This contract is for the delivery of Managed Print Services. The contract will replace existing managed print services which are delivered by 2 separate service suppliers to the Environment Agency and Defra. The contract is for the provision of multi-functional printing devices, the maintenance of those devices and services which allow end users to print, fax and scan using those devices. The initial recipients of the services will be the Core Defra group (Defra, Natural England, The Environment Agency, The Rural Payments Agency, Marine Management Organisation and The Animal and Plant Health Agency). Other organisations in the Defra Group may opt to receive services during the term of the contract. The services will be provided in the service recipients' offices in the UK.

The Managed Print Service will be provided to Defra and other organisations in the Core Defra Group (Natural England, The Environment Agency, The Rural Payments Agency, Marine Management Organisation and The Animal and Plant Health Agency). The following Defra Group organisations may opt to receive services during the term of the contract:

— Forestry Commission;

— The Water Services Regulation Authority;

— Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science;

— Veterinary Medicines Directorate;

— Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board;

— Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew;

— Consumer Council for Water;

— Joint Nature Conservation Committee;

— North York Moors National Park Authority;

— Northumberland National Park Authority;

— Peak District National Park Authority;

— South Downs National Park Authority;

— UK Coordinating Body;

— Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority;

— National Forest Company;

— Sea Fish Industry Authority;

— Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment;

— Independent Agricultural Appeals Panel;

— Science Advisory Council;

— Veterinary Products Committee;

— Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal;

— Broads Authority;

— Covent Garden Market Authority;

— Dartmoor National Park Authority;

— Drinking Water Inspectorate;

— Exmoor National Park Authority;

— Lake District National Park Authority;

— New Forest National Park Authority.

The supplier will be required to provide the following:

— Multi-functional devices (including photocopying, scanning and faxing);

— Print-only devices;

— Large format printers; and

— Specialist printing to media other than paper.

The current contracts deliver services to both Defra and the Environment Agency across 371 sites in the UK, of which 161 are offices, 131 stores or depots and the remainder a mixture of low print-useage facilities. Currently print volumes across the two providers are in the region of 3 400 000 black and white sheets per month and 1 900 000 colour sheets per month but the expectation is that these figures will reduce during the period of the proposed Contract via supplier-led initiatives.

The service is to be made available to 21 000 staff across the UK.