Planning

T25/0018 - Smart Card & Identity Management

NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

07 Nov 2025 at 16:05

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Northumbria University is in the planning stage for an innovative public procurement process titled "T25/0018 – Smart Card & Identity Management." The initiative focuses on updating the university's digital transformation programme with the implementation of SMART cards and advanced identity management solutions, aimed at improving security and user experience across the campus. The project is set in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, under the sub-central government public authority classification. Interested suppliers can express their interest and submit questionnaire responses by 17:00 GMT on 2nd December 2025 through the Delta eSourcing platform. The project includes a Microsoft Teams Town Hall for further discussions on 28th November 2025, followed by individually scheduled virtual meetings from 8th to 10th December 2025.

This tender presents a unique opportunity for businesses in the smart cards, software systems, and IT services sectors, particularly those with expertise in cloud solutions and digital identity management. Companies can leverage this opportunity to showcase cutting-edge technology solutions, demonstrate industry best practices, and expand their market presence in the public sector by participating in the university's push towards modernised identification and credential management. Businesses adept at providing scalable and secure IT solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructures are well-positioned to compete and potentially secure this contract.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

T25/0018 - Smart Card & Identity Management

Notice Description

Northumbria University is launching a bold and innovative digital transformation programme centred on the implementation of SMART cards and advanced identity management. This initiative is designed to strengthen our identification capabilities improving the wider user experience and is to be driven by the adoption of a cutting-edge approach supported by market-leading technology. This strategic investment will replace the University's outdated ImageBase system (introduced in 2015) and photo uploader (introduced in 2006), which no longer support the university's operational, security or digital transformation needs. The current anticipated project approach is to deliver a modern, cloud-native identity and credential management solution to support around 7,000 staff, 77,000 student accounts and a wide range of visitors across our campuses. As a minimum, the solution must enable secure identity verification, smartcard issuance and management and integrate smoothly with the University's established Joiners, Movers, and Leavers (JML) processes. Identified key deliverables that will form part of this requirement include (but is not limited to): *Cloud solutions replacing Smartcard system (ImageBase) and Identity application (MIM). *Mobile-friendly platform for photo capture and validation, replacing the legacy photo uploader. *Transition from Mifare Classic 1K to a secure credential card storage such as Mifare DESFire EV3. *Smooth interoperability with key business applications such as SITS, Oracle HCM, Entra, ADFS, PACOM and other student and library systems. *Architecture designed to support mobile credentials and future digital identity options and centralised dashboard for card issuance, usage tracking, and operational reporting. *Cyber secure offerings to align to National Cyber Security Centres Cyber Assessment Framework Prior to commencing formal procurement, we are engaging the market to: *Deepen and confirm our understanding of the wider opportunity, showcasing best practice in deploying new technology while meeting the key deliverables outlined above as well as any mandatory and statutory requirements, placing user experience at the core of the solution. *Define and evolve our requirements beyond key deliverables by leveraging industry best practice and supplier insight to deliver a solution that surpasses conventional approaches to identity management. *Gather insight into indicative commercial models, potential delivery timelines and the critical internal enablers necessary to ensure the programme's success. *Draw on supplier expertise in implementing scalable technology solutions for organisations with comparable scale and complexity. *Expand our understanding on how current hardware could be retained or repurposed. *Explore potential delivery models that follow a phased approach beginning with strategic advisory and progressing through design, delivery and implementation. By engaging suppliers at this early stage, we aim to harness market insight to help inform and shape our future requirements. This approach is designed to support a fair, competitive and effective tender process, ensuring we identify the right supplier to successfully deliver the programme. Further information relating to this PME opportunity are available via our Delta eSourcing platform: https://login.bipsolutions.com/casDelta/login?service=https%3A%2F%2Fneupc.delta-esourcing.com%2Fdelta%2Fj_spring_cas_security_check Access Code: 4S99HAJH85 To access the platform, please copy and paste the URL into your browser. If you don't yet have a Delta account, registration is quick and straightforward. As part of this process and to assist the University develop its requirements, we would appreciate responses from interested suppliers to our questionnaire. Responses to the questionnaire should be submitted by 17:00 GMT on 2nd December, 2025 via Delta eSourcing. In addition to the questionnaire process and to promote further insight into the programme, we will be holding a Microsoft Teams Town Hall on 28th November, 2025 at 14:00 GMT. The purpose of this session will be for the University to provide further insight into the programme including background, scope and indicative project timescales. Please note, Q and A will not be open for this Town Hall. Furthermore, suppliers are invited to book a virtual one-to-one Microsoft Teams session for 30 minutes which will be running over 3 days; 8th - 10th December, 2025. Each supplier may reserve a single slot on any of these dates to offer their input, expand on responses given within your Supplier Questionnaire and raise any queries or questions. Slots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and communications regarding your preferred slot should be made via the submission of your Supplier Questionnaire within Delta. The value referenced in relation to this pre-market engagement is indicative only and does not represent a commitment to any specific level of expenditure. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Newcastle-upon-Tyne:-Smart-cards./4S99HAJH85 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/4S99HAJH85

Planning Information

Responses are requested to a questionnaire which is available in the Delta eSourcing Platform. Expressions of interest and questionnaire responses closing date is 17:00 GMT on 2nd December, 2025 via Delta eSourcing. Within Delta, a supplier questionnaire submission has been provided for you to pickup, complete and submit on the Delta eSourcing Platform only. To promote further discussion and insight into the programme, we will be holding a Microsoft Teams Town Hall on 28th November, 2025 at 14:00 GMT. In addition, suppliers are invited to book a 30-minute slot (for a virtual one-to-one via Microsoft Teams) which will be running over 3 consecutive days. Each supplier may reserve a single slot on any of these dates. Please note slots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and communications regarding your preferred slots should be made via the completed supplier questionnaire within Delta. We would recommend selecting at least five potential slots which are suitable. Available Slots 8th December 2025 – 10:30, 11:15, 12:00, 13:30, 14:15, 15:00, 15:45 9th December 2025 - 10:30, 11:15, 12:00, 13:30, 14:15, 15:00, 15:45 10th December 2025 - 10:30, 11:15, 12:00, 13:30, 14:15, 15:00, 15:45

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05dd18
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072166-2025
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

30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages

48 - Software package and information systems

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

CPV Codes

30162000 - Smart cards

48000000 - Software package and information systems

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Nov 20253 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
2 Dec 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Apr 2026 - 30 Apr 2028 2-3 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
NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY
Contact Name
Dave Hartis
Contact Email
dave.hartis@northumbria.ac.uk
Contact Phone
0191 227 4303

Buyer Location

Locality
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Postcode
NE1 8ST
Post Town
Newcastle upon Tyne
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC43 Tyneside
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England)
Local Authority
Newcastle upon Tyne
Electoral Ward
Monument
Westminster Constituency
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West

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. 

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