Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Licence Renewal

BATH SPA UNIVERSITY

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

21 Jul 2026 at 10:20

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

01 Jul 2026 at 13:46

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

01 Jul 2026 at 13:29

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Bath Spa University procured a software-as-a-service licence renewal for its virtual learning environment, Blackboard Ultra. The requirement covers continued access to the learning platform, together with storage and a course catalogue. It is an education technology and software supply service supporting teaching, learning and assessment across the university’s operations in the United Kingdom. The platform is deeply integrated with the university’s core teaching, learning and assessment systems, so the requirement is focused on maintaining an established virtual learning environment rather than implementing a new one. The procurement is categorised as services and includes educational software and software supply activities. Additional licence users or storage may be needed if student numbers or course volumes change during the agreement.

The procurement is complete and was awarded directly to Blackboard International B.V. on 30 June 2026, with the contract signed on 14 July 2026. The five-year contract runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2031. Its value is £1,098,004.22 excluding VAT, or £1,317,605.06 including VAT. The award was made under a direct-award procedure because changing supplier was judged likely to cause disproportionate technical difficulties, operational disruption, substantial reconfiguration, data migration, staff retraining and avoidable additional cost. The buyer also cited continuity, existing expertise and value for money over the longer term. The agreement allows additional purchases during its term to reflect changes in user numbers, storage requirements or courses. The requirement was structured as one completed lot.

This award indicates recurring demand from Bath Spa University for an established, institution-wide virtual learning environment rather than standalone educational software. Suppliers competing for a future requirement would need strong capability in SaaS delivery for higher education, including reliable learning-platform operation, storage management and course-catalogue functionality. Credible providers would also need to demonstrate safe integration with teaching, learning and assessment systems, robust data migration and configuration expertise, and effective support for staff and students. The buyer’s rationale shows that continuity, limited disruption and preservation of existing expertise are commercially important, so a competitor would need a convincing transition or interoperability plan alongside technical capability. The lot was identified as suitable for SMEs, although the selected supplier is a large established platform provider.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Licence Renewal

Notice Description

SaaS Licence Renewal for Virtual Learnin Environment (VLE), Blackboard Ultra including Storage and Course Catalogue.

Procurement Information

A direct award of Blackboard Ultra for a five-year term on the basis that a change of supplier would result in disproportionate technical difficulties, significant operational disruption, and avoidable additional cost. The current Virtual Learning Environment is deeply embedded within core teaching, learning, and assessment systems. Transitioning to an alternative supplier would require substantial system reconfiguration, data migration, and staff retraining, introducing material delivery risk and placing considerable strain on internal resources. This risk is heightened by the number of concurrent digital and infrastructure projects currently underway. A supplier change would adversely impact delivery timelines, create duplication of effort, and increase the likelihood of service disruption for both staff and students. A transition would also result in diseconomies of scale, including duplicated implementation costs, parallel system support, and loss of efficiencies associated with the existing platform and established expertise. The proposed five-year agreement ensures continuity and stability of service while supporting delivery of wider strategic objectives. It also represents value for money, delivering a cost saving across the longer contract term.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06c147
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068561-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems

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

CPV Codes

48190000 - Educational software package

72268000 - Software supply services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£1,098,004 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
£1,098,004 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
30 Jun 20262 months ago
Contract Period
1 Aug 2026 - 31 Jul 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
BATH SPA UNIVERSITY
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BATH
Postcode
BA2 9BN
Postcode Area
Bath
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Bath and North East Somerset
Electoral Ward
Saltford
Westminster Constituency
North East Somerset and Hanham

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Blackboard International B.V.

Further Information

Notice Documents

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.

Loading OCDS record...