Planning

  • Share to Microsoft Teams

8d866cf3-ecdb-4522-a0f9-52624bdfd20f - US_25208 - Student Admissions and Conversion Support

UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

10 Jul 2025 at 16:03

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of Sussex, a sub-central government public authority, is planning a procurement process for "Student Admissions and Conversion Support" to enhance its student recruitment efforts. The process is currently in the planning stage, with the focus on understanding market capabilities to support the University’s Admissions and International Office by increasing student numbers for the 2026/27 academic year. Taking place in Brighton, UK, this initiative falls under the services category within administrative educational services and advertising and marketing services. Interested parties should participate in a preliminary market engagement exercise, concluding by the end of August 2025, with remote sessions potentially being scheduled mid-August.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in educational and marketing services to establish a long-term partnership with an esteemed institution like the University of Sussex. Companies with expertise in admissions processing and conversion communications aimed at overseas postgraduate taught (PGT) students will find this particularly relevant. By providing compliant and swift application handling and effective communication strategies, firms can assist the University in achieving a 48-hour turnaround goal for processing applications, enriching their operational portfolio and supporting the institution’s expansion objectives. The contract, beginning in February 2026, offers a potential duration until January 2032, providing stability and growth opportunities within a dynamic educational setting.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

8d866cf3-ecdb-4522-a0f9-52624bdfd20f - US_25208 - Student Admissions and Conversion Support

Notice Description

8d866cf3-ecdb-4522-a0f9-52624bdfd20f Please follow the link the Proactis portal - https://supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login to view the information and questionnaire. Please also direct any questions via the portal. US_25208 - Student Admissions and Conversion Support The aim of this exercise is to understand the market's ability to support the University of Sussex's Admissions team and International Office in increasing student numbers for the 2026/27 intakes. We are broadly defining the areas as "Admissions" support in processing applications and dealing with offers and acceptances and "Conversion" support looking to provide communications to offer holding students to nurture them to successful enrolment. This PME exercise is forming part of our discovery to identify if there is a viable, affordable, externally offered service/services that can improve student numbers working alongside the efforts of our internal teams whilst reducing the burden on those teams. There is also internal discovery activity taking place. The purpose of PME is to allow development of the university's requirements, design the procedure and prepare tender documents, identify suppliers who may be able to supply the services and identify likely contractual terms. To this end we will ask questions about what this could look like from the process through to terms and conditions. Aims of the contract(s) Provide optimal intake in 2026/7 of overseas PGT students. Admissions: (Admissions Team) a) Provide quality support (ensuring completed and accurate documentation) with admissions processing focussing on our PGT (Post Graduate Taught) Overseas applicants, (piloting applications from South Asia in the first instance c.4,000), to work towards quality processing and KPIs such as a 48-hour application to offer turnaround time. b) Supplier will be responsible for compliance of applications, ensuring that applicants meet English entry standards, have ATAS clearance where required and have all necessary paperwork to ensure compliance with UKVI expectations. Conversion: (International Office) a) Provide additional functionality necessary to support the University's student recruitment communications with Overseas PGT pre-applicants, applicants and offer holders. b) Converting offer holding students beginning in March 2026 to impact on intakes in 2026 in the first instance. The aim of the partnership is to expand and improve conversion activity at a time when the CEA Marketing team is transitioning from an end-of-life Anthology CRM product to a new CRM provider, Dot Digital.

Planning Information

This PME exercise will comprise of a questionnaire to be issued and submitted via the university's tendering portal (Proactis - https://supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login). Full documentation and information can be found in the Proactis Portal by following the above link and searching for opportunities linked to the University of Sussex. The deadline for submission is 04/08/2025 at 11.00am. This may be followed by remote sessions(s) to take place in Mid August 2025. Please note the engagement period end date has been set as end of August 2025 to allow for the possibility of the remote session(s).

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-055d33
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039082-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

75121000 - Administrative educational services

79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Jul 20254 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
29 Aug 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2026 - 31 Jan 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX
Contact Name
Kelly Feldman
Contact Email
k.feldman@sussex.ac.uk
Contact Phone
0441273678143

Buyer Location

Locality
BRIGHTON
Postcode
BN1 9RH
Post Town
Brighton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ21 Brighton and Hove
Delivery Location
TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex
Local Authority
Brighton and Hove
Electoral Ward
Coldean & Stanmer
Westminster Constituency
Brighton Pavilion

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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. 

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-055d33-2025-07-10T17:03:49+01:00",
    "date": "2025-07-10T17:03:49+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-055d33",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PWVT-1568-HWWM",
            "name": "University of Sussex",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PWVT-1568-HWWM"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Sussex House",
                "locality": "Brighton",
                "postalCode": "BN1 9RH",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKJ21"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Kelly Feldman",
                "email": "k.feldman@sussex.ac.uk",
                "telephone": "0441273678143"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "https://www.sussex.ac.uk/",
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PWVT-1568-HWWM",
        "name": "University of Sussex"
    },
    "planning": {
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "engagement",
                "type": "engagement",
                "description": "This PME exercise will comprise of a questionnaire to be issued and submitted via the university's tendering portal (Proactis - https://supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login). Full documentation and information can be found in the Proactis Portal by following the above link and searching for opportunities linked to the University of Sussex. The deadline for submission is 04/08/2025 at 11.00am. This may be followed by remote sessions(s) to take place in Mid August 2025. Please note the engagement period end date has been set as end of August 2025 to allow for the possibility of the remote session(s).",
                "dueDate": "2025-08-29T23:59:59+01:00",
                "status": "scheduled"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "039082-2025",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039082-2025",
                "datePublished": "2025-07-10T17:03:49+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "US_25208",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "8d866cf3-ecdb-4522-a0f9-52624bdfd20f - US_25208 - Student Admissions and Conversion Support",
        "description": "8d866cf3-ecdb-4522-a0f9-52624bdfd20f Please follow the link the Proactis portal - https://supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login to view the information and questionnaire. Please also direct any questions via the portal. US_25208 - Student Admissions and Conversion Support The aim of this exercise is to understand the market's ability to support the University of Sussex's Admissions team and International Office in increasing student numbers for the 2026/27 intakes. We are broadly defining the areas as \"Admissions\" support in processing applications and dealing with offers and acceptances and \"Conversion\" support looking to provide communications to offer holding students to nurture them to successful enrolment. This PME exercise is forming part of our discovery to identify if there is a viable, affordable, externally offered service/services that can improve student numbers working alongside the efforts of our internal teams whilst reducing the burden on those teams. There is also internal discovery activity taking place. The purpose of PME is to allow development of the university's requirements, design the procedure and prepare tender documents, identify suppliers who may be able to supply the services and identify likely contractual terms. To this end we will ask questions about what this could look like from the process through to terms and conditions. Aims of the contract(s) Provide optimal intake in 2026/7 of overseas PGT students. Admissions: (Admissions Team) a) Provide quality support (ensuring completed and accurate documentation) with admissions processing focussing on our PGT (Post Graduate Taught) Overseas applicants, (piloting applications from South Asia in the first instance c.4,000), to work towards quality processing and KPIs such as a 48-hour application to offer turnaround time. b) Supplier will be responsible for compliance of applications, ensuring that applicants meet English entry standards, have ATAS clearance where required and have all necessary paperwork to ensure compliance with UKVI expectations. Conversion: (International Office) a) Provide additional functionality necessary to support the University's student recruitment communications with Overseas PGT pre-applicants, applicants and offer holders. b) Converting offer holding students beginning in March 2026 to impact on intakes in 2026 in the first instance. The aim of the partnership is to expand and improve conversion activity at a time when the CEA Marketing team is transitioning from an end-of-life Anthology CRM product to a new CRM provider, Dot Digital.",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "75121000",
                        "description": "Administrative educational services"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "79340000",
                        "description": "Advertising and marketing services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKJ2",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2026-02-01T00:00:00+00:00",
                    "endDate": "2030-01-31T23:59:59+00:00",
                    "maxExtentDate": "2032-01-31T23:59:59+00:00"
                },
                "hasRenewal": true,
                "status": "planning"
            }
        ],
        "status": "planning"
    },
    "language": "en"
}