According to BPIF chief executive Michael Johnson, the bid is still in the early planning stages, but if successful it could lead to the body bidding on behalf of its members for large swathes of government contract work, once the current OGC Pan Government Collective Framework in 2011 expires.

Johnson said the federation's plans for the new government procurement system would be finalised in 2010, but he added that the work the BPIF secured would be open to any BPIF members that met pre-qualifying standards.

He also denied that the BPIF would in effect become a print management company.

"What we have to ensure is that we don't repeat the print management mark-ups of 7%-30%, we're not a ‘for-profit organisation'. The profits should remain with the printers," he said.

The procurement strategy was unveiled at the BPIF's AGM last week, where the trade body also launched an "industry-wide strategic change initiative", Customer Centric Programme (CCP).

The CCP will be "client-focused and not product-led" according to Johnson. The goal of the scheme is to move the industry away from being a group of commodity manufacturers to fully fledged value-added service providers. The scheme will be driven by ‘new media' agencies, digital service providers, suppliers, client groups and education associates and a new trade body.

Johnson said that the sector was at a crossroads and that 30% of what the industry produces is non-print and predicted that in the next five years that figure would rise to 70%, with print only being responsible for 30% of the industry's revenues by 2014.

As part of the CCP, which has been in development for a year, the BPIF has secured a partnership with US-based global digital print body PODi to create PODi UK, a wholly owned subsidiary of the BPIF.

Johnson also used the AGM, which was followed by the All Parliamentary Print Group Reception, hosted by Gareth Thomas, minister of state in the Department for International Development, to confirm that he would be retiring from the BPIF in 2011.

"That gives me two years to finish off the work that we began seven or so years ago, and shape our future," he said.
At the AGM, the BPIF members also ratified the body's results for the 2008/2009 financial year, which included a remarkable turnaround from a £1m loss the previous year to a £216,000 profit, and the appointment of new president,

Trinity Mirror Group manufacturing director, Rupert Middleton. The body also used the event to honour Quay Media chairman and Proskills director Bob O'Shea with its Outstanding Contribution to the Printing Industries Award.

BPIF AGM key points

• Collaborative print strategy that will replace the OGC framework by 2011
• BPIF secured work would be open to all pre-qualified BPIF members
• Launch of Customer Centric Programme in partnership with BPIF subsidiary PODi UK
• Michael Johnson to retire from the industry body in 2011