Find a TenderAwardedContract award notice

Published 30 Mar 2026, 11:18 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Sight & Sound Retail Distribution

Authority: British Film Institute (Charity / VCSE)

ServicesBelow threshold - open competitionBelow thresholdSME suitable

Sectors: Printed matter and related products (22)Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services (55)Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: Delivery location not published

Budget not disclosed£0exc. VAT

Submissions closed 21 Apr 2026awarded 22 May 2026

Awarded to i-can Publisher Services Ltd

Contract term 3 yrsends 31 May 2029 · up to 31 May 2031 with extensions · starts 1 Jun 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The British Film Institute (BFI) is seeking a supplier to deliver retail distribution services for the Sight & Sound magazine to both the UK and international markets, on a three years plus two further optional years basis, totalling five potential years.

Having recently redesigned and relaunched the magazine to a hugely positive response from industry and readers, the BFI are seeking a distribution partner that is the best fit for the efficient management of the magazine’s retail sales as well as providing the best opportunities for growing the magazine’s business.  We welcome applications from consultants, agencies or directly from the distributor themselves to provide this service.

This requirement is below the PA23 threshold, but is being undertaken as a competitive process under the Open Procedure in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023), as best practice.

CPV: Newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazines · Printing and distribution services · Retail trade services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published

Lot #1AwardedRenewal 3 yrsPublished value£0

Contract period: 1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2029 (3 yrs) · up to 31 May 2031 with extensions

Extensions: 2 potential years upon mutual agreement

22200000 Newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazines 55900000 Retail trade services 79824000 Printing and distribution services

What it takes to win
i
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more

How bids were scored

Lot awarding rule: Quality 75% Price 25% Details on the break down are as per tender documents

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record

Procedure method: Below threshold - open competition
Legal basis: UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category: Services
Notice status: Awarded
Procurement threshold: Below threshold
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type: Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered: Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement: Unspecified in notice
First published: 30 Mar 2026, 11:18 BST
Last source update: 22 May 2026, 10:27 BST
Authority reference: 2025-447
FTS notice number: 2026/S 000-028970
Latest notice: Contract award notice (UK6)
Classification (CPV): Newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazinesPrinting and distribution servicesRetail trade services
Delivery area: Not published
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-067788 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice

Run through: In-tend · Who buys & how to bid on In-tend

Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowed

Access & registration note: Free · one account per buying organisation's portal · reCAPTCHA on signup

Submission deadline: 21 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
Clarification deadline: 16 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
Submission channel: Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission: Allowed

Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

To take part in this tender, please visit our website, at in-tendhost.co.uk/bfi/aspx/Tenders/Cur… ↗ , where you will need to register, if you haven’t already, and express an interest in this opportunity to access the relevant documents. Please note expressions of interest will only be accepted via the portal.

Timeline

30 Mar 2026 → 1 Jun 2026 · 5 dates

Tender notice published210 days ago
30 Mar 2026, 11:18 BST
Clarification questions by193 days ago
16 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
Submission deadline188 days ago
21 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
Latest notice published157 days ago
22 May 2026, 10:27 BST
Contract starts148 days ago
1 Jun 2026, 00:00 BST

Notice history

4 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 30 Mar 2026

Tender notice published
30 Mar 2026, 11:18 BST
UK4
Contract award notice published
22 May 2026, 10:27 BST
UK6
Status changed to complete
22 May 2026, 10:27 BST
Contract signature expected
28 May 2026, 23:59 BST
scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Awards 1

Awarded value (inc. VAT) £136,5541 award inc. VAT; no net value published

Bids received 44 from SMEs

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
i-can Publisher Services Ltd1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2029 · up to 31 May 2031Extensions: 2 year possible extension to 2031	£136,554 inc. VAT	22 May 2026	Awarded

Bid statistics published by the authority

Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
4final-stage tenders	4	0	—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

British Film Institute

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-CHC: 287780 21 STEPHEN STREET, LONDON, London, W1T 1LNContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

i-can Publisher Services LtdAwarded supplierGB-COH: 05192465 20 Grantham Avenue, Great Notley, Braintree, East of England, CM77 7FPContact email

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender22 May 2026, 10:27 BST
Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender30 Mar 2026, 11:18 BST