--- title: "E-Books, E-Book Collections and E-Textbooks - APUC" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-050477" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-050477" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050477.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050477.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "APUC LIMITED" published: "2025-12-15" --- # E-Books, E-Book Collections and E-Textbooks - APUC Buyer: APUC LIMITED Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-050477 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-050477) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050477.json) ## Summary The contracting process initiated by APUC Limited centres on procuring e-books, e-book collections, and e-textbooks for higher education and further education institutions in Scotland. This tender is in the planning stage with intentions to hold individual supplier engagement sessions to explore potential online acquisition platforms. The procurement targets digital academic content across various library books, aiming at a range of institutions including members of the Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL). The planned framework agreement is anticipated to commence with a projected value of £20,000,000, enhancing educational resource availability. Key dates include a future notice on 1st August 2025, and engagement is encouraged as part of preparing for possible partnerships. The tender offers substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in digital academic content, library management systems, and innovative e-book platforms. Organisations that excel in providing educational materials, electronic information services, and textbook content are well-positioned to benefit from this procurement process. With a focus on goods catering to educational institutions, suppliers that can demonstrate robust digital service offerings, particularly those enabling content delivery via electronic platforms, will find this tender a viable avenue for business growth. As the procurement method is open, it encourages a competitive bidding environment, allowing established entities and emerging suppliers to showcase their capabilities and expand their market presence within Scotland's educational sector. ## Notice The Authority is acting on behalf of the HE and FE institutions in Scotland and oversea campuses, Members of the Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL) which includes amongst its members, the National Library of Scotland, the National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Scotland Excel and its members Please refer to Appendix E - List of Institutions for more detail. The Authority is seeking Contractors to supply a wide range of academic content in digital format and associated content and services from Aggregators and Publishers. The scope will include: E-Books E-Book Collections (Publishers packages) E-Textbooks Associated digital content ### Lot Information Title by Title purchase and Collections This exercise is being undertaken on behalf of the HE/FE Institutions in Scotland and the members of Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL), including the National Library of Scotland, National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh and Scotland Excel and its members. The Authority intends to appoint a maximum of 8 Contractors to supply Title-by-title purchasing of e-books via an aggregator platform for delivery via the aggregator's own platform. Packages may be offered, such as DDA and EBA Programmes, and audiobooks. Contractors will offer perpetual access licences but may also offer alternatives (e.g. 365-day licences, including POA models) where perpetual licensing is not available. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Renewal: The Framework Agreement will commence on the 01.04.2026 for an initial period of 2 years and will expire on the 31.03.2028 The Authority reserves the right to extend the Framework Agreement for a further 2 x 12 month periods subject to satisfactory performance and continued requirements of the Authority's members and the members of SCURL Title by Title and Collections (Access on a Third Party Platform) This exercise is being undertaken on behalf of the HE/FE Institutions in Scotland and the members of Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL), including the National Library of Scotland, National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh and Scotland Excel and its members. The Authority intends to appoint a maximum of 8 Contractors to supply Title by Title and Collections, with access provided on a 3rd Party Platform) The lot will enable the purchase of content via an aggregator with the content provided on a third-party's platform. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Renewal: The Framework Agreement will commence on the 01.04.2026 for an initial period of 2 years and will expire on the 31.03.2028 The Authority reserves the right to extend the Framework Agreement for a further 2 x 12 month periods subject to satisfactory performance and continued requirements of the Authority's members and the members of SCURL Aggregated subscriptions packages This exercise is being undertaken on behalf of the HE/FE Institutions in Scotland and the members of Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL), including the National Library of Scotland, National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh and Scotland Excel and its members. The Authority intends to appoint a maximum of 6 Contractors to provide Subscription e-book packages via an aggregator or a third-party platform. Packages may include wider digital content in addition to e-books. Package content is likely to be pre-defined in nature. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Renewal: The Framework Agreement will commence on the 01.04.2026 for an initial period of 2 years and will expire on the 31.03.2028 The Authority reserves the right to extend the Framework Agreement for a further 2 x 12 month periods subject to satisfactory performance and continued requirements of the Authority's members and the members of SCURL E-Textbooks This exercise is being undertaken on behalf of the HE/FE Institutions in Scotland and the members of Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL), including the National Library of Scotland, National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh and Scotland Excel and its members. The Authority intends to appoint a maximum of 5 Contractors to supply E- Textbook content via an aggregator and hosted on the aggregators or publisher's platform Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Renewal: The Framework Agreement will commence on the 01.04.2026 for an initial period of 2 years and will expire on the 31.03.2028 The Authority reserves the right to extend the Framework Agreement for a further 2 x 12 month periods subject to satisfactory performance and continued requirements of the Authority's members and the members of SCURL E-Books and E-Textbooks (Title by Title & Collections) 1. This exercise is being undertaken on behalf of the HE/FE Institutions in Scotland and the members of Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL), including the National Library of Scotland, National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh and Scotland Excel and its members. The Authority intends to appoint a maximum of 20 Contractors to supply E-Books and E-Textbooks (Title by Title & Collections) negotiated directly with the publisher and hosted on the publisher's or an aggregator's platform. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Renewal: The Framework Agreement will commence on the 01.04.2026 for an initial period of 2 years and will expire on the 31.03.2028 The Authority reserves the right to extend the Framework Agreement for a further 2 x 12 month periods subject to satisfactory performance and continued requirements of the Authority's members and the members of SCURL ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083039-2025 | | Notice type | Planning Notice | | Procurement type | Framework | | Procurement category | Goods | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning, Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 15 Dec 2025 | | Submission deadline | 4 Feb 2026 | | Future notice date | 31 Jul 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | April 2029 | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £34,500,000 | | Lots value | £34,500,000 | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | APUC LIMITED | | Locality | STIRLING | | Post town | Falkirk and Stirling | | Postcode | FK8 2DZ | | Country | Scotland | | ITL 1 | TLM Scotland | | ITL 2 | TLM0 Eastern Scotland | | ITL 3 | TLM02 Perth and Kinross, and Stirling | | Local authority | Stirling | | Electoral ward | Stirling East | | Westminster constituency | Stirling and Strathallan | | Delivery location | TLM Scotland | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 22 - Printed matter and related products ### Codes - 22112000 - Textbooks - 22113000 - Library books ## Release History - 15 Dec 2025 at 16:16 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083039-2025 - 17 Apr 2025 at 08:10 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015737-2025 ## Notice URLs - http://ucsp.ac.uk/ - http://www.apuc-scot.ac.uk - http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343 - https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000796391 - https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000817125 - https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/ - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10402 - https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk - https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/courts-and-tribunals/courts-tribunals-and-office-locations/find-us/stirling-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court/ ## 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-050477. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050477.json.