The four-year print framework, which has been awarded by the Cabinet Office's Government Procurement Service (GPS), is comprised of two lots that are collectively worth between £100m and £150m over the life of the contract.

3M, Xerox, Office Depot and CDS have been selected as the four suppliers for "Lot 1 – managed printing and eCommunications services", which is worth £80m to £120m over the life of the contract.

Meanwhile Sterling Press, DST Output (formerly Innovative Output Solutions), Commercial Colour Press, Financial Data Management, ImageData Group and the Delga Group have been chosen for the £20m to £30m "Lot 2 – operational print services".

Both lots are for a maximum duration of four years, with Lot 1 being awarded for three years with an optional one-year extension and Lot 2 being awarded for two years with two separate optional one-year extensions.

The so-called Wider Public Sector Print Services Framework Agreement has been put in place to cover public sector print outside of the central government contract that was awarded to Williams Lea last summer.

As with the previous OGC Pan Government Collaborative Framework Agreement, which was awarded to 60 print companies in May 2007, the GPS framework is open to public sector educational establishments, NHS bodies, local authorities, and the police.

Xerox UK is already a major public sector print supplier and is currently five years into its £400m, seven-year contract (with an optional three year extension) with the Department for Work and Pensions.

"Being chosen as an official supplier for the Government Procurement Service once again is testament to Xerox’s long commitment to supporting the provision of improved services to the public sector," said Julie Hesselgrove, group president for Communication and Marketing Services Xerox Europe.

"This agreement demonstrates how Xerox can help significantly reduce costs while improving efficiencies for GPS."