---
title: "CLA - Copyright Licensing Agency"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e401"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e401"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e401.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e401.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "University of Keele"
published: "2026-08-14"
---

# CLA - Copyright Licensing Agency

Buyer: University of Keele  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e401

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e401)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e401.json)

## Summary

The University of Keele is procuring a higher education copyright licence from the Copyright Licensing Agency Limited. The service allows the university to lawfully copy, digitise, store and distribute copyrighted extracts from books, journals, magazines and certain digital publications for teaching, learning, administration and research. It is a subscription and copyright licensing service, rather than a general publishing or document-management contract. The work supports activities at Keele University in Keele, Staffordshire. The requirement covers one lot and is classified as subscription services. It is intended to provide the permissions needed for the university to comply with copyright law across its higher education activities.

The procurement has been awarded through a direct award, using the Procurement Act 2023 provisions for a single supplier holding intellectual property or exclusive rights. The selected supplier is Copyright Licensing Agency Limited. The award date is 6 August 2026. Its value is £388,000 excluding VAT, or £465,600 including VAT. The award period runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 July 2027, with a maximum extent to 31 July 2030 and potential renewals within an estimated 48-month value period. The university states that CLA is the sole collective licensing organisation authorised to grant the required permissions, and that no equivalent alternative supplier exists. A signature milestone is scheduled for 1 September 2026.

This award demonstrates a substantial, recurring higher education demand for copyright permissions covering copying, digitisation, storage and distribution of published and digital content. Suppliers seeking comparable work would need the legal authority and rights repertoire required to license copyrighted material for university teaching, learning, administration and research. Credibility would depend on demonstrating access to permissions from participating publishers and authors, and the ability to provide a licence that supports lawful use across a higher education institution. Organisations offering general subscriptions, document handling or content services without the relevant collective licensing rights would not meet this particular requirement. The buyer's route also shows that exclusive intellectual-property rights can determine supplier eligibility.

## Notice

1. Direct Award Justification This contract is being awarded by direct award in accordance with Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Direct Award in Special Cases) . The justification for direct award is set out under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5 (Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights) of the Act. 2. Justification Narrative The University requires a Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) Higher Education Licence to lawfully support the copying, digitisation, storage and distribution of copyrighted extracts from books, journals, magazines and certain digital publications for teaching, learning, administration and research purposes. The CLA Licence is not a discretionary subscription but the legal mechanism enabling the University to comply with copyright law. CLA is the sole collective licensing organisation in the UK authorised by participating publishers and authors to grant these permissions in the higher education sector. No alternative supplier can provide an equivalent licence covering the same copyright repertoire and permissions. The procurement therefore falls within the direct award provisions relating to exclusive copyright and intellectual property rights under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5 of the Act. 3. Reasons for Direct Award The University has determined that: CLA holds exclusive rights to grant the copyright permissions required. No reasonable alternative supplier exists for this requirement. Failure to secure the licence would place the University in breach of copyright law. 4. Estimated Contract Value The estimated value of the contract over the 48-month period (including potential renewals) is PS388,000 (excluding VAT). 5. Known Risks None identified. The University reserves the right to terminate or renew the subscription at its sole discretion.

### Procurement Information

1. Direct Award Justification This contract is being awarded by direct award in accordance with Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Direct Award in Special Cases) . The justification for direct award is set out under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5 (Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights) of the Act. 2. Justification Narrative The University requires a Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) Higher Education Licence to lawfully support the copying, digitisation, storage and distribution of copyrighted extracts from books, journals, magazines and certain digital publications for teaching, learning, administration and research purposes. The CLA Licence is not a discretionary subscription but the legal mechanism enabling the University to comply with copyright law. CLA is the sole collective licensing organisation in the UK authorised by participating publishers and authors to grant these permissions in the higher education sector. No alternative supplier can provide an equivalent licence covering the same copyright repertoire and permissions. The procurement therefore falls within the direct award provisions relating to exclusive copyright and intellectual property rights under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5 of the Act . 3. Reasons for Direct Award The University has determined that: CLA holds exclusive rights to grant the copyright permissions required. No reasonable alternative supplier exists for this requirement. Failure to secure the licence would place the University in breach of copyright law.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077862-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 6 Aug 2026 |
| Contract period | 1 Sep 2026 - 31 Jul 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £388,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | University of Keele |
| Locality | KEELE, STAFFORDSHIRE, |
| Postcode area | Stoke-on-Trent |
| Postcode | ST5 5NB |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLG2 Shropshire and Staffordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLG24 Staffordshire CC |
| Local authority | Newcastle-under-Lyme |
| Electoral ward | Keele |
| Westminster constituency | Newcastle-under-Lyme |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | COPYRIGHT LICENSING AGENCY LIMITED(THE) |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79980000 - Subscription services

## Release History

- 14 Aug 2026 at 17:15 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077862-2026
- 13 Aug 2026 at 17:08 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077423-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077862-2026
  14th August 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077423-2026
  13th August 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.cla.co.uk
- http://www.keele.ac.uk
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-06e401. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e401.json.