Purpose

The value of tThe purpose of this report is to seek approval, in accordance with Contract Procedure Rule 5.3.2(b) to award a contract to Lyreco UK Ltd for the provision of Office Supplies from 1st October 2026 to 30th September 2028, including options to extend for further periods of time up to a maximum of 24 months in aggregate, to 30th September 2030.

The reason for the decision is that a compliant procurement exercise has been undertaken under the terms and conditions of ESPO Framework 1021in accordance with Contract Procedure Rule 5.3.2(b), and Lyreco UK Ltd has been identified as providing the most advantageous offer to the Council.

he contract to be awarded exceeds £250,000.

Decision

(i)       That, in accordance with Contract Procedure Rule 5.3.2 (b) and the outcome of a competitive process conducted under the terms and conditions of YPO Framework 1021 a contract be awarded to Lyreco UK Ltd for the provision of Office Supplies from 1st October 2026 to 30th September 2028, including options to extend for further periods of time up to a maximum of 24 months in aggregate, to 30th September 2030.

(ii)       That the Procurement Team be authorised to make the necessary arrangements for the issue of the relevant contract documentation.

Alternative options considered

Do Nothing: This option was considered and rejected because the Council requires a contract with an office supplies provider to ensure staff have the appropriate equipment to carry out their duties and the price of that equipment is secured to ensure budget management.

Seek competition outside of framework (Quotation/ Tender): Due the limited timescales and the collaborative nature of this procurement with six other local authorities, utilising an existing framework agreement represented the most appropriate procurement route. It enabled the contract to be awarded within the required timeframe and removed the risk of a gap in service provision should the current contract expire before a full open tender exercise is undertaken.  For these reasons, the option to conduct a competitive exercise outside of a framework was considered and rejected.