MCPS boss Jane Dyball has given Music Week an update on the process to put the administration of the collection society’s operations out to tender.
In April, Music Week revealed that the collection society, which licenses mechanical copyrights, had issued a ‘request for proposals’ to run its back-office operations, including licence processing, royalty collection and copyright database administration. The deadline for submissions was June 30.
“Our declarations of interest went into double figures,” Dyball told Music Week. “We’ve selected our shortlist and we’ll be carrying out interviews with our shortlisted partners in the next few weeks.”
MCPS did not reveal which companies are through to the final stage, but Music Week sources say there are around four companies in contention, all of whom are bidding for all, or the majority of, MCPS’ business. PRS for Music, which has long carried out MCPS’ administrative functions, is understood to be on the shortlist. A final decision is expected at the end of September.
“All of our members and all of the publishers are involved, engaged and contributing to the process,” said Dyball, “Which makes it a lot easier.”
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