The NPSA did not comment on the value of the contract but it will cover marketing material and reports. The deal will be a mix of short- and long-run jobs ranging from one-off posters to 44pp documents.

"We have not yet made a final decision on how many printers will make it onto the final preferred supplier list," said a NPSA spokeswoman. "But when we appointed our preferred designers, we had a roster of five."

According to the NPSA, the successful print firms need to supply a breakdown of their charges for an A4, two-sided four-colour uncoated stock print job with runs of 1,000, 2,000 and 10,000. It also requires details on a 1x1m digitally printed poster on silk stock.

"The preferred supplier list of printers will make life easier for us," said the spokeswoman. "Typically our runs are quite big, while digital tends to be for one-off projects."

The final list will be compiled on 28 January with offers to be submitted by 7 January. The NPSA said that successful printers would be selected on expertise, value for money and past record on similar projects.

The NPSA is a special health authority set up to report on patient safety in the NHS. Earlier this year the NHS drew up a list of preferred suppliers aimed at saving more that 50m over a four-year period from its print and photocopying bill.

In October the Airedale NHS Trust achieved the highest patient satisfaction rating in England following its work with communications specialist Optecon.

Also in October, the NHS in Shropshire handed Birmingham-based LG Davis a three-year, 1.5m contract to supply print.

Contact: www.npsa.nhs.uk/industry

Search the printweek.com news archive for previous NHS articles.

Story by Philip Chadwick