Procurement - publishing, print, design and associated services lot 3 framework agreement: buyers guide

Key objectives of the framework agreement

The Contractor shall be required to provide a range of services in relation to special label print services. NHS Boards will order on an ad-hoc basis as and when a requirement arises or may award a call off contract to a Contractor for all or certain elements of their organisation’s print requirement, for a period/duration. For duration call-off contracts, Framework Public Bodies are required to use the Contract exclusively for the scope of their requirement.

The Contractor shall be required to deliver the full scope of the services listed herein whether that be via an in-house capability or by means of sub-contracting. The Contractor shall propose the best Value for Money solution for all print requirements.

The Specification is Performance/Output based and as such focuses on the function of the Goods and Services required.

The Specification is built around a description of what the requirement is rather than a description of how it should be delivered and welcomes innovation in the marketplace, thereby, allowing and encouraging the Contractor to propose modern, sustainable solutions throughout the term of the Framework Agreement.

Production management

The contractor shall provide a production management service, offering advice and assistance regarding the most cost-effective method of delivering a job to meet the required purpose.

Print production

The contractor must be able to provide as a minimum the following items in varying volumes:

• plain label with vertical face slits
• pre-printed label with horizontal and vertical face slits
• pre-printed label – numbering across the web
• plain label
• labels with tamper evidence
• barcode and thermal transfer labels

The contractor must be able to provide, as a minimum, the paper below, in such volumes and timescales as requested by the framework public body:

• plain label
• pre-printed label with horizontal and vertical face slits
• pre-printed label – numbering across the web
• plain label

The Contractor must be able to provide, as a minimum, additional processes as detailed below:

• production of labels with glue to withstand -40 degrees Celsius
• production of labels with a waterproof property, both pre-printed and blank for onsite printing
• production of labels complying to iso 10993-17:2002 (or equivalent)
• production of labels with barcodes complying with international society of blood Transfusion (ISBT) 128

The contractor must hold or provide an undertaking prior to commencement of the framework agreement, ICCBBA (International Council for Commonality in Blood Banking Automation) and provide printed bar codes which meet the standards stipulated by the ICCBBA. Bidders who cannot commit to gaining the accreditation, prior to award of Framework will be excluded from consideration for this Lot. Prior to award of the framework, Scottish Government will seek proof that this accreditation requirements have been fully complied with.

The Contractor must work to the standards for medical labels in accordance with the ICCBBA & Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Print requirements shall include finishing, storage, stock call off arrangements and distribution.

Stock holding

The Contractor shall be able to provide a stock holding and stock call off facility for all finished goods. The cost for stock holding, where required, shall be included in the total cost of the Print job

Fulfilment and distribution services

The contractor shall hold, update and make available on request standard distribution lists used by the framework public bodies. these lists shall be used to distribute, on demand, printed materials produced and shall be available to the framework public bodies at all times.

The contractor shall prepare documents for distribution, copying, addressing, labelling, packaging and placing in external and internal transit envelopes as necessary to meet the requirements of the framework public bodies. the output must be delivered by the contractor to the framework public body’s nominated address(es), adhering strictly to any restrictions or special security measures which are advised to the contractor by the framework public body.

The contractor must prioritise the supply of orders appropriately.

The contractor shall be advised on a job-by-job basis which lists are to be used for distribution purposes. The contractor shall also be notified of any additional addressee details for specific projects. for each job, the framework public body shall notify the contractor of the number of copies to be sent to each addressee where this is more than one copy otherwise the contractor shall assume that one copy only per addressee is to be sent.