128_26 Art Papers and Board - Preliminary market engagement

This is for a Preliminary market engagement (PME) where the tender documentation is not yet available. However, interest (Expressions of interest) can be registered here, and which will then allow a Request for Information questionnaire to be completed as detailed below (THE RFI RESPONSE DEADLINE IS 12/05/2025, and the overall engagement period is due to end on 18/07/2025, although the Expression of interest window may be kept open beyond these dates).

PLEASE ACCESS THE MESSAGES AREA/SECTION ON THE ACTIVITY DASHBOARD (ONCE AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST HAS BEEN COMPLETED) FOR ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS FOR THIS PRELIMINARY MARKET ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING THE RFI DOCUMENTATION (although please note the RFI response deadline as captured above).

ESPO is a trading department of Leicestershire County Council. It is a non-profit making body owned and operated jointly by six local authorities. We provide a catalogue range, providing our customers with access to over 28,000 products that cover all key areas of education and wider public sector requirements.

This Preliminary market engagement notice (PMEN) is being published to alert the supplier market that ESPO is looking to establish a Framework for the supply of Art Papers and Board. The products covered by this proposed Framework will be purchased for re-sale, and orders will be placed according to demand.

Delivery shall typically be to ESPO's distribution centre in Leicester. Also, a small number of products will require delivery directly to ESPO's customers throughout the UK.

The Framework is envisaged to include the following Lots (subject to change):

Lot 1 - Bulk Paper Packs
Lot 2 - Poster, Display and Corrugated Paper
Lot 3 - Sugar and Crepe Paper
Lot 4 - Miscellaneous Paper
Lot 5 - Recycled Tinted Dyed Card
Lot 6 - Virgin Tinted Dyed Card
Lot 7 - Coated Card
Lot 8 - Mount Board and Foam Board

The above Lot structure is for information only and some details may be amended within the invitation to tender.

The duration of the framework agreement is expected to be for 13 months, with the option to extend for up to a further 35 months. The total estimated value stated includes the option period.

This Preliminary market engagement aims to identify capable suppliers in the market with track record in delivering goods within this product category. We are requesting information from relevant organisations to help us define our requirements, and we are seeking to cover a range of topics designed to best explore our requirements in a possible future procurement. These topics may include:

1. develop ESPO's requirements and approach to the procurement
2. help better identify suitable suppliers in the market and their supply chains
3. understand products/service offerings from suppliers and the marketplace in general

Engagement with suppliers is anticipated to be a mix of methods, including Requests for Information (RFI) and meetings (both virtual and/or in-person). Visits to supplier's premises may also be used where deemed to be of particular use.

Notwithstanding the above process, as this procurement exercise is a renewal of an existing ESPO framework, ESPO reserves the right to engage with some, all or none of the incumbent suppliers appointed to the existing framework, alongside any additional suppliers identified following expressions of interest being captured and/or the above RFI exercise.

Note: for any questions relating to the operation of the Portal itself, ProContract, these should be submitted to Proactis, and the following links (URL's) can be used for this for supplier support and system technical queries: https://www.proactis.com/uk/support-login/ or via https://suppliersupport.proactisservicedesk.com/. OTHERWISE, ANY QUESTIONS RELATING TO THIS PME should be submitted to ESPO by accessing the Messages area/section once an Expression of interest has been completed.

Suppliers should note that this is a preliminary market engagement exercise (and NOT a competitive tender process at this stage). The participation of a supplier in this preliminary market engagement will not constitute any contractual agreement between the respondent and ESPO.

A supplier's participation, or lack of participation, in this preliminary market engagement shall not impact the ability of the supplier to participate in any resulting tender exercise. Suppliers should note that any interest indicated does not constitute a commitment to participate in any future tendering exercise.

For further details on the Procurement Act, including registration on the Central Digital Platform, this can be found as follows:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/information-and-guidance-for-suppliers

Or otherwise, please refer to the ESPO Website as follows:

https://www.espo.org/the-procurement-act-2023