Award

International Student Recruitment - In Country

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

23 Mar 2026 at 10:16

Tender

21 Nov 2025 at 13:57

Summary of the contracting process

The University of Edinburgh has concluded a procurement process for international student recruitment services, focusing on establishing an in-country presence within key recruitment regions, specifically South Asia and South East Asia. This initiative involved appointing Grok Global Services as the supplier to host staff overseas. The procurement was conducted using an open procedure, classified under recruitment services in the services category. With a total potential contract value of £825,000, the project is funded by the University's Strategic Fund. Originally set for 18 months with a budget of £375,000, the contract has provisions for extension contingent on funding. The procurement stage of this tender has moved to the award phase, with key dates including contract signing on 20 March 2026.

This tender offers significant opportunities for growth, particularly for businesses specialising in international recruitment and personnel management. Companies with expertise in establishing a global presence and managing cross-regional operations are well-suited to compete in such tenders. The focus on enhancing international student recruitment aligns with broader educational and service industry dynamics, offering prospects for development in new markets. The contract also emphasises community benefits, encouraging suppliers to integrate local impact strategies in their delivery plans, further widening business engagement possibilities within the Edinburgh city region. Businesses interested in expanding their strategic footprint internationally, especially those with operations in South Asia and South East Asia, would find this tender particularly beneficial.

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Notice Title

International Student Recruitment - In Country

Notice Description

The University is seeking a Contractor(s) for the provision of In-Country Presence by establishing staff based in key recruitment regions -- South Asia and South East Asia.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The University of Edinburgh wishes to conduct an open tender to appoint a third-party provider capable of hosting staff working on our behalf overseas. The University intends to enhance its international student recruitment activity by establishing an in-country presence within key recruitment markets in South Asia and South East Asia. As part of this initiative, the University will deploy individuals working on our behalf to operate within these regions and requires external support to facilitate their effective establishment and ongoing operations. This contract is being funded by the University's Strategic Fund and at present, is only available for the initial 18-month term of the contract. However, it is the intention of The International and Postgraduate Recruitment Team (IRPT) to apply for a subsequent round. If successful, it is at this point the extension period will be enacted. The budget for the initial 18-month contract term is 375,000 GBP (excluding VAT). Subject to additional funding being secured for a further two years, a further 450,000 GBP (excluding VAT) may be made available, provided the University secures such funding and enacts the extension period. This additional funding is not guaranteed at this stage. If all extensions are enacted, the total contract value would be 825,000 GBP.

Renewal: A further 1 x 2-year is extension is available at end of initial term.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05e65c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/026106-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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


CPV Codes

79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

79600000 - Recruitment services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£825,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£825 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Mar 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
22 Dec 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
20 Mar 20261 months 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
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
EDINBURGH
Postcode
EH1 1HT
Post Town
Edinburgh
Country
Scotland

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM13 City of Edinburgh
Delivery Location
TLM75 City of Edinburgh

Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Electoral Ward
City Centre
Westminster Constituency
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

GROK GLOBAL SERVICES

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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