--- title: "NEPO418 - Library Books & Digital Content" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-055699" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-055699" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055699.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055699.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "THE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH EAST COUNCILS LIMITED" published: "2026-04-01" --- # NEPO418 - Library Books & Digital Content Buyer: THE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH EAST COUNCILS LIMITED Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-055699 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-055699) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055699.json) ## Summary The Association of North East Councils Limited, trading as the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO), is actively conducting a tender process for NEPO418 - Library Books & Digital Content. This process aims to establish a multi-supplier and multi-lot framework agreement, accessible throughout the United Kingdom, including areas such as Guernsey, Isle of Man, and Jersey. The procurement involves the supply of physical and digital library materials, including books, multimedia materials, and digital content. The procurement method is an open procedure, requiring suppliers to register and submit tenders through the Open eTendering system by 6th May 2026. Currently in the tender stage, the initiative aligns with the legal basis of the Procurement Act 2023, highlighting a gross value of £81,600,000. This tender represents a substantial opportunity for businesses in the publishing, multimedia, and digital content sectors, particularly those providing library books, CDs, DVDs, eAudiobooks, eBooks, and eComics. Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are encouraged to participate, with the evaluation criteria including price, quality, and social value. Successful tenderers will engage in a framework agreement granting access to NEPO's member authorities and associate members, fostering long-term business relationships and growth in both domestic and international markets such as Guernsey and Jersey. Suppliers must demonstrate competitive pricing and high-quality offerings to be considered for awards, which will be distributed across multiple lots. ## Notice The Association of North East Councils Trading as the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) is seeking to establish a multi-supplier, multi-lot Framework for Library Books & Digital Content for use by contracting authorities throughout the United Kingdom. NEPO intends to publish an Invitation to Tender via the Open eTendering system. Suppliers wishing to be considered for this Framework Agreement must register their expression of interest and submit a tender through the NEPO eTendering system. If not already registered, candidates should register on the Open eTender system at: https://open-uk.org/ Tenders must be submitted using the link above. Tenders submitted via post or email methods will not be accepted. Guidance for how to create an account, search for opportunities and respond is included within the Supplier's hub. If you require further support please email open.support@nepo.org ### Lot Information Adults Fiction & Non-Fiction Books including Reference Materials This lot will provide users with access to the Physical Supply of Adults Fiction and Non-Fiction books including reference materials. This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 3 awarded suppliers. Children's Fiction & Non-Fiction Books This lot will provide users with access to the Physical Supply of Children's Fiction and Non-Fiction books. This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 3 awarded suppliers. School Library Services for Educational and Curriculum Books This lot will provide users with access to the Supply of Educational and Curriculum Books for School Library Services This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 3 awarded suppliers. Adults Multimedia Materials This lot will provide users with access to Adults Physical Multimedia Materials DVDs, CDs and Blu Rays This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 3 awarded suppliers. Childrens Multimedia Materials This lot will provide users with access to Childrens Multimedia Materials including CDs, DVDs and Blu Rays This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 3 awarded suppliers. School Library Multimedia Materials This lot will provide users with access to School Library Multimedia Materials including DVDs, CDs and Blu Rays This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 3 awarded suppliers. Wrap Service: Fiction, Non-Fiction Books & Multimedia Materials This Lot will provide users with access to all requirements identified within lots 1 - 6, including but not limited to Physical Supply of Adults, Childrens and School Library Fiction, Non-Fiction books, Reference Materials and Multi-Media Materials. This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 3 awarded suppliers. eAudiobooks This lot provides users with access to eAudiobooks available in digital form via Electronic devices and/or Applications This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 6 awarded suppliers. eBooks This lot provides users with access to eBooks made available in digital form consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat panel display of Computers or Electronic devices and Applications This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 6 awarded suppliers. eComics This lot provides users with access to eComics available in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat panel display of Computers or other Electronic devices and Applications This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 6 awarded suppliers. eNewspapers This lot provides users with access to eNewspapers made available in digital format, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat panel display of Computers or other Electronic devices and Applications This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 6 awarded suppliers. eMagazines This lot provides users with access to eMagazines available in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat panel display of Computers or other Electronic devices and Applications This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 6 awarded suppliers. Full Digital Service This lot provides users with access to a full Digital Service including all requirements under lots 8-12, including but not limited to eAudiobooks, eBooks, eComics, eNewspapers and eMagazines This lot will be awarded to a maximum of 6 awarded suppliers. ### Planning Information NEPO intend to publish a preliminary market engagement questionnaire via Open e-Tendering system (www.open-uk.org). The questionnaire responses will help NEPO design the framework by providing the level of market interest and provide insight from suppliers on the shaping of the future provision. The questionnaire will be made accessible via the Open e-Tendering system on 1st July 2025 with a submission deadline of 12:00 on 9 July 2025. Suppliers wishing to access and complete the questionnaire must first register on the e-Tendering system using the following link https://www.open-uk.org For guidance on how to create an account or submit your questionnaire response through Open, please visit https://www.open-hub.org/training to access the available Training Guides. If you need technical assistance from the Open Support team, this can be requested via open.support@nepo.org. PLEASE NOTE: Open is accessible 24/7 however, technical support is available Monday to Thursday 08:30 - 17:00 and Friday 08:30 - 16:30. NEPO also intend to hold individual Market Engagement meetings with interested Suppliers via Microsoft Teams between the dates of 17 July 2025 and 21st July, for 1 hour timeslots. Suppliers are required to register their interest via email to will.quinn@nepo.org. Once registered, a Microsoft Teams Invite will be issued to the appropriate representatives. A presentation will be given and there will be an opportunity to ask questions in the session. Suppliers must submit their questionnaire via Open before 12:00, midday, on 9th July 2025. Suppliers must confirm their attendance by 5pm on Thursday 10th July 2025, via email to will.quinn@nepo.org, the meeting invites will then be issued out by close of business on Friday 11th July. Attendance at the Microsoft Teams meeting(s) is optional and does not provide suppliers with an advantage in any future related procurement. Presentations and Q&A from the session will be published as part of the procurement process. Attendance also does not constitute as an intention to tender for any future related procurement. Please note the above information may be subject to change ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030345-2026 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Framework | | Procurement category | Goods | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning, Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 1 Apr 2026 | | Submission deadline | 6 May 2026 | | Future notice date | 2 Oct 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 30 Sep 2026 - 30 Sep 2030 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £68,000,000 | | Lots value | £68,000,000 | | 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 | THE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH EAST COUNCILS LIMITED | | Locality | GATESHEAD | | Post town | Newcastle upon Tyne | | Postcode | NE8 3DF | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear | | ITL 3 | TLC43 Tyneside | | Local authority | Gateshead | | Electoral ward | Bridges | | Westminster constituency | Gateshead Central and Whickham | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 22 - Printed matter and related products - 30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages ### Codes - 22113000 - Library books - 22114000 - Dictionaries, maps, music books and other books - 30233151 - Compact disk (CD) reader and/or burner - 30233152 - Digital versatile disc (DVD) reader and/or burner - 30233153 - Compact disk (CD) and digital versatile disk (DVD) reader and/or burner ## Release History - 1 Apr 2026 at 11:58 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030345-2026 - 1 Jul 2025 at 11:01 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036364-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030345-2026 1st April 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036364-2025 1st July 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - http://www.nepo.org - https://open-uk.org/ - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents - https://www.nepo.org/about - https://www.nepo.org/associate-membership/current-associate-members - https://www.open-hub.org/training - https://www.open-uk.org ## 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-055699. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055699.json.