This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

26 Jun 2026 at 13:22

Tender

26 Jun 2026 at 13:13

PlanningUpdate

01 May 2026 at 14:31

Planning

01 May 2026 at 09:19

Summary of the contracting process

The University of Sunderland is conducting a procurement process for an Automated Admissions Platform, intended to modernise and automate the admissions lifecycle for home and international applicants. The goal is to replace legacy systems with a future-proof solution, enhancing efficiency, transparency, and decision quality. The process is in the tender stage, with an expression of interest deadline set for 13th July 2026. The procurement adopts an open method, using a competitive flexible procedure structured in three stages, targeting a contract value of £1,200,000. The procurement falls under the "Software package and information systems" category and will be centrally managed from Sunderland, UK.

This tender offers significant business growth opportunities, particularly for vendors specialising in software development and information systems that can provide configurable and automated solutions tailored to educational institutions. Firms with expertise in AI-enabled technologies and integrations with systems like SITS and CAS Shield would be well-positioned to benefit. SMEs are encouraged to participate, with the procurement's competitive nature and evaluation criteria focusing largely on technical ability and financial capability. This tender not only represents a lucrative contract but also a chance to establish long-term relationships with a public authority keen on pioneering digital transformation within the education sector.

How relevant is this notice?

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.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-069003
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/060400-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender 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
26 Jun 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
3 Jul 2026Today
Future Notice Date
8 May 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
15 Oct 2026 - 15 Oct 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

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
Post Town
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

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-069003-2026-06-26T14:22:10+01:00",
    "date": "2026-06-26T14:22:10+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-069003",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PVDN-7726-TBVN",
            "name": "University of Sunderland",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PVDN-7726-TBVN"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "5th Floor Edinburgh Building, Chester Road",
                "locality": "Sunderland",
                "postalCode": "SR1 3SD",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKC23"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "procurement@sunderland.ac.uk",
                "telephone": "01915152000"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PVDN-7726-TBVN",
        "name": "University of Sunderland"
    },
    "planning": {
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "engagement",
                "type": "engagement",
                "description": "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.",
                "dueDate": "2026-05-08T23:59:59+01:00",
                "status": "scheduled"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "040349-2026",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040349-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-05-01T10:19:42+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            },
            {
                "id": "040663-2026",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040663-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-05-01T15:31:56+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "UOS/Admissions platform/0326",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "Automated Admissions Platform - University of Sunderland 0326",
        "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",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "48000000",
                        "description": "Software package and information systems"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKC23",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKC23",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKC23",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKC23",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "value": {
            "amountGross": 1200000,
            "currency": "GBP"
        },
        "mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
        "aboveThreshold": true,
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2026-10-16T00:00:00+01:00",
                    "endDate": "2031-10-15T23:59:59+01:00"
                },
                "status": "active",
                "value": {
                    "amountGross": 1200000,
                    "currency": "GBP"
                },
                "awardCriteria": {
                    "weightingDescription": "PSQ Supplier Selection weighted: 20% - Financial Capability 80% - Technical Ability",
                    "criteria": [
                        {
                            "type": "quality",
                            "name": "PSQ Supplier Selection 100%"
                        },
                        {
                            "type": "quality",
                            "name": "PSQ Supplier Selection 100%"
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "suitability": {
                    "sme": true
                }
            }
        ],
        "status": "active",
        "procurementMethod": "open",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Competitive flexible procedure",
        "procedure": {
            "features": "This will be a three-stage above-threshold competitive flexible procedure with the intention of creating a contract with a single supplier. The objective of this competitive flexible procedure is to identify the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT). Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the assessment criteria and percentage weightings set out within both this PSQ document and the ITT document. Stage 1 - The Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ), which will allow the University to shortlist up to six (6) suppliers who meet the minimum requirements and score highest on the financial and technical ability questions in Parts 3 and 4. The University reserves the right to take more than six suppliers through to the ITT when PSQ scores are so close as to make it difficult to distinguish between bidders. Stage 2 - These shortlisted suppliers will progress to the second stage of the process, the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage, where further technical ability and qualitative elements will be tested along with pricing. Stage 3 - Following ITT submissions and initial evaluations, the 3 highest scoring suppliers will commence a third stage where suppliers will have the opportunity to delivery as sandbox which will be scored and the Quality recalculated. Every supplier must meet the mandatory minimum requirements detailed in Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4. Any suppliers who do not meet these requirements will be deemed unsuccessful and will not be shortlisted for the ITT stage (Stage 2). There will be no negotiation as part of this procurement"
        },
        "submissionMethodDetails": "https://www.neupc.delta-esourcing.com/members/university-of-sunderland/",
        "submissionTerms": {
            "electronicSubmissionPolicy": "notAllowed",
            "languages": [
                "en"
            ]
        },
        "expressionOfInterestDeadline": "2026-07-13T12:00:00+01:00",
        "enquiryPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2026-07-03T17:00:00+01:00"
        },
        "awardPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2026-10-16T23:59:59+01:00"
        },
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "conflictOfInterest",
                "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
                "description": "Not published"
            },
            {
                "id": "060382-2026",
                "documentType": "tenderNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK4",
                "description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/060382-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-06-26T14:13:27+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            },
            {
                "id": "060400-2026",
                "documentType": "tenderNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK4",
                "description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/060400-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-06-26T14:22:10+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "language": "en"
}