This procurement is for a digitisation supplier for The Courtauld Institute of Art (The Courtauld). The Courtauld wishes to complete the digitisation of the remaining 90 % of the Witt Library (10 % having previously been digitised in a previous pilot project). The appointed supplier will transfer and store then digitise the remaining approximately 1.9 million images contained in 16 966 boxes (an average of 112 images per box), over a 12-month period commencing in May 2020 (subject to procurement timetable), then upload for publication within 14 months of the commencement of the contract.

This procurement is for a digitisation supplier for The Courtauld Institute of Art (The Courtauld). The Courtauld wishes to complete the digitisation of the remaining 90 % of the Witt Library (10 % having previously been digitised in a previous pilot project). The appointed supplier will transfer and store then digitise the remaining approximately 1.9 million images contained in 16 966 boxes (an average of 112 images per box), over a 12-month period commencing in May 2020 (subject to procurement timetable) and return the physical images, then upload the digitised images for publication within 14 months of the commencement of the contract.

The collection consists of 16 966 boxes (each 36 x 31 x 7 cm and with an average weight each of 3 kg) in the following ‘sections’:

— the remaining British images (263 699 images/2500 boxes),

— French (450 970 images/4011 boxes),

— Netherlandish (396 440 images/3526 boxes),

— Italian (368 444 images/3277 boxes),

— German and American (246 454 images/2192 boxes),

— a final section comprising miscellaneous regions including Spanish, Swiss, Russian, Scandinavian, Hungarian, Australian and New Zealand, plus others (164 153 images/1460 boxes).

Specific transport and storage conditions are required (as set out in the specification) and a remote monitoring and quality checking system will be required to enable The Courtauld to check on progress. The service includes barcoding and transcription of information as well as digitisation of the images.

The estimated value of the contract is GBP 600 000-GBP 650 000.

The Courtauld has limited funding in respect of this project at this time. In the event that the highest scoring potential supplier’s price exceeds the value of the funding, a reduced scope will be included in the contract, with the option to add the remainder should additional funding become available during the contract term.