This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

14 Sep 2026 at 10:28

Award

07 Jul 2026 at 16:42

Tender

17 Apr 2026 at 14:40

Summary of the contracting process

The University of Portsmouth Higher Education Corporation procured an enterprise data platform implementation partner to replace its on-premises Oracle data warehouse. The services cover architecture, design, build, migration, testing, deployment, operational readiness, early-life support, documentation, training and knowledge transfer. The new Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Fabric platform is intended to support data ingestion, transformation, semantic modelling, operational and strategic reporting, governed self-service analytics, predictive analysis, learning analytics and future AI-enabled querying. The work includes migrating about 1,200 ODI mappings, more than 35 database schemas and 3,000 tables, with a proof of concept for advanced analytics. It will support around 4,000 internal users and services affecting more than 20,000 students. Delivery is for the University in Portsmouth. The procurement covers technical testing, analysis, consultancy and IT services.

This procurement has been awarded and the contract is active. Telefónica Tech UK Limited was selected on 11 June 2026 following a selective competitive flexible procedure. Nine bids were received, with four reaching the final stage. The single lot was evaluated on quality and technical merit at 80% and price at 20%, through written responses and presentations. The tender deadline was 13 May 2026, enquiries closed on 4 May 2026, and the award period ended on 17 June 2026. The awarded and contracted gross value is £911,000 including VAT. The award period ran from 20 July 2026 to 31 July 2027; the signed contract runs from 26 August 2026 to 25 August 2027, with an optional 12-month support extension to 25 August 2028. Optional Power BI training, technical packages and other related services are included.

This requirement indicates demand for suppliers able to deliver end-to-end higher-education data modernisation rather than isolated software development. A credible competitor would need strong Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Fabric capability, preferably as an official Microsoft Partner or equivalent, alongside experience replacing Oracle data warehouses and migrating complex estates at substantial scale. Relevant delivery strength includes ODI mapping conversion, schema and table migration, data engineering, semantic modelling, reporting, governance, security, testing, deployment and transition into business-as-usual support. The buyer also values advanced analytics, predictive modelling, learning analytics, student recruitment and engagement use cases, AI or natural-language querying, and the ability to deliver a practical proof of concept. Suppliers should be able to provide documentation, training, knowledge transfer, early-life support and optional Power BI or related technical services, with sufficient multidisciplinary resource capacity.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Data Platform Implementation Partner

Notice Description

Award of Data platform implementation partner. The University is seeking to design, build and implement a modern, enterprise-grade data platform to replace the existing on-premises Oracle data warehouse. The new platform will provide a scalable, secure and future-ready foundation capable of supporting the full ecosystem of data ingestion, transformation, semantic modelling, operational reporting, strategic insights, and AI-enabled analytical capabilities. The platform will form a critical foundation for decision making across the University, supporting academic operations, student lifecycle management, finance, HR, research and other domains. It will empower approximately 4,000 internal users while indirectly supporting services that impact more than 20,000 students. The solution will be developed using Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Fabric as the strategic technology stack. It must deliver high levels of scalability, improved data accessibility, and automation, alongside advanced analytics capabilities. The platform will also be designed to support future integration of AI agents and LLM-based natural language querying, enabling more intuitive and democratised access to insights. As part of its broader analytical capability, the platform should provide the foundations to enable advanced learning analytics and support data modelling use cases aligned to student recruitment, retention and engagement. There is an expectation that the delivery will include at least one agreed proof of concept to demonstrate the platform's advanced analytics capabilities. The specific use case will be defined collaboratively, but is expected to align to one or more of the following innovation areas: * Predictive analytics (e.g. student number forecasting in collaboration with Strategic Planning) * Advanced learning analytics capabilities * Data modelling solutions to support student recruitment and engagement The final scope and prioritisation of this proof of concept will be agreed during the delivery phase to ensure alignment with institutional priorities and data readiness. A key objective is to democratise data access and capability across the University. The platform will provide governed self-service capabilities, allowing teams beyond the Information Management function to access curated data models and develop their own data modelling solutions where appropriate, while maintaining strong data governance and quality standards. The scope of work includes the design, implementation and migration of approximately 1,200 ODI mappings, over 35 database schemas, and 3,000 tables. It also includes comprehensive documentation, training, and a structured knowledge transfer programme to ensure long-term sustainability. The supplier will ensure that the final solution is production-ready, secure, fully documented, and successfully transitioned into business-as-usual support structures, while enabling ongoing evolution of analytical capabilities over time. The University of Portsmouth requires an experienced supplier to deliver a complete cloud-based data platform to modernise its existing data estate and enable future analytical growth. The contract will cover end-to-end delivery: architecture design, build, migration, operational readiness and early-life support. The University plans to retire its legacy Oracle data warehouse and build a new data platform, migrating key datasets that remain in active use. This will improve performance, ensure long-term sustainability, and open new capabilities such as AI-driven querying and predictive analytics. The platform will support both strategic and operational reporting, including self-service tools, automated data updates, and advanced modelling aligned with the University's goals. Beyond the development of the core data platform, the University is interested in working with the successful supplier to explore innovative applications of data. This may take place alongside the implementation or once the platform is established, and could include areas such as learning analytics, forecasting, and other advanced insights.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The University has an indicative budget of up to PS660,000 (incl. VAT) allocated for the delivery of the core Data Platform and including the optional 12-month Support extension. This figure is based on initial business case assumptions and is intended as a guide rather than a fixed constraint. Suppliers are encouraged to propose solutions that deliver best value and may submit proposals that are below or above this indicative budget, provided clear justification is given. Pricing Requirements Suppliers must provide a fully itemised pricing breakdown, including: * Platform design and implementation * Data migration and re-engineering activities * Testing and deployment * Documentation and knowledge transfer * Initial 8-week post implementation Early-life hypercare support * 12-month Support Option following Implementation and Early-Life hypercare Support * Licensing costs (where applicable) * Day rates for all roles and resources Pricing should clearly distinguish between: * One-off implementation costs * Recurring / operational costs In addition, there is also scope to propose additional optional value-add proposals in addition to the core requirements which may or may not be included in any final contract award. The main services including the 8-week hypercare are required to be fully completed by 31 July 2027. In addition, the University wishes to reserve the option to extend the contract with a 12-month Support option.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-068574
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086735-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

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


CPV Codes

71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services

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

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£660,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£660,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
£911,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
£911,000 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Sep 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
13 May 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
11 Jun 20264 months ago
Contract Period
26 Aug 2026 - 25 Aug 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
University of Portsmouth
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PORTSMOUTH
Postcode
PO1 2UP
Postcode Area
Portsmouth
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ31 Portsmouth
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Portsmouth
Electoral Ward
St Thomas
Westminster Constituency
Portsmouth South

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Organised Computer Systems Limited

Further Information

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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