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 11:12

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process was undertaken by Aston University for the provision of online graduate and postgraduate educational services. This services contract falls under the higher education services industry category. The procurement stage was completed through a limited procurement method, specifically an award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition. The contract was awarded to Online Education Services Limited. The contract worth £230 million was signed on December 15, 2023.

This tender for online educational services offers opportunities for businesses with the capability to deliver high-quality online education services at the graduate and postgraduate levels. Companies willing to make substantial upfront investments in infrastructure to support the contract can compete for similar opportunities in the higher education services sector. Aston University, the buying organization, sought a provider through a competitive but limited procurement process, ultimately leading to the selection of Online Education Services Limited as the awarded supplier.

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Notice Title

Provision of Online Graduate and Postgraduate Educational Services

Notice Description

This is a services contract for the provision of online educational services at graduate and post graduate level.

Lot Information

Lot 1

This is 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.

Procurement Information

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-h6vhtk-04297a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037811-2023
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
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
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£230,000,000 £100M-£1B

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Dec 20232 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
15 Dec 20232 years ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

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
TLG31 Birmingham

Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Nechells
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ONLINE EDUCATION SERVICES

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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