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The Economist Subscription for DBIST

Department for Business and Trade

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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16 Oct 2026 at 15:44

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Business & Trade bought a digital corporate subscription to The Economist for colleagues across its business, innovation, science and trade functions, including staff posted overseas. The subscription provides access through The Economist website and app to political, business and economic news, analysis and trends from the UK and around the world, wherever staff are based. It also includes podcasts and events intended to support continuous learning and professional development. This is a digital publication and information-access requirement, rather than a purchase of printed newspapers or a bespoke research service. Delivery is for the department’s staff across the United Kingdom and overseas posts; no single delivery site is identified. The work falls within the newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazines category (CPV 22200000).

The procurement is complete and the contract is active. The Department for Business & Trade made a below-threshold direct award without competition under the Procurement Act 2023; it was not divided into multiple lots. The contract was signed on 15 October 2026 and awarded to The Economist Newspaper Limited. The contract period runs from 19 October 2026 to 19 October 2027. Its value is £70,500 excluding VAT and £84,600 including VAT. The award is for the digital corporate subscription covering departmental colleagues, including staff at overseas posts. No separate award date or evaluation criteria are recorded, and the award was made directly rather than through a competitive evaluation.

For suppliers competing when this buyer next procures this requirement, credibility rests on providing an established digital publication subscription that can serve a large, geographically dispersed public-sector workforce, including staff overseas. The package needs to give users access across a website and app to current political, business and economic reporting, analysis and trends relevant to the UK and international affairs. Podcasts and events are also part of the requirement, supporting staff learning and professional development alongside news access. The selected provider was a large specialist publisher, indicating that the buyer chose a supplier able to deliver its own publication and associated digital services at departmental scale. Suppliers with comparable editorial coverage, dependable multi-user digital access and a relevant programme of learning content would be well placed to demonstrate fit with this buyer’s requirement.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

The Economist Subscription for DBIST

Notice Description

This procurement was a below threshold direct award under The Procurement Act 2023. It is for a Digital Corporate subscription to The Economist providing access for all Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) colleagues, including staff at post, via the Economist website and app. This subscription allows staff within BIST to sign up for an online account so they can be informed on the latest political, business, and economic developments, analysis and trends, from across the UK and the world on their devices, wherever they are. Access to podcasts and events encourage continuous learning and professional development.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0789ea
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098109-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

22 - Printed matter and related products

CPV Codes

22200000 - Newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazines

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£70,500 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
19 Oct 2026 - 19 Oct 2027 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department for Business and Trade
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1A 2DY
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

The Economist Newspaper Limited

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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