About Town Magazine Production

The Burgess Hill Town Council is inviting proposals for the annual production and printing of its flagship community magazine, About Town, through a three‑year contract covering March 2027 to November 2029. The contract will cover nine issues issued on a four‑month cycle—March, July and November—requiring annual cost estimates that track only the number of issues produced, with the council retaining the right to cancel at any time without penalty. The council’s objectives include maintaining the magazine’s distinctive landscape format while ensuring quality design, timely delivery and compliance with its existing distribution agreements.

Prospective suppliers will be responsible for the complete production chain, starting with the assembly and layout of the magazine using the typography, logos, photographs and copy supplied by the editor. This work encompasses the placement of adverts, creation of advert copies, approval processes with the council’s advertising partners, and provision of both digital proofs and a printed sample to the council office. Printing will be performed at a 16,000‑copy run on 100 gsm gloss interior pages and a 130 gsm gloss cover, finished at 198 × 210 mm landscape, with cost adjustments for additional copies sold by twelves, and delivery to the Royal Mail distribution centre and the council office.
The print run consists of 16,000 198 × 210 mm landscape copies on 100 gsm gloss interior and a 130 gsm gloss cover, with a 20‑copy increment cost per additional print.

ABOUT TOWN MAGAZINE PRODUCTION
As required under our financial regulations, we are currently tendering the production and printing of the Town Council's magazine, About Town, and are inviting quotes for a three year contract to run from March 2027 to November 2029.
Contract Details: Production and printing of 9 issues of About Town magazine on a four monthly basis: March, July and November.
The expectation is that the cost will be provided for the three-year period with increases in costs linked only to the number of issues produced. This is for Council budgetary purposes.
The Town Council retains the right to cancel the contract at any point with no penalties or compensation should the contracted unit price increase during the three year contracted period
Printing Requirements: Currently 16,000 copies - 198 x 210mm Landscape folded, stitch 2 wires, trim and pack. The number of copies usually increases slightly each issue as new houses are built, as advised by Royal Mail, so please include in your quote the cost of printing additional copies (per 20).
20pp text on 100gsm gloss plus a 4pp cover on 130gsm gloss, in full colour.
To include setting and scans.
To provide digital proofs to Editor and one set of printed Epsom proofs to the Town Council Office
Design: Assemble and layout the magazine using correct typography, incorporating copy provided, logos and photographs working closely with the Editor of the magazine.
Place adverts and supply flat plan to Burgess Hill Council, layout text and pictures supplied, and make fit into relevant sections, add in graphics where appropriate, liaising with the Editor.
Create adverts from copy, pictures and logos provided. Check advert artwork supplied. All adverts to be proofed to Burgess Hill Council for final approval by advertisers.
Two rounds of author's corrections and reproofing and on final approval supply print ready hi-res PDFs to the printer and low-res PDFs to Burgess Hill Town Council.
Liaison with Editor of magazine and agreement to a detailed action plan setting out timetable which managed by the Editor to ensure all deadlines are met.
Delivery: To distributor (currently the Royal Mail distribution centre in Rochester) and 1 box of 75 magazines to above address.
The above sets out how we produce the magazine currently. Previous editions of the magazine are all available on line on our website http://www.burgesshill.gov.uk/council-its-services/about-town-magazine/ .. However, we are working within clear budgetary restraints and would therefore welcome any suggestions from printers and designer to create a magazine that will stand out from other magazines currently delivered through the doors of Burgess Hill residents. We are very proud of the current About Town publication and are committed to delivering written communications to our residents. Our magazine is unique but we must consider the economic climate we are operating within. We are aware that there are a number of a5 publications delivered which contain a lot of Town Council content. Council have preferred to avoid duplicating the A5 magazines and feel that the existing sizing makes our magazine stand out from the others.
If you feel your company would be able to meet the above requirements of our existing magazine, we would like to hear from you. We would also welcome suggestions on alternatives formats to this.
Please include recent examples of publications designed and printed by your company and 2 client references.
Tenders must be submitted for the attention of Julie Holden, CEO, in a plain sealed envelope marked "Tender" followed by "About Town" sent to Burgess Hill Town Council, 96 Church Walk, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9AS.
The Town Council does not commit to awarding the tender to the lowest or any bidder.
We look forward to receiving a quotation from you by midday on 2 September 2026.
Yours sincerely
Jennifer O'Grady
Head of Community Engagement

Communication: Please follow instructions on the tender document. As examples of work requested the preference is to provide printed documents to the Town Council offices in accordance with Tender notice.
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: En
Submission address and any special instructions: Please follow instructions on the tender document. As examples of work requested the preference is to provide printed documents to the Town Council offices in accordance with Tender notice.
Tenders may be submitted electronically: notAllowed

Lot number: 1
Lot value (estimated)
40.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
48.000,00 GBP including VAT