Award

USW - Provision of Maintenance and Support for Quercus

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

25 Jul 2025 at 11:27

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

24 Jul 2025 at 14:16

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of South Wales, located in Pontypridd, United Kingdom, has completed the procurement process for the maintenance and support of the Quercus software system. Under the Welsh devolved regulations, this procurement falls within the educational software services industry category. The procurement was carried out through a direct award due to technical reasons, allowing the University to contract Surecampus Ltd, the original software developer from Ireland, ensuring continuity and reliability. The award was finalised on 25th July 2025, with the contract period starting on 11th August 2025 and concluding on 10th August 2026. The procurement followed a services category under the legal framework of the UK Procurement Act 2023/54.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in software development and consultancy services, particularly those focusing on educational technology. Companies like Surecampus Ltd that possess unique technical expertise and insight into specific software systems, such as Quercus, stand to benefit from these opportunities. This project is ideally suited for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the tech industry that can offer tailor-made solutions and support for educational institutions. By securing such contracts, businesses can enhance their market position, promote technological innovation, and contribute to the educational sector's digital transformation.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

USW - Provision of Maintenance and Support for Quercus

Notice Description

The University of South Wales intends to award a contract directly for the provision of ongoing support, maintenance, and additional technical work related to the Quercus software system. As the original developer and implementer of the Quercus system, which is currently in operational use, the supplier holds unique technical knowledge and detailed understanding of the software's architecture, configuration, and integration with internal systems. This knowledge is essential to the continued reliable operation, support, and enhancement of the system. The intended contract includes additional works that form a natural extension of the original implementation and which cannot be carried out by another supplier without significant risk of disruption, inefficiency, or duplication of effort. Due to the technical complexity and system-specific knowledge required, no alternative supplier is known to be capable of delivering these services to the required standard.

Procurement Information

This direct award is justified under the Procurement Act due to the presence of technical reasons and the necessity for additional works that can only be carried out by the original supplier. The supplier in question is the original developer and proprietor of the Quercus software system, which is currently in use. As the initial vendor of the software, the supplier holds unique technical knowledge, proprietary rights, and expertise that are essential to the ongoing operation, support, and maintenance of the system for USW. The requirement for additional work is directly related to updates, and ongoing support services integral to the continued and effective functioning of the Quercus system. These works cannot be carried out by any other supplier without risking system compatibility, data integrity, and operational continuity. Furthermore, the supplier remains the only known provider in the market with the technical capability and legal rights to modify or maintain the Quercus system. Any attempt to engage a third party would not only introduce unnecessary risks and significantly increase costs and delays due to the steep learning curve.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05659e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/043111-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

CPV Codes

48190000 - Educational software package

72212190 - Educational software development services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£186,125 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Jul 20257 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
24 Jul 20257 months ago
Contract Period
10 Aug 2025 - 10 Aug 2026 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PONTYPRIDD
Postcode
CF37 1DL
Post Town
Cardiff
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL51 Central Valleys and Bridgend
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Electoral Ward
Treforest
Westminster Constituency
Pontypridd

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

SURECAMPUS

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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