Storage, Distribution, Kitting and Associated Services

Access a range of storage, distribution and kitting solutions and services under one agreement. Includes UK and international storage and transportation, quality control of items and specialist collection and delivery services.

Description

Central government departments and all other UK public sector bodies can use the services provided by this agreement. This includes:

  • local authorities
  • emergency services such as health, police, fire and rescue
  • education sector
  • devolved administrations

Services provided include (but are not limited to):

  • international air charter and freight services (transporting items by aircraft)
  • international rail freight services (transporting items by rail)
  • international sea freight services (transporting items by sea)
  • quality control of items being delivered into the UK to ensure conformity with associated standards
  • asset tracking
  • storage, fulfilment, transport and distribution within the UK and international destinations
  • collection and delivery of specialist items such as medical samples, specimens and pharmaceuticals including residential collections and drop off points
  • recycling and disposal services
  • print services such as brochures
  • cardboard and corrugated boxes
  • tamper proof seals and plastic mailing bags
  • medical packaging such as absorbent pads

This agreement is split across 7 lots. For more information about the services each lot can provide, read the ‘products and services’ section below.

It will run for 4 years with no extensions and will expire on 14 February 2026.

Benefits

  • uses the new public sector contract
    • this is a shorter and simpler standard template for contracting common goods and services
    • it includes industry standard terms for specific markets
  • 35% of suppliers are SME’s
  • complies with Procurement Policy Notice (PPN) 06/21 Carbon Net Zero (CNZ)
    • all agreement suppliers are required to have a Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) in place
  • as part of the tender process we evaluated social value (PPN 06/20) 
  • the suppliers have ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials accreditation or an equivalent
    • suppliers will also hold additional accreditation if relevant to the lot that they supply services for

Products and suppliers

There are 35 suppliers on this agreement

Lot 1a: International Storage
This sub-lot provides a range of services for secure storage and fulfilment in international locations. Services include but are not limited to:
  • inbound warehousing processes
  • warehouse storage
  • fulfilment services, order consolidation, merge in transit
  • packaging and goods/material handling equipment
  • stock control
  • inventory and asset management systems (including asset traceability)

Expires:

1 suppliers

Lot 1b: Air Freight and Air Charter Services
This sub-lot provides a range of services for managing the transportation of goods from international locations using air freight and air charter services. Services include but are not limited to:
  • charter booking services
  • air freight management
  • airport ground handling services for items arriving into the UK, such as loading and unloading cargo items

Expires:

4 suppliers

Lot 1c: Rail Freight Services
This sub-lot provides a range of services to help you transport goods by rail from international destinations. Services include but are not limited to:
  • managing and booking rail freight transportation
  • customs services and clearance, this includes preparing documents to allow items to be imported into the UK
  • shipping container movement and management
  • onward transportation of items arriving into the UK

Expires:

1 suppliers

Lot 1d: Road Freight Services
This sub-lot provides a range of services to transport goods by road from international destinations. Services include but are not limited to:
  • managing road freight services
  • providing specialist vehicles such as temperature controlled or vehicles capable of transporting bulky items
  • customs services and clearance, this includes preparing documents to allow items to be imported into the UK
  • onward transportation of items arriving into the UK

Expires:

1 suppliers

Lot 1e: Sea Freight
This sub-lot provides a range of services for transporting goods by sea from international destinations. Services include but are not limited to:
  • managing and booking freight services
  • container management and transportation
  • customs services and clearance, this includes preparing documents to allow items to be imported into the UK
  • onward transportation of items arriving into the UK

Expires:

4 suppliers

Lot 2: Quality Control

Provides a full range of services to support the quality and control of goods such as test kits and PPE. This covers goods being delivered from international locations or within the UK. Services include but are not limited to:

  • independent supplier assurance testing services, for example testing items produced by suppliers conform with the specification provided

  • accuracy testing in line with manufacturers guidelines

  • identifying non-conformance

Expires:

1 suppliers

Lot 3a: Storage
This sub-lot provides a range of storage solutions and related services. Services include but are not limited to:
  • inventory and asset management systems (including asset tracking)
  • inbound warehousing processes
  • warehouse storage
  • fulfilment services and order consolidation, for example picking and packaging items ready for dispatch
  • packaging of items and material handling equipment to enable the dispatch
  • stock control

Expires:

20 suppliers

Lot 3b: Kitting and Fulfilment Solutions and Services
This sub-lot provides a range of fulfilment and kitting solutions and services. Services include but are not limited to:
  • asset tracking
  • picking and packaging of products
  • unpacking received products into individual cases
  • preparing items for dispatch according to buyer needs

Expires:

14 suppliers

Lot 3c: Transport and Distribution
This sub-lot will provide a range of services for the transportation and distribution of items such as:
  • pallets
  • individual boxes
  • containers
  • medical equipment
  • large bulky items

Expires:

13 suppliers

Lot 4a: Residential Collections and Drop Off Points
This sub-lot will provide a range of services relating to:
  • the collection, delivery and transportation of specialist items to and from residential addresses
  • providing non contact drop off boxes
Examples of specialised items includes:
  • genetically modified organisms
  • any diagnostic and / or investigative specimens for laboratory analysis which are classified as UN 3373 (includes COVID-19 test kits)

Expires:

11 suppliers

Lot 4b: Specialist Collection and Delivery Services
This sub-lot provides a full suite of services for the collection and delivery of specialist items which may include (but is not limited to):
  • documents
  • sample specimens
  • controlled drugs
  • pharmaceuticals
  • medical supplies
  • associated medical equipment

Expires:

11 suppliers

Lot 5: Disposal and Recycling Services
Provides a range of services for the recycling and disposal of items which may include incineration, resale, donation and auctioning. Items may include, but are not limited to:
  • medical equipment
  • packaging
  • PPE
  • IT equipment

Expires:

7 suppliers

Lot 6: Print Services
Provides a range of print services and solutions which may include, but is not limited to:
  • print management services to help you manage your printing needs from proofing to distribution
  • bulk printing of print products
  • a full range of print products (envelopes, labels, folders)
  • a range of alternative formats (such as easy read, large print, alternative language, audio and braille)
  • print stock management and distribution
  • digital solutions and other methods of print output and onward delivery

Expires:

5 suppliers

Lot 7a: Cardboard Packaging
This sub-lot provides a range of cardboard packaging, which may include but is not limited to:
  • individual mailing boxes
  • large cardboard boxes

Expires:

6 suppliers

Lot 7b: Corrugated Packaging
This sub-lot provides a range of corrugated packaging, which may include but is not limited to:
  • a3 size boxes
  • a4 size boxes

Expires:

7 suppliers

Lot 7c: Plastic and Security Packaging
This sub-lot provides a range of plastic and security packaging, which may include but is not limited to:
  • double grip seal bags
  • mailing bags
  • document wallets
  • tamper proof seals

Expires:

7 suppliers

Lot 7d: Medical Packaging
This sub-lot provides a range of absorbent pads which will allow for the safe transportation of specimens and samples. These items will vary in size and shape.

Expires:

4 suppliers

How to buy

You can buy from this agreement using direct award or further competition. 

Before using this agreement, you should read the buyer guide.

Check your organisation’s internal processes and controls before engaging with suppliers. This is to make sure you are following your organisation’s standard operating procedures and choosing the best route to market for your needs.

Before running a further competition or direct award, you will need to complete the following documents:

You can access pricing information by emailing our team. You will need to include ‘RM6282’ in the subject line of your email and state which lot(s) you need the pricing for.

Further competition

Most of the time you will need to run a further competition to ensure you receive the best value for money.

You must undertake a further competition if you want to:

  • allow suppliers to develop proposals or a solution that meets a specific need
  • change or refine the terms of the call-off contract to reflect your needs (any changes will still need to follow the procurement regulations)

To award a call-off agreement through a further competition you should:

  1. define a clear specification of requirements
  2. establish which lot fits your needs by reading and analysing the agreement specification
  3. invite all suppliers to quote for your services (you can do this in writing using email or through an eSourcing portal)
    • you can find contact details for all suppliers in the products and services section 
  4. allow suppliers the opportunity to ask questions about your need during a clarification period, this will enable them to provide a more accurate quote
  5. set a tender submission timescale (taking into account the complexity of the services you are asking for)
  6. evaluate the supplier responses in line with your pre-defined award criteria
  7. keep all responses confidential until the end of the evaluation period
  8. award your call-off agreement by notifying the successful and unsuccessful suppliers in writing by email or through an eSourcing portal
  9. sign Framework schedule 6 (order form template and call-off schedules)
  10. publish your contract on contracts finder

Direct award

Direct award should only be used when you:

  • are certain that only one supplier can meet your needs
  • can clearly establish which supplier can meet your needs based on quality and price

If you choose this option you must accept the maximum commercial agreement rates. You will not be able to add any additional terms or conditions to the Public Sector Contract, for example a joint schedule. 

To award a call-off agreement through direct award you should:

  1. clearly define your requirements
  2. establish which lot fits your needs by reading and analysing the agreement specification
  3. contact the suppliers on the lot to determine if they can meet your needs (supplier contact details can be found in the products and services section)
  4. establish your award criteria using framework schedule 7 call-off award procedure
  5. award your contract by signing Framework schedule 6 (order form template and call-off schedules)
  6. publish your contract on contracts finder

Where some lots have a single supplier, you can still achieve value for money by running a process that is similar to a further competition.

You have the option to partially re-open the competition by sharing your specification, pricing schedule and terms and conditions with the supplier. The supplier will then review the documents and provide a quote based on your specific needs.

To ensure value for money throughout the life of the contract, you should also consider using:

Documents