Award

Provision of Online Graduate and Postgraduate Educational Services

ASTON UNIVERSITY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

22 Dec 2023 at 11:09

Summary of the contracting process

Aston University has awarded a contract for the provision of online graduate and postgraduate educational services through a negotiated procedure without prior publication (above threshold). The contract value is £230,000,000. The tender period ended on December 14, 2023, with the contract set to start on December 15, 2023, and end on September 30, 2036. The buying organisation, Aston University, is based in Birmingham, England, and the industry category is Higher Education Services.

This tender presents business growth opportunities for service providers in the online education sector, particularly those capable of making a significant upfront investment in infrastructure. Suitable businesses would need to offer online teaching services from undergraduate to doctorate levels, marketing courses to prospective students, providing admissions, and student support services. The award was made to Online Education Services Limited, indicating the type of business that can succeed in this competitive procurement process.

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Notice Title

Provision of Online Graduate and Postgraduate Educational Services

Notice Description

A services contract for the provision of online educational services at graduate and post graduate level. These services include acting as a college of Aston University by: - Creating and adapting Aston University materials in order to ensure that they are appropriate for online teaching; - Delivering online teaching in respect of courses from undergraduate to doctorate level; - Marketing the courses to prospective students; - Providing an admissions service; and - Providing student support services. The University sought to appoint a provider through which to secure its online education offering. The University's objective requirements for its provider included (1) the provision of online education services; and (2) the ability to make a significant (multimillion pound) upfront investment in infrastructure to support the contract. The University is of the view that that there is no reasonable commercial alternative through which to achieve its online education offering. It also considers that its requirements are driven by commercial positions and are not aimed at the artificial narrowing of competition. Recognising that its requirements were more extensive than many online education contracts, the University directly engaged with the market to ascertain the market's ability to meet the University's requirements and its appetite for doing so. Following that engagement the University identified only one party who had the capability to deliver the requirements and who was willing to contract with the University on this basis. Indeed, the engagement did not reveal any other provider with a viable solution and who would be willing to put forward the significant multi-million pound upfront investment for the infrastructure required under the contract. Therefore, following a review of the commercial case put forward, the University has made the commercial decision to enter into the contract with OES, who satisfies all of the criteria under Regulation 57 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-62756f92-e999-4a02-913f-6d811a4e4584
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/cc13b761-5d12-4b13-9b90-208c48bc9b1f
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Negotiated procedure without prior publication (above threshold)
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services


CPV Codes

80300000 - Higher education services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£230,000,000 £100M-£1B
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£230,000,000 £100M-£1B
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Dec 20232 years ago
Submission Deadline
14 Dec 2023Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
15 Dec 20232 years ago
Contract Period
15 Dec 2023 - 30 Sep 2036 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
ASTON UNIVERSITY
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
legalservices@aston.ac.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
BIRMINGHAM
Postcode
B4 7ET
Post Town
Birmingham
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG3 West Midlands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG31 Birmingham
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Nechells
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ONLINE EDUCATION SERVICES

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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