The Central Office
of Information (COI) has overhauled its framework (roster) of
agencies that specialise in merchandise and promotional items.
A total of 58 suppliers from across the UK secured a place on one
or more of the five lots, over half (55 per cent) are new to the
framework.
COI's Merchandising team thoroughly evaluated over 400
individual applications. The successful agencies were selected on
the basis of their proven expertise and experience in one or more
of the following specialisms:
1. In-house producers, manufacturers or stockists;
2. Suppliers of standard imported products;
3. Suppliers of bespoke imported products;
4. Suppliers that can provide online corporate merchandise
schemes; and
5. Gift voucher suppliers.
The sustainability, recycling and green credentials of applicants
to lots one to four was taken into consideration. While particular
consideration was given to applicants in lots two and three with
regards to information on their supply chain including factory
audit reports.
Each of the five lots has been sub-divided into a wide range of
labels in order to accommodate more creative briefs, as well as
widen the number of trade suppliers of UK and imported products
that could apply.
This means the new framework includes suppliers with experience
in providing online corporate programmes (i.e. sourcing, storage
and fulfilment via web shops), as well as those capable of running
full service staff incentive schemes.
The framework was divided up in this way to meet the requirements
of the Public Contract Regulations 2006 which requires that all
suppliers "capable of performing the proposed
contract" are invited to compete for each piece of
business. Briefs can be issued across a number of lots and labels
as well as single lots and labels, depending on requirements.
This also allows suppliers to compete for government and public
sector work without the requirement for a lengthy procurement
process for every contract.
Sarah Eastlake, Head of Merchandising, said:
”The new framework includes a broad range of suppliers meaning
greater choice and flexibility for our government and public
sector clients. We’re confident that we’ve selected the very best
in the marketplace and look forward to working with them to
provide high quality and cost effective solutions for our
clients."
The Merchandising framework, worth more than £3 million per
annum, was last reviewed in September 2005. The new framework
becomes operational on the 14 December 2009.
Ends
For press enquiries, please contact Tracey Cobbett at COI on 020
7261 8763
Notes to Editors
COI maintains and uses around 30 world-class frameworks of
suppliers which are the 'best of the best';
taking into account the anticipated needs of COI and its
government and public sector clients.In 2008/9, COI commissioned
around £3 million worth of merchandising orders on behalf of
government departments and the public sector, to communicate
issues that affect the lives of every citizen - from health and
education to benefits, rights and welfare. These ranged from small
scale stationery orders to multi product orders for large
campaigns such as Change 4 Life and Royal Air Force recruitment.
COI also purchases around £800k worth of gift vouchers a year for
employee reward schemes across the public sector. The current
Merchandising and Promotional Items Framework will be used for a
maximum of four years. A full list of agencies on the new
Merchandising Framework is below.In accordance with the Public
Contracts Regulations 2006, this framework has been advertised in
the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). A photograph of
Sarah Eastlake is available on request.
Full list of agencies on the new Merchandising and
Promotional Items Framework
Lot 1 – In-house production, manufacturer or stockist
Label 1: Writing Instruments – print and production:
• Promotional pens – those costing under £1
o Senator
Pens
o Prodir Ltd
o Newell Rubber Maid
o EMC
Advertising Gifts
• Gift pens – those costing over £1
o Senator Pens
o
Newell Rubber Maid
o EMC Advertising Gifts
• Pencils – either wooden or mechanical
o Newell Rubber
Maid
o EMC Advertising Gifts
Label 2: Ceramic mugs – print and production of ceramic mugs
• Prince William Pottery
• Keramikos
• AT Promotions t/a Listawood
Label 3: Mousemats – print and production of mousemats
• Adco Products Ltd
• AT Promotions t/a Listawood
• SPS
EU Ltd EU Ltd
Label 4: Promotional paper products – print and production of
promotional paper items e.g. sticky notes, notepads. NOT photocopy
paper or stationery paper.
• Adco Products Ltd
• AT Promotions t/a Listawood
• SPS
EU Ltd EU Ltd
Label 5: Promotional plastic or PVC products – print and
production of promotional plastic or PVC items e.g. keyrings,
travel wallets, plastic mugs.
• SPS EU Ltd
• PF Concept UK Ltd
• Adco Products
•
Thinkprint European Solutions
• High Profile
• Mid Ocean
Brands UK Ltd
Label 6: Promotional leather products – print and production of
promotional leather items e.g. conference folder, travel wallets
or bookmarks.
• PF Concept UK Ltd
• Solo Trading
• Thinkprint European
Solutions
• Mid Ocean Brands UK Ltd
• Laltex Group
•
Preseli Ltd
Label 7: Promotional Bags – print and production of standard
bags
• Nylon bags e.g. drawstring rucksacks or lap top bags
o
Laltex Group
o PF Concept UK Ltd
o Infinity t/a Creative
Emporium
o Preseli Ltd
o Mid Ocean Brands UK Ltd
o
The Tradewinds Merchandising Company Ltd
• Cotton bags e.g. cotton shopper bags
o Laltex Group
o
PF Concept UK Ltd
o Infinity t/a Creative Emporium
o
Preseli Ltd
o Mid Ocean Brands UK Ltd
o The Tradewinds
Merchandising Company Ltd
• Bags made from an environmentally friendly material e.g. corn
starch
o Laltex Group
o PF Concept UK Ltd
o Infinity
t/a Creative Emporium
o Preseli Ltd
o Mid Ocean Brands UK
Ltd
o The Tradewinds Merchandising Company Ltd
Label 8: Promotional electronics e.g. calculators, desk clocks.
• PF Concept UK Ltd
• SPS EU Ltd
• Mid Ocean Brands UK
Ltd
• Laltex Group
• Thinkprint European Solutions
Label 9: Promotional Umbrellas – print and production of
umbrellas.
• The Umbrella Company (Sheaf) Ltd
• Booth Brothers
(Printing) Ltd
Label 10: Promotional Textiles – by textile items we mean any
items made from fabrics e.g. t-shirts, fleeces, polo shirts,
aprons, tea towels, table cloths
• Printed textiles
o The Tradewinds Merchandising Company
Ltd
o Infinity t/a Creative Emporium
o BTC Group
• Embroidered textiles
o The Tradewinds Merchandising Company
Ltd
o Infinity t/a Creative Emporium
o BTC Group
• Staff uniforms
o The Tradewinds Merchandising Company
Ltd
o Infinity t/a Creative Emporium
o BTC Group
Label 11: Promotional Head wear – print and production of head
wear items e.g. caps and beanie hats
• Sharon Lee Ltd
• BTC Group
• Infinity t/as Creative
Emporium
• The Tradewinds Merchandising Company Ltd
Label 12: Sports, health and fitness items – print and
production of these items. This label is for sports specific items
and NOT for items which may be covered under other labels e.g.
bags or textiles.
• Clothing e.g. sport kits
o The Tradewinds Merchandising
Company Ltd
o Infinity t/as Creative Emporium
o Inprints
• Equipment e.g. promotional footballs, water bottles NOT large
gym/exercise equipment.
o First Editions Ltd
o
Inprints
o PF Concept UK Ltd
o Mid Ocean Brands UK Ltd
o Laltex Group
Label 13: Environmentally friendly products – print and
production of items made from a recycled element or those with an
environmentally friendly element.
• Remarkable (Pencils) Ltd
• PF Concept UK Ltd
• Mid
Ocean Brands UK Ltd
Label 14: Promotional Glassware – etching and production of
glass items.
• Crystal Galleries
Label 15: Awards – etching/engraving and production of awards
e.g. trophies, medals.
• Special EFX
• Solo Trading
• Crystal Galleries
Label 16: Executive gifts/Metal items – engraving and production
of metal items e.g. keyrings, business card cases, photo frames.
• Solo Trading
• PF Concept UK Ltd
• Mid Ocean Brands UK
Ltd Brands
• Laltex Group
Label 17: Logo bugs – print and production of logo bugs.
• NONE
Label 18: Stickers – print and production of stickers.
• Midland Regional Printers Ltd
• Print Innovation Ltd
Label 19: Promotional Stationery items – print and production of
stationery items e.g. erasers, pencil cases, crayons NOT pens and
paper covered in other labels.
• SPS EU Ltd
• PF Concept UK Ltd
• Mid Ocean Brands UK
Ltd Brands
• Laltex Group
• Preseli Ltd
Label 20: Button badges – print and production of button badges.
• WCM&A
Label 21: Promotional food and drink products – print and
production of promotional food and drink items.
• Sweet Concepts
Label 22: Balloons – print and production of balloons.
• B-loony Ltd
Label 23: Promotional Stress items – print and production of
stress items.
• NONE
Label 24: Promotional Magnets – print and production of items
made from magnetic material.
• AT Promotions t/a Listawood
• SPS EU Ltd
• Magnetic Advertising
Label 25: Bookmarks - Print and production of bookmarks and
purchasing of bookmark display space within public libraries - NOT
for leather or magnetic bookmarks.
• Central Community Press
Label 26: Polypropylene – print and production of items made
from polypropylene material.
• Adco Products Ltd
• Easibind International Ltd
Label 27: Computer/PC items – print and production of PC items
e.g. computer mice, wi-fi finder, USB card reader. This category
does not cover memory sticks.
• Laltex Group
• PF Concept UK Ltd
• Mid Ocean Brands UK
Ltd Brands
• AT Promotions t/a Listawood
Label 28: Diaries – print and production of diaries.
• NONE
Label 29: Promotional Outdoor items – print and production of
items with an outdoor theme e.g. flasks, torches, Frisbees.
• PF Concept UK Ltd
• SPS EU Ltd
• Fling Promotions
Ltd
• Mid Ocean Brands UK Ltd Brands
• Thinkprint European Solutions
Label 30: Personal care – print and production of personal care,
health and beauty items e.g. lip balms, mirrors.
• PF Concept UK Ltd
• Mid Ocean Brands UK Ltd Brands
•
Thinkprint European Solutions
Label 31: Prizes – supply of high end items to act as
competition prizes e.g. digital radios, mountain bikes.
• NONE
Label 32: Thermometers – print and production of thermometers.
• NONE
Label 33: Drip mats – print and production of drip mats.
• The Katz Group
Lot 2 – Suppliers of standard imported
products
Label 1: Promotional Lanyards – print and production of
lanyards.
• IF Solutions Ltd
• Fluid Branding Ltd t/a Eco
Incentives
• Pinbadge Ltd
• PF Concept UK Ltd UK Ltd
Label 2: Pin badges – print and production of pin badges e.g.
lapel pin badges.
• Lyons Presentation Group
• Fluid Branding Ltd t/a Eco
Incentives
• IF Solutions Ltd
• Pinbadge Ltd
Label 3: Coin keyrings – print and production of trolley coin
keyrings.
• IF Solutions Ltd
• Pinbadge Ltd
• PF Concept UK Ltd
Label 4: Memory sticks – print and production of memory sticks.
• AT Promotions t/a Listawood
• Mid Ocean Brands UK Ltd
•
Insight Promotions.com Ltd
• PF Concept UK Ltd
Lot 3 – Suppliers of bespoke imported
products
• TCS (Europe) Ltd
• Insight Promotions.com Ltd
• Fluid
Branding Ltd t/a Eco Incentives
• Asian Sourcing Link UK
Ltd
• The Sourcing Team Ltd
• Giftpoint Ltd
• Brand
Addition
• Dowlis Plc
Lot 4 – Suppliers capable of providing online
corporate merchandise schemes
• Dowlis Plc
• BTC Group
• Brand Addition
•
Merchandise Mania Ltd
• Silk Group
• Inprints
•
Infinity t/a Creative Emporium
• Solo Trading Ltd
Lot 5 - Suppliers of gift vouchers
Label 1: Single store retail gift vouchers – suppliers who can
provide gift vouchers which can be redeemed at retail outlets.
• Love 2 Reward
• The Gift Voucher Shop Ltd
• Grass Roots
Group Plc
• P&MM Travel ltd
• Capital Incentives
& Motivation Ltd
• Ovation Incentives
Label 2: Single-store retail gift vouchers – suppliers who can
provide gift vouchers which can be redeemed at retail outlets.
• Love 2 Reward
• Grassroots
• P&MM Travel
ltd
• Capital Incentives & Motivation Ltd
•
Ovation Incentives
Label 3: Leisure or experience gift vouchers – suppliers who can
provide gift vouchers which can be redeemed at leisure outlets or
at experience days.
• Acorne Plc
• Red Letter Days
• Grassroots
•
P&MM Travel ltd
• Capital Incentives &
Motivation Ltd
• Ovation Incentives
Contacts:
COI Press Office.
prenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk