Purpose

This report seeks approval to award a contract to replace digital hardware in libraries

Decision

For the reasons set out in this report, the Corporate Director has decided to:

1)    Award a contract to the successful bidder identified in Appendix 3 for the replacement of digital hardware in the Council’s libraries. The contract is estimated to commence in August 2026, for a period of five years, at a cost of £162,408.70 excluding VAT, with option to extend the contract by up to two years at a cost of £18,710.00 excluding VAT if the extension option is taken making a total of £181,118.70.

Alternative options considered

Retention of the current digital hardware is not possible as it is outdated and, in most cases, unusable. This does not reflect a modern library service.