Published date: 8 March 2022

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 7 April 2022, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Education and training services - 80000000

Location of contract

SO17 1BJ

Value of contract

£100,000,000 to £150,000,000

Procurement reference

2022UoS-0442

Published date

8 March 2022

Closing date

7 April 2022

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

2 September 2022

Contract end date

1 September 2034

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Competitive dialogue (above threshold)

Tenders are invited from pre-qualified suppliers after discussion of requirements and potential solutions.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

Online courses and resources both advance and support our education strategy in delivering vibrant, transformative and high quality online experiences. They showcase our research and teaching excellence to a global audience beyond our campuses.
Our vision is to be bold, courageous and to start planning for the longer-term: a future in which digital education will inevitably play an increasingly greater role.
Our vision is to enhance and develop our approach to online course creation, so that we begin moving towards a position in which a 'Southampton education' is an innovative, flexible, inclusive and connected 21st century educational experience for our students on campus and beyond.

We are therefore seeking to select a partner to deliver and manage the delivery of our global online programmes.

To achieve this, the following activities summarise what is considered within scope for the provider:

• Development of existing course content from existing programmes to online delivery mode (in addition to those programmes that have been identified by the University, we welcome recommendation on additional immediate opportunities)
• Responsibility for the provision of high quality market intelligence and planning to inform the development of a portfolio of high-quality and highly attractive programmes.
• Delivery of the programmes through the OPM VLE technology platform
• Responsibility for Marketing and Recruitment (Contact centre)
• Responsibility for supporting students during the application stage
• Responsibility for supporting enrolment activities for students recruited to the online programs
• Engagement and partnership with UoS academic staff to develop high-quality programme materials in line with existing curriculum.
• Identification of innovation that could be included within the curriculum.
• Engagement with UoS support staff to ensure programmes are delivered
• Potentially to provide online tutors to support students in their studies.
• Technology hosting including responsibility for technical development/maintenance of delivery platforms, and dealing with technical support issues from students
• Student retention and pastoral support
• Sign-post students to UoS policies and procedures
• Be responsible for ensuring the quality and standards of programmes are in line with the University's collaborative provision framework.

More information

Links

Additional text

E-Tendering Portal: The University is utilising an electronic tendering tool, In-Tend to manage this procurement and to communicate with potential suppliers and/or tenderers (as appropriate).
All documentation in relation to this tender can be downloaded from In-Tend.
Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that there will be no hard copy documents issued and all communications with the University, including the submission of Selection Stage and/or Invitation to Tender responses will be conducted via In-Tend.
Regular monitoring of the portal is the responsibility of the potential supplier/tenderer.
If you are not already registered as a supplier with the University of Southampton, you will need to register in In-Tend in order to access the procurement documentation.
Once you have logged in as a supplier: click on 'Tenders'; locate the relevant project; and click 'View Details'. Once you are in the project screen, you will be able to register your organisation against the project and access all documentation by clicking 'Express Interest'.
Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that formal expressions of interest in the project must be by way of completion and return of the relevant documents via In-Tend.
Further instructions for the submission of responses are below:
To submit your return:
1. Log in
2. Click 'Tenders'
3. Locate the relevant project
4. View details
5. Click on the tab relating to the relevant project stage (e.g. 'Invitation to Tender')
6. Click on the 'Attach Documents' button and upload your return.
7. Check ALL your response documents are uploaded and displayed in the 'My Tender Return' panel. The system will only permit your organisation to make one return.
8. Click the red 'Submit Return' button.
Please note, to preserve the integrity of the procurement, all communications with the University must be made via the correspondence function within In-Tend.
Publication of Award Details: In accordance with Regulation 50, paragraph (2) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and subject to Article 5 and Annex 5, Part D (13) of Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (if applicable), the University intends to publish the value of any resulting contract at the award stage, and reserves the right to do so. By submitting a response, potential suppliers/tenderers are consenting to publication of this information unless otherwise agreed in advance with the University.
Costs and Expenses: Potential suppliers/tenderers are solely responsible for their costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and submission of responses and participation in this and all future stages of this procurement. Under no circumstances will the University be liable for any costs or expenses borne by potential suppliers/tenderers or any of their supply chain, partners or advisers in this procurement process.
The University is not liable for any costs in the event of the cancellation of this procurement process.

About the buyer

Contact name

Emma Raddon

Address

HIGHFIELD CAMPUS,UNIVERSITY ROAD
SOUTHAMPTON
SO171BJ
England

Email

e.raddon@soton.ac.uk