borough scale. Relevant businesses are likely to have established production, quality-control and fulfilment processes for time-sensitive public election work, together with the capacity to serve approximately 70,000 properties and 115,000 electors across multiple wards and town and parish councils. Suppliers with experience supporting annual canvasses, parliamentary elections and local elections should be well placed to contribute useful views on the specification and delivery model. The Council is specifically seeking market feedback on commercial structures and innovation, so providers with practical ideas for improving service delivery may be relevant. This is preparation for a possible future competition, not an opportunity to bid for a contract now.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

DBC (EE) Provision of Election Printing (PME)

Notice Description

The Council are seeking views from experienced suppliers within the market in relation to the service specification for the printing of election and annual canvass requirements. Dacorum Borough Council's (the Council) Electoral Services Department manages all elections within the area and carries out the annual canvass across the borough. The borough currently includes around 70,000 properties and 115,000 electors. Dacorum is made up of 25 wards and 16 Town and Parish Councils. The Council is also responsible for one parliamentary constituency with 2 other constituencies being undertaken by other local authorities. Over the next two years Hertfordshire will undergo major reform of local government arrangements, with the removal of the current two-tier systems (i.e. county and district councils) replacing it with unitary authorities. Current timescales state that Dacorum Borough Council will cease to exist and a new unitary will be created from 1st April 2028. The new Unitary Authority will see Dacorum Borough Council partner with St Albans and Hertfordshire County Council. This market engagement is not a formal procurement process. It is designed to help the Council understand: * The level of market interest * Feasible commercial structures * Innovation in service delivery There is no commitment required to participate, and Dacorum Borough Council will not be liable for any costs incurred. We ask all interested parties to respond to the questionnaire via the Council's e-tendering portal 'Supply Hertfordshire'. Suppliers must register to use the portal - this is free of charge. Documents can be downloaded from the portal and via this link https://in-tendorganiser.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/ITLogin.aspx. The closing date for responses to the questionnaire is midday on Friday 7th August

Planning Information

The Council are seeking views from experienced suppliers within the market in relation to the service specification for the printing of election and annual canvass requirements. Dacorum Borough Council's (the Council) Electoral Services Department manages all elections within the area and carries out the annual canvass across the borough. The borough currently includes around 70,000 properties and 115,000 electors. Dacorum is made up of 25 wards and 16 Town and Parish Councils. The Council is also responsible for one parliamentary constituency with 2 other constituencies being undertaken by other local authorities. Over the next two years Hertfordshire will undergo major reform of local government arrangements, with the removal of the current two-tier systems (i.e. county and district councils) replacing it with unitary authorities. Current timescales state that Dacorum Borough Council will cease to exist and a new unitary will be created from 1st April 2028. The new Unitary Authority will see Dacorum Borough Council partner with St Albans and Hertfordshire County Council. This market engagement is not a formal procurement process. It is designed to help the Council understand: • The level of market interest • Feasible commercial structures • Innovation in service delivery There is no commitment required to participate, and Dacorum Borough Council will not be liable for any costs incurred. We ask all interested parties to respond to the questionnaire via the Council’s e-tendering portal ‘Supply Hertfordshire’. Suppliers must register to use the portal – this is free of charge. Documents can be downloaded from the portal and via this link https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/Home The closing date for responses to the questionnaire is midday on Friday 7th August

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06cf0b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068610-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

22 - Printed matter and related products

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

22821000 - Electoral forms

79800000 - Printing and related services

79824000 - Printing and distribution services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
21 Sep 20265 days to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Jun 2027 - 31 May 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Dacorum 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
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
Postcode
HP1 1DN
Postcode Area
Hemel Hempstead
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH27 South West Hertfordshire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Dacorum
Electoral Ward
Hemel Hempstead Town
Westminster Constituency
Hemel Hempstead

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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