Published
By Ashley Cox
Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) would like to alert its 10,000+ registered members to a significant new purchasing framework that is now live for use, covering the compliant procurement of multifunctional devices (or 'MFDs', for short).
In layman's terms, MFDs are typically multi-purpose units that combine your traditional printer, scanner and photocopier into one. A fixture of modern day classrooms, school libraries and academic offices across the land, MFDs provide a comprehensive solution for your educational admin tasks, saving valuable space and the hassle of procuring and maintaining separate devices.
The new Multifunctional Devices and Associated Products and Services framework will provide UK education institutions with an effective route to market for the procurement of such technology, with our CPC members also able to benefit from the vast experience and genre expertise of our in-house MFD specialist, Kathleen Johnson.
Having worked directly with MFDs for more than 17 years, Kath's encyclopaedic knowledge of multifunctional devices is set to be a key asset, ensuring members can approach any procurement with the confidence of having her tenured knowhow on side.
Speaking to CPC after arriving in 2024, Contracts Manager Kath remarked "because I know the machines that well, if somebody gives me a model reference (or how many pages the paper trail should be, or if it is to have a booklet, or stapler), I know which machine will suit their needs... which means I've obviously been doing this too long! But you can ask me anything around this - and, of course, I do know a lot of the suppliers, as I've dealt with them for years".
With Kath on board, CPC is looking forward to bringing our new, multifunctional device buying framework to the forefront in 2025, with the agreement one of a number to be finalised during the year, spanning an eclectic selection of categories/fields.
The preceding 'Multifunctional Devices and Digital Transformation Solutions' agreement had been specifically recommended by the Department for Education and we aim to maintain such quality standards, as we transition to promote its replacement.
The following suppliers have each been assessed and approved for Lot 1 of the new framework, which focuses on provision of MFD units, associated supplies and services:
Agilico Workplace Technologies (North) Ltd.
Apogee Corporation
Aurora Managed Services
Canon UK
Harlow Printing Ltd.
ITECH Managed Services
Insight Systems Ltd.
Konica Minolta Business Solutions
Kyocera Document Solutions UK Ltd.
OfficeXpress Europe Ltd.
Ricoh UK Ltd.
Sharp Business Systems UK Plc
Toshiba TEC UK Imaging Systems Ltd.
Vision (Office Automation) Ltd.
Xerox UK Ltd.
With an extensive selection of 15 suppliers in place, registered CPC members can engage in a Further Competition process to drive desired purchasing outcomes, while a Direct Award facility is also available through the use of this compliant agreement.
Mid-April, meanwhile, saw confirmation of the following supplier cohort for Lot 2, which deals with Print and Design Services:
AlphaGraphics North East
Apogee Corporation
Aurora Managed Services
Cliffe Enterprise
Collector Set Printers
Corporate Document Services (CDS)
DS Repro
Harlow Printing
Inc Dot Com
Latcham Direct
SF Taylor
Sterling Press
Stirland Paterson
W&G Baird
Xerox UK
Due to its creation preceding the implementation of Procurement Act 2023 as working law, this latest CPC framework will be governed by Public Contracts Regulations 2015 through to its end date, 1st April 2028 (a one-year extension option is in play).
Keep an eye on CPC social media platforms for more on the Multifunctional Devices and Associated Products and Services procurement framework (inclusive of Print and Design Services), with Kath Johnson able to handle your framework queries.