AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
The Open University has concluded and signed a closed framework for printed educational book production with HOBBS THE PRINTERS LIMITED and STERLING PRESS LIMITED. The framework covers paper supply, printing, finishing and binding, with delivery to the university’s Milton Keynes warehouse.
Published outcomeOne active, signed framework contract was awarded jointly to two verified suppliers. The published gross contract value is £6.5 million and is shared across the framework; no supplier-level or lot-level allocation is published.
Market significanceThis is a multi-supplier printing framework with a two-year initial term and up to two additional one-year extensions, creating a potential four-year route to market for printed learning-material production.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
2 supplier records analysed
HOBBS THE PRINTERS LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · Shared framework value; individual allocation not published GBP · Verified supplier; jointly awarded
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Award 1 lists GB-COH-00422132 as a supplier; supplier verification matches company number 00422132 and legal name HOBBS THE PRINTERS LIMITED.
STERLING PRESS LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · Shared framework value; individual allocation not published GBP · Verified supplier; jointly awarded
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Award 1 lists GB-COH-02386753 as a supplier; supplier verification matches company number 02386753 and legal name STERLING PRESS LIMITED.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Current record
99% confidenceActive signed contract/framework
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Contract 1 is marked active and gives dateSigned as 2026-10-06; the tender is a closed framework agreement.
Award announcement
98% confidence14 September 2026
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Award record 1 lists award_date 2026-09-14; release history includes a Contract award notice on that date.
Contract details published
99% confidence13 October 2026
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Contract details notice 096469-2026 has datePublished 2026-10-13.
VALUES
Published values explained
Published gross contract value
99% confidence£6,500,000
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 6500000 GBP.
Value allocation
99% confidenceNot published by supplier or lot
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The single contract value is associated with joint award 1, which names two suppliers; no individual supplier or lot values are supplied.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Preliminary market engagement notice
97% confidence28 January 2026
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Release history records notice 007760-2026 on 2026-01-28.
Tender notice
97% confidence10 March 2026
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Release history records notice 021564-2026 on 2026-03-10.
Award notice
99% confidence14 September 2026
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Release history records notice 087028-2026 on 2026-09-14.
Contract signed and started
99% confidence6 October 2026
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Contract 1 gives dateSigned and period.startDate as 2026-10-06.
Initial term end
99% confidence5 October 2028
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Contract 1 period.endDate is 2028-10-05.
Maximum possible end date
99% confidence5 October 2030
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Contract 1 period.maxExtentDate is 2030-10-05.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidencePrinted book production for educational materials
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The tender description specifies paper supply, printing, finishing and binding of educational materials.
Delivery
95% confidenceThe Open University warehouse, Milton Keynes
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Description states delivery into The Open University's warehouse; award delivery address is region UKJ12 and the buyer address is Milton Keynes.
Classification
99% confidenceCPV 22110000 — Printed books
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Award item 1 contains CPV 22110000, described as Printed books.
Lot structure
99% confidenceOne lot
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Tender and award data identify related lot 1 only.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceSelective
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Tender procurementMethod is selective.
Procedure detail
99% confidenceCompetitive flexible procedure
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states Competitive flexible procedure.
Commercial vehicle
99% confidenceClosed framework with and without reopening competition
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Tender techniques identify a closed framework with method withAndWithoutReopeningCompetition.
Call-off basis
99% confidenceTechnical specifications, price, operational requirements, supplier capability, performance and available capacity
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Framework agreement description lists these call-off considerations.
Competition metrics
99% confidenceNot published
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Initial term
99% confidence2 years
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Contract period runs from 6 October 2026 to 5 October 2028; description also states an initial two-year period.
Extension option
99% confidenceUp to two 12-month extensions
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Contract renewal description states two twelve-month extension periods.
Maximum duration
99% confidence4 years
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Tender description states a maximum duration of four years; contract maxExtentDate is 5 October 2030.
Ordering arrangements
97% confidenceCall-offs typically placed by the OU production planning function using agreed ordering processes, pricing schedules and rate cards
View supporting evidence
Framework agreement description sets out the proposed call-off arrangement.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Supplier opportunity
96% confidenceThe two appointed suppliers may receive call-offs under an active closed framework, but call-off volumes and allocation are not published.
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The framework description says call-off orders will be placed with the two suppliers; no allocations or volumes are published.
Demand profile
98% confidenceAnnual production spans a range of publication formats for student learning materials.
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Tender description refers to annual production volumes across a range of publication formats for students.
Price and capacity relevance
99% confidencePublished call-off criteria include price, capability, performance and available capacity.
View supporting evidence
Framework agreement description lists these criteria.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Shared award value
99% confidence£6.5 million is a framework-level gross value and cannot be attributed to either supplier.
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One contract value is published against joint award 1, which has two suppliers.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
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Lot record 1 contains null title, description and value fields.
Competition and evaluation information
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid counts, scores, rankings or award rationale are provided.
Conflict-of-interest document
99% confidenceNot published
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Tender document conflictOfInterest is described as Not published.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The £6.5 million gross value is shared across a two-supplier framework; supplier-level and lot-level values are not published.
- Lot 1 has no published title or description beyond the overall procurement scope.
- Information on bids received, tender evaluation, scoring, pricing, call-off volume and supplier allocation is not supplied in the published notice.
- The published extension option does not confirm that either extension will be exercised.
- No conflict-of-interest document was published.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Open University printed book productionHOBBS THE PRINTERS LIMITEDSTERLING PRESS LIMITEDprinting frameworkeducational materialsFind a Tender
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won The Open University's printed book production framework?
HOBBS THE PRINTERS LIMITED and STERLING PRESS LIMITED were jointly appointed to the framework.
What is the value of the framework?
The published gross contract value is £6.5 million. It is a shared framework value, not an allocation to either supplier.
When does the framework run?
It started on 6 October 2026 and has an initial end date of 5 October 2028, with up to two optional 12-month extensions.
ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.