Printed matter and related products

Tender description

The contracting Authority is responsible for ensuring security and continuity of the supply of high quality banknotes. The Authority wishes to establish a framework under which it can purchase Polymer Substrate for the next 50 GBP banknote and the current 5 GBP and 10 GBP banknotes. (Polymer Substrate means a substrate proven to be suitable for banknote printing consisting of 100 % biaxially orientated polypropylene film and printed opacification layers). The Authority places significant importance on the supplier meeting its technical specifications for the Polymer Substrate and implementing robust quality management, security and business continutiy processes. The Framework Agreement will provide for an initial period of development (including pre-production trials) and then continue for approximately 96 months. Future banknote volumes and contract values are difficult to forecast given that they are dependent on future public demand for banknotes. The Authority estimates that Polymer Substrate may be required for up to 2 500 000 000 banknotes over the life of the Framework Agreement. Electronic access to the standard Selection Questionnaire is available at www.bankofenglandtenders.co.uk. In order to protect essential security interests in respect of national currency (and in accordance with the ability for the Authority to impose requirements aimed at protecting the confidential nature of the information in the procurement documents) access to procurement documents (other than the standard Selection Questionnaire) is restricted to those suppliers who are invited to tender following the evaluation of all the responses to the standard Selection Questionnaire. All suppliers invited to tender will be required to enter into a confidentiality agreement with the Authority prior to such documents being provided.