161_27 Artist Grounds’, Brushes, Art Pads and Painting Tools
Leicestershire County Council, trading as ESPO · Local authority
In brief
Leicestershire County Council, trading as ESPO is looking for suppliers for furniture and office supplies work (UK-wide).
It is a framework worth up to £6,666,667 excluding VAT: the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers, not one contract.
The contract runs for 25 months, up to 4 years with extensions, starting 1 March 2027.
It is split into 6 lots, so a supplier can bid for part of the work.
The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
Bids close at midday, Friday 2 October 2026.
Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.
Can I win this?
Key dates
- Questions by
- 5pm, Friday 25 September 2026
- Bids by
- midday, Friday 2 October 2026
How bids are scored
Price 80% · Non-Price 20%
Price matters most. Expect to compete hard on cost.
Competition
Usually high: a median of 26 bids per contract for this buyer (from 233 awards in the last 12 months).
Framework
Winning puts you on a list of suppliers the buyer can call on; it does not guarantee work. The £6,666,667 is the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers over the framework's life, not one contract.
Conditions
- Suppliers pay a fee of 1% of the value of work won through this framework.
What the notice says
ESPO is a trading department of Leicestershire County Council. It is a non-profit making body owned and operated jointly by six local authorities. We provide a catalogue range, providing our customers with access to over 28,000 products that cover all key areas of education and wider public sector requirements. We are establishing a catalogue framework for the supply of Artist brushes, Artist grounds, portfolios, easels and mats for delivery to ESPO’s distribution centre and to individual customers. The Framework is divided into 6 lots. Please refer to the tender documents for any further details (including further details on each of the lots) - the closing date for submission of Tenders is…Read the full description
Should I bid?
Tick what applies to you. Nothing is saved.
How to bid
- Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
- Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
- Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.
- Send clarification questions before 5pm, Friday 25 September 2026.
- Make sure your bid arrives before midday, Friday 2 October 2026. Late bids are usually rejected.
Lots
| Lot | Trade | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Artist Brushes 1 March 2027 to 31 March 2029 What this lot coversThe purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced artist brushes made of various materials such as hog hair brushes, synthetic brushes, round and flat brushes. These products are intended for use primarily within educational sector, with delivery to ESPO’s distribution centre (Supply Method A). | Furniture, Office supplies and equipment | £603,333 |
| Painting Tools and Equipment 1 March 2027 to 31 March 2029 What this lot coversThe purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced painting tools and equipment, including rollers, painting knives, sponges, mixing tools and other accessories. These products are intended for use primarily within the education sector, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre (Supply Method A). | — | £103,333 |
| Artists Books, Pads and Papers 1 March 2027 to 31 March 2029 What this lot coversThe purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced artists' books, pads and papers, including sketchbooks, cartridge paper, watercolour paper and specialist art papers. These products are intended for use primarily within the education sector, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre (Supply Method A). | Office supplies and equipment | £4,793,333 |
| Drying Racks and Easels 1 March 2027 to 31 March 2029 What this lot coversThe purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced drying racks and easels suitable for use in educational art environments. Products include tabletop and floor-standing easels, drying racks and associated accessories, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre or direct delivery to individual customer establishments (Supply Method A and B). | — | £533,333 |
| Portfolios and Canvasses 1 March 2027 to 31 March 2029 What this lot coversThe purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced portfolios and canvases, including canvas boards, stretched canvases, canvas rolls and art storage portfolios. These products are intended for use primarily within the education sector, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre (Supply Method A). | Furniture, Office supplies and equipment | £413,333 |
| Pots, Palettes and Jars 1 March 2027 to 31 March 2029 What this lot coversThe purpose of this Lot is to offer ESPO customers high quality and competitively priced products for use with paints and other art materials. Products include paint pots, mixing palettes, water pots, storage jars and related accessories. These products are intended for use primarily within the education sector, with delivery to ESPO's distribution centre (Supply Method A). | Furniture | £220,000 |
Timeline
- Pipeline notice · UK1, notice 041966-2026
- Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 050151-2026
- Tender notice · UK4, notice 083497-2026
About the buyer
Procurements
87Awards
39Suppliers it has used most for furniture
- Ample Star Enterprises UK Limited4 contracts
- Texet Sales Limited3 contracts
- Educational Advantage Limited2 contracts
- Plastoreg Eastlight Limited2 contracts
- Profile Education Limited2 contracts
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From notice 041966-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 7 May 2026, last updated 3 September 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.