United Kingdom27 days leftOpen

Star Academies - Multifunctional Devices (MFDs) and Associated Products, Services and Support

Tender Overview

ORGANIZATION

STAR ACADEMIES

LOCATION

United Kingdom, United Kingdom

VALUE

£9,600,000

DEADLINE

March 02, 2026 at 09:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

30100000

REFERENCE

008238-2026

Project Timeline

Contact Information

View Original

Original Tender Description

Star Academies (Star) is a not-for-profit multi-academy trust. As one of the UK’s leading trusts, Star runs a diverse network of primary and secondary schools across the UK. Star currently comprises 36 schools - 11 primary schools, 23 secondary schools and two ‘all through’ schools. There is also a Head Office and Professional Development institute, both based in Blackburn. Our schools are located in five regional clusters: Lancashire, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, West Midlands and Greater London. The trust is expected to grow over the lifetime of the contract. Further details about the trust can be found on our website: www.staracademies.org. Star Academies are looking to run an FTS (above threshold) competitive flexible procedure compliant under PA2023 to appoint a single suitable supplier across the trust. The supplier selected will be able to provide a complete service for the provision of multifunctional devices (MFD) and associated products, services and support in line with this PSQ and the final ITT documents. Whilst the tender will be used as a basis for future works and pricing, the trust are looking to engage suppliers who will work collaboratively with us and tailor their approach, so that they are able to meet the specific needs of the trust. This procurement also seeks to ensure that value for money is achieved for the trust and that the trust’s MFD assets are pro-actively managed, maintained and run in an efficient and consistent way across the entire estate. The contract with the successful tenderer is intended to commence on 01 June 2026 and will be awarded for maximum of 5 years and the successful bidder will remain on the contract for this period subject to performance and company stability (i.e. the company not going into administration). Star are looking to shortlist up to six (6) suppliers, identified from in the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ), to receive the ITT pack which will provide a more detailed set of requirements (The trust reserves the right to take more than six suppliers through to ITT where scores at PSQ are so close as to make it difficult to draw a distinction between bidders).Bidders should assume that the ITT will include, but not be limited to: • General service requirements • MFD standard hardware devices and functionality • MFD Leasing and capital purchase arrangements • Cloud based print management software • MFD Maintenance, consumables, support and service provisions • Device utilisation management • Management information and reporting The trust will provide a draft contract during the PSQ stage. Star’s preference is to engage with suppliers directly who will manage all aspects of the contract in house. If sub-contracts are required to meet the scope of this tender, these should be minimised. Any subcontracted arrangements must meet the same terms as the contract and will be the responsibility of the main supplier to manage.
⚠️

MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • The bidding company must not be in administration or similar insolvency proceedings.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Be a single suitable supplier capable of providing a complete service for multifunctional devices (MFD) and associated products, services, and support.
  • Be willing to work collaboratively with Star Academies and tailor their approach to meet specific trust needs.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to achieving value for money for the trust.
  • Be capable of ensuring MFD assets are proactively managed, maintained, and run efficiently and consistently across the entire estate.
  • Have the capability to scale services to accommodate the trust's expected growth over the contract lifetime.
  • Be able to manage all aspects of the contract in-house (preference).
  • If sub-contracts are required, they must be minimized.
  • Ensure any subcontracted arrangements meet the same terms as the main contract.
  • Take full responsibility for managing any subcontracted arrangements.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Provide a complete service for multifunctional devices (MFD) and associated products, services, and support.
  • Supply MFD standard hardware devices and functionality.
  • Offer MFD Leasing and capital purchase arrangements.
  • Provide cloud-based print management software.
  • Deliver comprehensive MFD Maintenance, consumables, support, and service provisions.
  • Implement device utilisation management.
  • Provide management information and reporting capabilities.
  • Proactively manage, maintain, and run MFD assets in an efficient and consistent way across the entire estate.
  • Tailor solutions to meet the specific needs of the trust.
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Demonstrate how value for money will be achieved for the trust.
  • Be capable of offering both MFD leasing and capital purchase arrangements.
  • Possess the financial capacity to manage a contract with an estimated value of 9,600,000 EUR.
📋

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Submit a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) for shortlisting.
  • Respond to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) pack, which will include (but not be limited to) general service requirements, MFD standard hardware devices and functionality, MFD Leasing and capital purchase arrangements, cloud-based print management software, MFD Maintenance, consumables, support and service provisions, device utilisation management, and management information and reporting.
  • Review the draft contract provided during the PSQ stage.
  • Submit the bid by the deadline of 2026-03-02T09:00:00+00:00.

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DOC
OCDS Record
OCDS Data008238-2026_ocds_record.json
Summary:
Star Academies seeks a single supplier for multifunctional devices (MFD) and related services for its 36 schools and growing trust, with a 5-year contract starting June 2026, shortlisting up to six suppliers via a PSQ before the ITT stage.
DOC
OCDS Release Package
OCDS Data008238-2026_ocds_release.json
Summary:
Star Academies seeks a single supplier for a 5-year contract starting June 2026 to provide multifunctional devices (MFDs) and related services across its UK schools, with shortlisted suppliers proceeding to an ITT after a PSQ.
PDF
Official PDF Version
Administrative Documents008238-2026_official.pdf
Summary:
Star Academies seeks a single supplier for a 5-year contract to provide multifunctional devices (MFDs) and related services, including leasing, maintenance, and cloud-based print management, across its 36 schools and growing estate, with an initial PSQ stage to shortlist bidders.
HTM
Tender Notice
General Information008238-2026.html
Summary:
Star Academies seeks a single supplier for multifunctional devices (MFDs) and related services for its 36 schools, with a 5-year contract starting June 2026, shortlisting up to six suppliers via a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) before the final ITT.

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56
Fair

Tender Quality Score

This tender for MFDs and associated services demonstrates good clarity in its description and requirements but is significantly hampered by the critical absence of evaluation criteria and lack of e-submission, impacting legal compliance, fairness, and practicality.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance55/100

The tender defines the procedure type and CPV code appropriately and states compliance with PA2023. However, the critical absence of specified evaluation criteria is a major legal compliance concern, as is the missing tender reveal date. No disputes or suspensions are noted.

Missing evaluation criteria
Missing tender reveal date
Clarity60/100

The description of the trust's needs, the scope of services, and the AI-extracted requirements are generally clear and well-documented. However, the lack of specified evaluation criteria significantly reduces overall clarity for potential bidders regarding how their proposals will be assessed.

Missing evaluation criteria
Completeness55/100

Basic information, financial details, timeline, and location are adequately provided. Requirements are outlined, and documents are available. Nevertheless, the fundamental omission of evaluation criteria represents a significant gap in the tender's completeness.

Missing evaluation criteria
Fairness50/100

The estimated value is disclosed, and the requirements do not appear tailored to a specific company. The time provided for the PSQ stage (33 days from today's date) is reasonable. However, the absence of transparent evaluation criteria severely compromises the fairness and objectivity of the procurement process. The lack of e-submission also presents a barrier to equal access.

Missing evaluation criteria
No e-submission
Practicality55/100

The contract start date and duration are clearly specified, and financing information (estimated value) is available. A significant practical drawback is the absence of electronic submission capabilities, which can increase administrative burden and reduce efficiency.

No electronic submission supported
Data Consistency85/100

Key fields are mostly populated, and dates are logical and consistent. There are no reported suspensions or disputes. Minor inconsistencies include missing codes for the procedure type and an empty 'Liable Person' field.

Missing procedure type codes
Empty 'Liable Person' field
Sustainability20/100

The tender does not include any explicit requirements or considerations related to green procurement, social aspects, or innovation. It is also not EU funded, which often correlates with higher sustainability standards.

No green procurement criteria
No social criteria

Strengths

Clear description of scope and organizational needs
Detailed AI-extracted requirements
Value, duration, and contract start date clearly specified
CPV code and procedure type defined
No disputes or suspensions reported

Concerns

Critical absence of evaluation criteria
Lack of electronic submission capability
No explicit sustainability or social considerations
Missing tender reveal date
Minor data inconsistencies (e.g., missing codes)

Recommendations

1. Immediately publish detailed evaluation criteria for both PSQ and ITT stages to ensure legal compliance and fairness.
2. Implement an electronic submission platform to enhance accessibility and efficiency for bidders.
3. Integrate sustainability (environmental and social) and innovation criteria into future tender documents.

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C
Tender Quality Score
56/ 100 · Fair

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