Four UK integrators, Saville Audio Visual, Audio Visual Machines (AVM), pro AV and Drake AV have been awarded preferred supplier status for the design, supply and installation of audiovisual systems in UK universities. All four have been recognised by the Higher Education Purchasing Consortium Wales (HEPCW) and (apart from proAV) Value Wales; additionally Saville, AVM and proAV received the award from the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC) and the London Universities Purchasing Consortium (LUPC).
The UK’s purchasing consortia are not-for-profit, professional buying organisations that are owned by their members who comprise universities and colleges of higher education. With a powerful collective buying power, members are guaranteed savings on their purchases and capital investments, receive free procurement advice and access to fully compliant procurement processes and contracts.
The new contracts will run for three years, and complement the integrators’ existing education portfolios. For Saville, which is already included in North West Universities Purchasing Consortium (NWPUC) and Scottish APUC audiovisual framework contracts, the deal also covers event management for some higher education establishments. Saville contracts and education manager Stephen Artingstall said: “We are very pleased with this continued vote of confidence. Our entire technical sales team is committed to maintaining a responsive, high quality service for Universities – as are the regional centre teams that make up our conference and live events network.”
For AVM, the contract adds to existing framework agreements for the North East Universities Purchasing Consortium (NEUPC), and the Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC), as well as NWPUC. It will cover design and installation of AV equipment in projects ranging from basic teaching and meeting rooms, to upgrading of lecture theatres and conference rooms, through to new build projects.
Edward Cook, CEO at AVM said: “We are delighted to be accepted on this framework agreement which will enable us to pass on the expertise, strong manufacturer relationships and preferential pricing structures that we are already offering to our other consortium members.”
“We’re delighted to win our place on the supplier list for these university purchasing consortia,” said Ashley Rudd, business manager at proAV. “Our education division has delivered world-class AV solutions, including presentation systems, display systems and communications technologies that are contributing to a new generation of learning. We’re looking forward to developing new long-term relationships with the educational institutions that are on the framework and who can now benefit from some of the most exciting and rewarding AV technologies yet to emerge within this challenging market sector.”
R G Drake of Drake AV commented: “As a company owned and based in Wales, we are confident we can deliver the best possible value to universities and other public bodies in Wales.”
This year has also seen Drake AV win a £300,000 contract for all the audiovisual systems in the new UWIC, Cardiff School of Management in Llandaff.
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