The contract will be for a variety of work, from government enquiry reports to marketing brochures and leaflets to test papers.

The contract is worth 2m per year and will be spread across all the companies that are successful in the bid.

COI head of procurement for its publications group, Richard Hoskins, said the creation of the new roster was part of an on-going review of the COIs framework.

Some of the work, such as government reports and Quality and Curriculum Authority test papers for schools, will involve an element of security. Hoskins said suppliers without specialist security facilities would be identified at short-listing stage, but would not be ruled out.

Around 20 to 25 companies are expected to apply for the roster contracts, before the COI whittles it down to a final shortlist of five or six.

Existing companies already on the COI typesetting roster can still apply, but Hoskins said the COI was "always looking to see if there are new and fresh companies around".

Hoskins said he hoped the contracts would be put in place by the end of November, if not sooner. The final deadline for invitations to tender is 26 August.

The COI has around 400 staff handling the printing needs of every ministerial department.

It has a turnover in excess of 200m, and has increased the governments spend on publications and digital media by 15% to 30m for the year 2000-2001.

Story by Andy Scott