The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and public sector procurement body YPO have launched a buying framework for small print jobs.
Named the Print Marketplace, it provides a route for buying printed material, operates through a digital tool and runs on a platform managed by Allied Publicity Services.
CCS said this should make procurements feel more like online shopping and the framework involves a large selection of pre-qualified printing companies, 87% of which are SMEs.
Gavin Rimmington, YPO’s head of public sector, said: “YPO have been looking at a print production offering for many years for our wider public sector customers who had small requirements, current offerings that were accessed via further competitions were not suitable.
“After much research we realised that these small offerings aggregated together were quite substantial and were excited at the opportunity to collaborate with CCS and were delighted with the outcome from APS.
“To move away from the traditional way of purchasing print to this futuristic digital marketplace, where instant production price market quotes are available, saving the wide public sector not only cost savings buy efficiencies and offering up opportunities for SME printers.
“Current processes would mean three suppliers would be contacted for a quote and now this process is instant. SMEs are encouraged to sign up and can be onboarded and customers have alternative payment methods and can even include carbon offset as part of their quotes.”
Image from iStock, Insanet
