SpringerNature Read and Publish Agreement for UKHSA staff

Tender description

This VEAT notice is to indicate that UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) intends to award a contract to Jisc Services Limited. This agreement will allow UKHSA staff to publish Open Access articles in the SpringerNature Hybrid journals without incurring any publication charges at the time of submission. Lot 1: The read and publish agreement can only be invoiced from JISC Services Limited<br/><br/>The use of an STW in this circumstance is permissible under Regulation 32 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015, namely 32(2)(b) (ii) and/or (iii): <br/>"General grounds <br/>(2) The negotiated procedure without prior publication may be used for public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts in any of the following cases: <br/>……. <br/>b) where the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator for any of the following reasons: <br/>……. <br/>(ii) competition is absent for technical reasons, (iii) the protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights, but only, in the case of paragraphs (ii) and (iii), where no reasonable alternative or substitute exists and the absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement;" The current circumstances (i.e. the supplier as the only viable source of the relevant intellectual property rights) are beyond the control of UKHSA.<br/><br/>No third-party resellers or agents can facilitate access to the agreement; JISC have confirmed they are the only method of procurement.<br/><br/>In addition, I have carried out my own due diligence and received confirmation from SpringNature that this agreement specifically, the procurement would need to be via Jisc, purchase isn’t available directly with Springer Nature.