Printed matter and related products

Tender description

The Association of North East Councils Ltd Trading as the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) seeks to establish a framework agreement for the provision of election and electoral registration printing and related services for use by contracting authorities throughout the United Kingdom. The future framework agreement will replace the existing NEPO504 framework which expires 30 November 2021. NEPO seeks to procure a framework agreement for electoral and election register printing. The purpose of this prior information notice (PIN) is to provide advance notice to the market for the future opportunity and the intentions of NEPO to hold market consultation meetings with suppliers to help shape the future framework agreement. NEPO are not advertising this PIN as a mechanism to reduce future procurement timescales. Market consultations meetings are advertised openly via this PIN but will be limited in number. Market consultation meetings are to take place across 22 September 2020 and 23 September 2020. Suppliers wishing to register attendance must do so in writing via email to Stephanie Westgarth (Stephanie.westgarth@nepo.org) by no later than 12 p.m. (noon) on 17 September 2020. Each appointment will be no longer than 1 hour. NEPO intend to conduct these sessions virtually through online meeting platforms to ensure the safety of those wishing to attend. NEPO anticipates that these virtual meetings will take place through Microsoft Teams or other secure meeting platforms. The time and platform for each appointment will be confirmed following the registration deadline. Places will be secured on a first come, first serve basis. Suppliers wishing to attend the virtual market consultation meetings should be capable of meeting the requirements under this Framework Agreement. NEPO reserves the right to seek assurances from interested suppliers prior to allocating an appointment that they can demonstrate the required capability and capacity to deliver this framework agreement. Attendance at the market consultation is optional and does not provide suppliers with an advantage in any future related procurement. Attendance also does not constitute as an intention to tender for any future related procurement. Please note the above dates may be subject to change depending on availability and supplier uptake. In addition to the market consultation meetings, NEPO also intends to publish a soft market testing questionnaire via the NEPO portal. The questionnaire will allow a further opportunity for those suppliers unable to attend the market consultation meetings to contribute towards shaping the future NEPO504 framework agreement design. The soft market testing questionnaire will be made accessible via the NEPO portal. Suppliers wishing to access and complete must first register on the portal using the following link https://procontract.due-north.com/register?openform