---
title: "Science Direct - Academic Journal Subscription"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-03c3b0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03c3b0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03c3b0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03c3b0.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE"
published: "2023-04-24"
---

# Science Direct - Academic Journal Subscription

Buyer: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-03c3b0

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## Summary

The Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract for an academic journal subscription to Science Direct, valued at £1.7m. The contract, commencing on 1st May 2023, aims to provide AWE staff access to a digital library for scientific research articles and academic literature. The procurement method used was a limited negotiation process without public notice, justified under a PCR Reg 32 exemption.

This tender presents an opportunity for businesses involved in educational software or academic publishing industries. Companies with expertise in providing digital library solutions or academic journal subscriptions would be well-suited to compete. The contract duration spans 3 years, offering stable revenue for the chosen supplier, Elsevier Limited, a large-scale organisation based in London, England.

## Notice

AWE staff require access to the Science Direct platform. ScienceDirect is a digital library that provides access to a vast collection of academic and scientific research articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings. It is a product of the publishing company Elsevier and offers a platform for researchers, scientists, and scholars to access information from multiple scientific fields. By accessing the latest scientific literature, AWE employees can stay informed about the latest trends and research findings, which can help them make informed business decisions and stay ahead of the competition. This VEAT notice has been published to declare that a 3 year contract is being awarded to Elsevier for a subscription to Science Direct as a sole source tender which is justified under a PCR Reg 32 exemption. This new contract will come into effect from the 1st of May 2023. The total value of the contract is PS1.7m.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The Contract is awarded from 1st May 2023 - 30th April 2025 as a single source tender which is justified under a PCR Reg 32 exemption. The total value of the contract is PS1.7m.

Options: The Contract is awarded from 1st May 2023 - 30th April 2025 as a single source tender which is justified under a PCR Reg 32 exemption as there are no other options to be able to source this software. The aim of this procurement is for AWE to gain access to the Science Direct platform which is a journal database that allows users to browse and freely access academic literature. Although it may be possible to access this literature through other means such as directly going to the individual publisher or using resellers, the Science Direct platform is the unique intellectual property of Elsevier and can only be purchased from them. The particular advantage of using Science Direct rather than not having a central database to access literature from, is that we would pay a single fee and have unlimited and uninhibited access to literature.

### Procurement Information

PCR Reg 32.2.b.iii states: "(2) The negotiated procedure without prior publication may be used for public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts in any of the following cases:-- ... (b)where the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator for any of the following reasons:-- ... (iii) the protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights, but only, in the case of paragraphs (ii) and (iii), where no reasonable alternative or substitute exists and the absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement; ..." The aim of this procurement is for AWE to gain access to the Science Direct platform which is a journal database that allows users to browse and freely access academic literature. Although it may be possible to access this literature through other means such as directly going to the individual publisher or using resellers, the Science Direct platform is the unique intellectual property of Elsevier and can only be purchased from them. The particular advantage of using Science Direct rather than not having a central database to access literature from, is that we would pay a single fee and have unlimited and uninhibited access to literature. Please refer to the attached Sole Provider letter from Elsevier for evidence of this.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011710-2023 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Negotiated without publication of a contract notice |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 24 Apr 2023 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 27 Mar 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £1,700,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | MINISTRY OF DEFENCE |
| Locality | ALDERMASTON |
| Post town | Reading |
| Postcode | RG7 4PR |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLJ16 Berkshire West |
| Local authority | West Berkshire |
| Electoral ward | Aldermaston |
| Westminster constituency | Reading West and Mid Berkshire |
| Delivery location | TLJ South East (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | ELSEVIER |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems

### Codes

- 48190000 - Educational software package

## Release History

- 24 Apr 2023 at 15:23 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011710-2023

## Notice URLs

- https://www.awe.co.uk

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03c3b0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03c3b0.json.