The MoD is inviting all interested suppliers to attend a Market Awareness event which is scheduled for Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th May 2022, using MS TEAMS.

The purpose of this event is to make potential suppliers aware of this upcoming requirement, to assist MoD in understanding the market interest for this requirement and to inform how the requirement could best be shaped and procured.

This event will be hosted by Defence Business Services (DBS) & Head Office Commercial with a presentation on the requirement being given to all interested suppliers by the DBS project team and requirement owners in a plenary forum at 1130-1300hrs on Wednesday 25 May 2022.

Following the presentation there will be an opportunity for open forum questions.

Scheduled bilateral 1-2-1 sessions with each supplier who wishes to participate will be arranged on Wednesday 25th (PM) and Thursday 26th May to provide the opportunity for discussions on a bilateral basis.

We anticipate an offering of 30 minutes per supplier (subject to change).

All sessions (Market Awareness & bi-lateral) shall be hosted on MS TEAMS and shall be recorded for information gathering purposes.

In order to participate in this Market Awareness event, suppliers will need to register their interest to attend, via the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) by no later than 18:00 Monday 23rd May.

Suppliers are requested, when they register their interest on DSP, to confirm whether they would like a bilateral session within the timeframe of Wednesday 25th (PM) and Thursday 26th May.

Following this Market Awareness event the MoD have an intention to issue a further request for information (RFI), which will allow suppliers to respond to the specific RFI questions (to be confirmed) that the MoD have on the requirement.

A summary of the basic requirements are as follows: The Buyer is looking for a Supplier to deliver the following aims to source, retrieve quotations, place orders, ensure prompt delivery and best Value for Money (VfM) for the taxpayer, for a catalogue of online databases, publications and online standards with hard copy provisions.

These category's include, but not limited to:- i. commercially procured online/ web based and other digital and electronic media (subscription & ad-hoc supply) such as DVD/CD-ROM databases of published information, ii.

Provision of web based full text standards/specifications and technical regulations information databases, and associated services including the provision of hard copies, to libraries, branches, units, and Government establishments in the United Kingdom (UK) and Defence postings overseas (including British Embassies).

This includes negotiating and arranging with the publisher, any licences necessary for networked areas (including provision as part of a Departmental intranet).