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Automated Admissions Platform - University of Sunderland 0326

University of Sunderland

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

TenderCancellation

01 Oct 2026 at 10:32

UK12 - Procurement Termination Notice
TenderUpdate

26 Jun 2026 at 14:22

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

26 Jun 2026 at 14:13

UK4 - Tender Notice
PlanningUpdate

01 May 2026 at 15:31

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

01 May 2026 at 10:19

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of Sunderland sought a configurable automated admissions software platform to manage the full admissions process for home and international applicants. The system was intended to replace fragmented legacy systems and manual workflows, supporting higher application volumes and improving efficiency, transparency and decision quality while keeping admissions decisions accountable, explainable and compliant. The anticipated capabilities included mobile-first application journeys, applicant triage and pre-screening, automated offers for standard courses, AI-assisted application and document checks, admissions and UKVI workflows, applicant portals, operational dashboards and integration with core systems such as SITS and CAS Shield. The work was for the University of Sunderland in Sunderland, with delivery in the North East of England.

The University invited suppliers to compete through an openly advertised, three-stage competitive flexible procedure, seeking one supplier. The procurement has since been withdrawn, and no bids were accepted and no contract was awarded. The planned process began with a Procurement Specific Questionnaire, using financial capability (20%) and technical ability (80%) to shortlist up to six suppliers; the highest-scoring suppliers would then be assessed on technical quality and price, with the top three undertaking a scored sandbox exercise. The enquiry deadline was 3 July 2026 at 17:00, and the expression-of-interest deadline was 13 July 2026 at 12:00. The planned contract period was 16 October 2026 to 15 October 2031. The estimated gross value was £1.2 million. The buyer set no negotiation stage.

This opportunity was suited to software suppliers with an established, configurable admissions platform and experience handling end-to-end university admissions for both domestic and international applicants. Strong candidates would be able to demonstrate practical automation across application triage, pre-screening, offer-making and document checking, alongside well-designed applicant portals and mobile-first journeys. The requirement also favoured suppliers able to support international admissions and UKVI processes, provide useful live operational dashboards, and integrate reliably with systems including SITS and CAS Shield. Suppliers needed the technical capability and organisational capacity to support a university-scale service, manage growing application volumes, and deliver compliant, transparent and explainable admissions workflows. Small and medium-sized businesses were considered suitable. Selection depended chiefly on technical ability, with financial capability also assessed; later evaluation was planned to include pricing and a sandbox demonstration.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Automated Admissions Platform - University of Sunderland 0326

Notice Description

The University of Sunderland (University) seeks to procure an Automated Admissions Platform and invites suitably qualified and experienced vendors to submit proposals. The University is seeking a modern, configurable, and automated admissions platform to manage the end-to-end admissions lifecycle for home and international applicants. The current admissions landscape comprises legacy systems, manual processes, and fragmented workflows. Increasing application volumes, particularly for international recruitment, alongside heightened regulatory, governance, and applicant experience expectations, have driven the need for a future-proof admissions solution. The University's strategic ambition is to improve efficiency, transparency, and decision quality, while ensuring that admissions decisions remain accountable, explainable, and compliant. The University is looking to shortlist up to six (6) suppliers, selected via the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ), to receive the ITT pack, which will provide a more detailed set of requirements (The University reserves the right to take more than six suppliers through to ITT where scores at PSQ are so close as to make it difficult to draw a distinction between suppliers). For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Sunderland:-Software-package-and-information-systems./Q4N575W435 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/respond/Q4N575W435

Planning Information

The purpose of this PME is to gather industry expertise and feedback that will inform the development of our final project and procurement requirements. Objectives: •Gain a better understanding of suppliers' capabilities, experiences, and innovations. •Identify potential challenges and solutions relevant to the upcoming procurement project. •Inform suppliers about the project's scope, objectives, and key requirements. It should be understood that by participating in this market engagement, suppliers are not guaranteed to be shortlisted as part of a competitive procurement process. Should a tender be advertised, it will be compliant with the Procurement Act 2023, and all bidders will be treated equally. The UoS is particularly interested in understanding at a high-level how such a solution could support: •Guided, mobile-first application journeys •Intelligent triage and pre-screening •Automated offer making for standard courses •AI-supported application form and document checking •Integrated admissions and UKVI workflows •Modern applicant portals •Real-time dashboards for operational insight •Seamless integration with core systems such as SITS and CAS Shield The UoS aims to identify a scalable, compliant platform that reduces the administrative burden, improves the speed and consistency of decision-making, enhances the applicant experience and conversion, and provides a robust foundation for on-campus and future distance and flexible-delivery recruitment. We are seeking to engage with suppliers very keen to arrange a demo with you to start gaining an understanding of available products on the market. Invitation to Conduct a System Demonstration Demonstration Details: Please note that whilst we aim to engage with a broad range of suppliers, it may not be possible to invite all interested parties to a meeting. Participation in this exercise is voluntary, and there is no obligation for UoS to meet with every supplier who expresses an interest. Purpose: This session aims to provide an opportunity for you to showcase your solution. Please be advised that this is not a sales pitch, and participation does not guarantee any future work or contracts with our organisation. Compliance Note: This demonstration request aligns with the Procurement Act 2023, which encourages preliminary market engagement to better understand available solutions and inform procurement strategies. As per the guidance, such engagements are designed to be transparent and non-committal, ensuring a fair and open procurement process for all potential suppliers. This PME is not a request for quotation. UoS’s current intention is to conduct an openly advertised tender process at a later stage There is no obligation for suppliers to respond to this PME. Supplier responses (or lack thereof) to this exercise will not be used to determine which suppliers will be carried forward to the tender process or in any subsequent evaluation of supplier proposals. Action Required: If you wish to be considered for a demonstration session with the project team, please contact procurement@sunderland.ac.uk to register your interest with the subject heading “AI-Enabled Admissions platform 0326”. Kindly respond with the following information by the end of Friday, 8 May 2026 Demonstrations will be online via Teams Meeting. Specify your availability on the following dates: 15 May, 21 May, and 22 May. Main Contact Details: Include the name, email address, and phone number of the primary contact person for the demonstration. The UoS expects suppliers to provide a brief overview of their system that addresses the bullet points listed above. We kindly request that your response be concise, no more than one A4 page. This helps maintain a focused and efficient review process. We look forward to your response and the opportunity to learn more about your system capabilities. Should you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-069003
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/092697-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK12 - Procurement Termination Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems

CPV Codes

48000000 - Software package and information systems

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,200,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,200,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Oct 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
16 Oct 2026 - 15 Oct 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Cancelled
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Cancelled
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

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

Buyer Location

Locality
SUNDERLAND
Postcode
SR1 3SD
Postcode Area
Sunderland
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC44 Sunderland
Delivery Location
TLC23 Sunderland
Local Authority
Sunderland
Electoral Ward
Millfield
Westminster Constituency
Sunderland Central

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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