Find a TenderAwarded without competition

Published 17 Jun 2026, 15:11 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Libraries Digital Content · UK public procurement notice

Official notice

Authority: Somerset Council (Local council)

ServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competitionSME suitable

Sectors: Recreational, cultural and sporting services (92) Delivery: South West (UKK)

Awarded value£2,000,000published contract · exc. VAT

Awarded 15 Aug 2025no call for competition

Awarded to BOLINDA UK LTD

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Somerset Council is the lead authority for the Libraries West Consortium which also comprises Bath & North East Somerset Council, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole) Council, Bristol City Council, Dorset Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council. Somerset Council is also working in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council (to procure E Books & E Audio Books) and Plymouth City Council (to procure E Magazines and E Newspapers).

An options paper which was circulated across the consortium, the decision was taken to go out to tender under ESPO Framework Agreement 376E_24 Digital Library Content and Print Books.

CPV: Library services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Lot #1Somerset Council, on behalf of itself and other named local authorities, following a…Awarded

Somerset Council, on behalf of itself and other named local authorities, following a compliant procurement exercise is looking to award a contract to a single supplier for the following content:

E books (Bath & North East Somerset, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole), Bristol, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Somerset, South Gloucestershire)

E audio books (Bath & North East Somerset, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole), Bristol, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Somerset, South Gloucestershire)

E magazines (Bath & North East Somerset, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole), Bristol, Dorset, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire)

E newspapers (Bath & North East Somerset, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole), Bristol, Dorset, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire)

Delivery: South West

92511000 Library services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record · publisher note attached

Procedure method: Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis: CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category: Services
Notice status: Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold: Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type: Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered: Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement: Unspecified in notice
First published: 17 Jun 2026, 15:11 BST
Last source update: 17 Jun 2026, 15:11 BST
Authority reference: ERFX1001956
FTS notice number: 2026/S 000-057228
Classification (CPV): Library services
Delivery area: South West (UKK)
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06b740 Find a Tender

Why no open competition: The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
Published justification: An options paper which was circulated across the consortium, the decision was taken to go out to tender under ESPO Framework Agreement 376E_24 Digital Library Content and Print Books.
This procurement was carried out in accordance with the authority's Contract Procedure Rules and Standing Orders and Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015).
Suppliers were invited to submit a response to the Further Competition through the e-Tendering System.

Publisher note: Each authority will manage its own spend, £2,000,000 is the maximum amount that will be spent across the authorities through the duration of this contract

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Awards 1

Awarded value £2,000,0001 contract exc. VAT

Bids received 22 from SMEs

Contracts signed 1latest 15 Aug 2025

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
BOLINDA UK LTDSME	£2,000,000 †	—	Awarded

Contracts

Libraries Digital Content · BOLINDA UK LTDSME
Signed
15 Aug 2025
Value
£2,000,000
Status
active

Bid statistics published by the authority

Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
2bids · 2 electronic	2	—	—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Somerset Council

Contracting authorityLocal CouncilRegional or local authorityRecreation, culture and religion County Hall, The Crescent, Taunton, South West, TA14DYContact name, email, phone

Dispute resolution & review bodies

Public Procurement Organisation Number: PPGC-1434-MQPJReview body London

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Bolinda UK LTDAwarded supplierGB-COH: 05086231 London, London, WC1N 2EB

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.