Decision

Salford City Council – Record of Decision

I Councillor Youd, Lead Member for Finance and Support Services and chairman of the Procurement Board, accept the recommendation of the Procurement Board and in exercise of the powers contained within the Council Constitution do hereby approve:

• to Award the Contract for Electoral Services Print Contract, as detailed in the table below:

Detail required

Answers

Title/Description of Contracted Service/Supply/Project

Elections Print Contract

Procurement Reference numbers (DN and CR number supplied by Procurement)

S1105

Civica Election Services Ltd

Supplier Registration Number

(to be supplied by Procurement

02263092

Proclass Classification No.

(to be completed by procurement)

191600

Type of organisation

(to be supplied by Procurement)

Private Limited Company

Status of Organisation

(to be supplied by Procurement)

Non-SME

Contract Value (£)

£ 140,000 per annum

Total contract value £ (including extensions)

£ 560,000 total project value

Contract Duration

24 months

Contract Start Date

08/01/2026

Contract End Date

07/01/2028

Optional Extension Period 1

12months

Optional Extension Period 2

12months

Who will approve each Extension Period?

Procurement Board (extension > £150k)

Contact Officer (Name & number)

Sara Bennett 793 3626

Lead Service Group

Reform & Transformation

How the contract was procured?

(to be supplied by procurement)

ITT

Framework Details (where applicable)

(procurement body, framework reference & title, start/ end date

GMCA 1534

Election Print Services

Funding Source

Revenue Budget

Ethical Contractor (EC): Mayor’s Employment Charter

Yes

EC: Committed to sign The Mayor’s Employment Charter

N/A

EC: Committed to the principles outlined in the Mayor’s Employment charter

N/A

EC: Accredited Living Wage Employer

No

EC: Committed to becoming Accredited Living wage Employer

No

?

The Reasons are:

The GMCA-led procurement for GMCA 1534 Election Print Services addresses the lessons learnt from previous framework and establishes a single-supplier framework for all statutory election and registration print services. This includes poll cards, postal vote packs, ballot papers, statutory notices, and the GM Mayoral Election booklet.

The framework ensures compliance with legal timetables, GDPR requirements, and operational resilience for both scheduled and unscheduled polls.

The contract covers the full range of statutory election and registration print services for GMCA and participating authorities that call off from it. This includes poll cards, postal vote packs, ballot papers, and the Greater Manchester Mayoral Election booklet, as well as annual canvass materials and business-as-usual registration documents. The supplier must ensure compliance with all legislative requirements, deliver high-quality products within strict statutory timetables, and provide secure data handling in line with GDPR.

Technical requirements include integration with Electoral Management Systems, robust quality assurance and proofing processes, postal optimisation, and contingency planning for urgent or unscheduled polls.

Options considered and rejected were:

Bids were received from Civica Election Services, Print Image Network, Print UK.com (CFH), and Harlow Printing Ltd.

Assessment of Risk: High:
The Returning Officer/ Electoral Registration Officer will be unable to meet his statutory obligations to deliver effective election or electoral registration without the provision of printing support services.

The source of funding is: Revenue Budget.

Legal Advice obtained: Yes.

Financial Advice obtained: Yes.

Procurement Advice obtained: Yes.

HR Advice obtained: N/A.

Climate Change Implications obtained: Yes.

Contact Officer: Sara Bennett

Telephone number: 0161 793 3626

Please delete from the bullets below any which are not relevant:

·     This matter is also subject to consider by the Lead Member for            . The Lead Member has been consulted and is supportive of the proposed contract.

·     This matter is not subject to consideration by another Lead Member.

Signed:     Cllr J Youd        Dated:    26 January 2026.

              Lead Member

FOR DEMOCRATIC SERVICES USE ONLY

*         This decision was published on 26 January 2026

*         This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 2 February 2026 unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.