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/061750-2026
- Current Stage
- Award
- All Stages
- Award
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK6 - Contract Award 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
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 1 Jul 20262 weeks ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- 29 Jun 20262 weeks ago
- Contract Period
- 31 Jul 2026 - 31 Jul 2031 Over 5 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Complete
- Lots Status
- Complete
- Awards Status
- Pending
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
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
- Post Town
- 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
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/061750-2026
1st July 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/061730-2026
1st July 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
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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