A New System for a Book Wholesale and Distribution Business
Published
Description
The Books Council wishes to engage a winning bidder with the capability to deliver a book distribution (wholesale and distribution) system and professional and technical consultancy support to replace several its existing IT Systems between 2020 and 2022. It plans to replace both its existing system and websites. This Invitation to Tender is only focused upon the system replacement, but proposals should include the system’s ability to interface with other systems, including selling websites. It is expected that companies choosing to tender will be specialists in the book trade with their systems designed around this. They should be able to provide current and recent examples of successful implementations with other companies in the book trade, and the Book Distribution Industry. Lot 1: The Books Council of Wales is a registered charity, set up over 50 years ago to ensure that Welsh books or books of Welsh content are distributed effectively. After a period of growth, it acts as a distributor to some publishers, and as a Welsh wholesaler to other publishers. The distribution business has a net turnover of GBP 2.7 million per annum and employs 15 members of staff. The current system was introduced in 1996, and several developments over the period has meant a complex relationship with other bespoke products including ONIX feeds, EDI ordering, finance system, order to cash, title database, customer database and the e-commerce platform. The Books Council of Wales (‘Books Council’) is a national charity (number 505262) which supports the publishing industry in Wales and promotes reading for pleasure. Due to the lack of distributors in Wales, it has acted as a book distributor since the 1970’s, focussing mainly on Welsh customers. The charity’s core functions are to provide specialist editing, design, marketing, and distribution services to ensure high standards of book production and publication in both Welsh and English. Funded by the Welsh Government, it also administers and distribute grants to publishers in Wales from our headquarters in Aberystwyth. Another vital element of our work is the active promotion of reading and literacy across Wales through a range of campaigns, activities, and events. The Books Council is not a publisher and does not publish its own titles, it is concentrated on the distribution, wholesale and consignment of books for client publishers. The Books Council predominantly distributes books focussing on Wales and the Welsh language. Roughly 50 % of the titles distributed are written in Welsh and the Books Council promotes titles published both by established Welsh publishers and individual authors. Most of the Welsh language publishers are in an exclusive distribution arrangement with the Books Council, whereas English language publishers will have another main distributor, but will use the Books Council to distribute in Wales. Titles cover multiple subject areas, both fiction and non-fiction, children’s books, academic and professional publishing. Books Council also distributes a limited range of non-book items, e.g. toys, especially where complimentary to a book, or meets the requirement of the customers (schools primarily). The Books Council’s primary market is the Welsh book trade, libraries, schools and colleges in Wales and sales to the public. It does sell books to the wider UK markets, with some export sales, and acts to some extent as a wholesale operation buying titles from other UK publishers for resale – for example travel guides to Wales, sports titles about Welsh teams and individuals, etc. The Books Council also supplies books on consignment to some customers. It also has the ability, as it does for several clients to provide ‘White Label’ distribution services. The Books Council wishes to engage a winning bidder with the capability to deliver a book distribution (wholesale and distribution) system and professional and technical consultancy support to replace several its existing IT Systems between 2020 and 2022. It plans to replace both its existing system and websites. This Invitation to Tender is only focused upon the system replacement, but proposals should include the system’s ability to interface with other systems, including selling websites. It is expected that companies choosing to tender will be specialists in the book trade with their systems designed around this. They should be able to provide current and recent examples of successful implementations with other companies in the book trade, and the Book Distribution Industry.
Timeline
Publish date
3 years ago
Award date
3 years ago
Buyer information
Books Council of Wales
- Contact:
- Mererid Boswell
- Email:
- mererid.boswell@books.wales
Explore contracts and tenders relating to Books Council of Wales
Go to buyer profileSource
Ted (OJEU)To save this opportunity, sign up to Stotles for free.
Save in appTender tracking
Access a feed of government opportunities tailored to you, in one view. Receive email alerts and integrate with your CRM to stay up-to-date.
Proactive prospecting
Get ahead of competitors by reaching out to key decision-makers within buying organisations directly.
360° account briefings
Create in-depth briefings on buyer organisations based on their historical & upcoming procurement activity.
Collaboration tools
Streamline sales workflows with team collaboration and communication features, and integrate with your favourite sales tools.
Explore similar tenders and contracts
Browse open tenders, recent contract awards and upcoming contract expiries that match similar CPV codes.
- Awarded
CST113 - Supply of an Externally Hosted Music Partnership Data Management Solution and Associated Services
Derbyshire County Council100,000 GBPPublished a day ago
- Awarded
PTP CAM Migration Support Software Project_26370
Department For Work and Pensions (DWP)1,335,647.04 GBPPublished a day ago
- Awarded
GSA Communications Data Acquisition Solution in AWS Cloud (Cycomms)
Greater Manchester PolicePublished a day ago
- Awarded
Economic Growth and Skills Case Management Software
South Tyneside Council28,685 GBPPublished a day ago
- Awarded
Privileged Access Management for Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB)
NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit113,255 GBPPublished a day ago
- Awarded
For the Provision of Public Firewall Through Crown Commercial Services Framework RM 6068 - AWARD
In-Tend e-TenderingPublished a day ago
- Awarded
GSA Communications Data Acquisition Solution in AWS Cloud (Cycomms)
Greater Manchester Police297,000 GBPPublished a day ago
Explore other contracts published by Books Council of Wales
Explore more open tenders, recent contract awards and upcoming contract expiries published by Books Council of Wales.
- Awarded
A new system for a Book Wholesale and Distribution business
Books Council of Wales503,800 GBPPublished 3 years ago
- Awarded
A new system for a Book Wholesale and Distribution business
Books Council of Wales503,800 GBPPublished 3 years ago
Explore more suppliers to Books Council of Wales
Sign upExplore top buyers for public sector contracts
Discover open tenders, contract awards and upcoming contract expiries of thousands of public sector buyers below. Gain insights into their procurement activity, historical purchasing trends and more.
- Department of Finance
- Money And Pensions Service
- Kerry County Council
- South Lakes Housing
- Ministry of Defence, Ships, Maritime Combat Systems (MCS) Team
- The Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust
- Waverley Housing
- European Social Survey ERIC
- Business Services Organisation, Procurement and Logistics Service on behalf of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service
- Evolution Academy Trust
- Five Acre Wood School
- St Anne's Catholic High School
Explore top sources for public sector contracts
Stotles aggregates public sector contract data from every major procurement data source. We ingest this data and surface the most relevant insights for our users. Explore our list of public sector procurement data sources below.