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Flexible Lifelong Learning

Cardiff University

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Planning

27 Aug 2026 at 17:34

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
PlanningUpdate

10 Jul 2026 at 11:13

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

10 Jul 2026 at 09:52

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Cardiff University intends to procure Online Programme Management (OPM) services for a fully online postgraduate taught portfolio under the working title Flexible Lifelong Learning. The requirement covers education and training support, educational administration, advertising and marketing, and related services needed to develop and deliver online programmes. The University is laying the groundwork for portfolio development and delivery, including student recruitment, marketing, retention, learner support, analytics, programme design and delivery. Services will be delivered for Cardiff University in the United Kingdom. The anticipated commercial model is pay per service, rather than a traditional revenue-share arrangement. The procurement may involve a framework agreement, and the requirement is intended to support the growth of Cardiff University’s online postgraduate provision.

This is a planned procurement at the early market-engagement stage, not an invitation to tender. Cardiff University expects to use a competitive flexible procedure and has planned one lot. The estimated value is £5,000,000 excluding VAT and £6,000,000 including VAT. The planned contract period is 22 March 2027 to 21 March 2030, with renewal or extension potentially available until 21 March 2032. The first phase of the online portfolio is proposed to start in September 2027. Market engagement included a presentation planned for 11:00–12:00 on 12 August 2026, with registration due by 12 noon on 4 August 2026, followed by a questionnaire due by 21 August 2026. A future notice is anticipated by 18 September 2026.

The work will suit OPM providers and education-sector service businesses able to support online postgraduate portfolio growth at institutional scale. Cardiff University is seeking evidence of experience delivering similar contracts, including lessons learned, and insight into current OPM services, emerging trends and modular or pay-per-service models. Relevant capability includes student recruitment, digital marketing, retention, learner support, data and performance analytics, programme design, development and delivery, and the ability to advise on service levels, data requirements and performance measures. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate suitable operational capacity, flexible commercial and contractual approaches, and the ability to work with a university to shape a strategic online portfolio. The lot is identified as suitable for SMEs, although an amendment indicates that larger suppliers may also be appropriate.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Flexible Lifelong Learning

Notice Description

Cardiff University is commencing the procurement for the supply of Online Programme Management (OPM) services on a pay per service basis. The University is currently undertaking a programme of work to provide the necessary insights and lay the groundwork for a strategic approach to fully online post graduate taught portfolio development and delivery, with a proposed start date for the first phase of the portfolio being September 2027.

Planning Information

Cardiff University is commencing early market engagement to inform the development of its upcoming procurement for the supply of Online Programme Management (OPM) services on a pay per service basis. The University is currently undertaking a programme of work to provide the necessary insights and lay the groundwork for a strategic approach to fully online post graduate taught portfolio development and delivery, with a proposed start date for the first phase of the portfolio being September 2027. The pre-market engagement exercise will seek to: • To establish the level of interest in the tender opportunity • Provide suppliers with insights into the proposal for Cardiff University to launch a fully online portfolio. • To gain an understanding of your experience of similar contracts, incorporating any lessons learnt to drive improvements. • Gain insight into the current OPM marketplace and emerging trends. • Understand the range of services available on a modular or pay-per-service basis. • Explore different commercial and contractual arrangements, including alternatives to traditional revenue-share models. • Understand supplier capability and capacity to support online postgraduate portfolio growth. • Understand approaches to student recruitment, marketing, retention, learner support and analytics. • Explore innovative approaches to programme design, development and delivery. • Inform the design, scope and structure of a future procurement exercise. • Ensure that any forthcoming procurement exercise is suitably aligned to institutional priorities and supplier expectations. The pre-market engagement event will be held at 11:00 – 12:00 on Wednesday, 12 August. This will be a presentation delivered by Cardiff University to potential suppliers to provide background to Cardiff University and our expectation of this need. Suppliers interested in attending the pre-market engagement event must complete and return the registration form via the correspondence function on the Universities e-tender portal In-Tend. https://in-tendhost.co.uk/cardiffuniversity/ Suppliers will be limited to 2 attendees. The session will be anonymised so that attendees will remain unknown to other participants. The deadline for registering attendance at the event is 12 noon on Tuesday 4th August 2026. Teams invitations will be issued once this deadline has passed. The University reserves the right to reject an application to attend sent after this time. All presentation documentation, questions and answers will be published on the e-tendering portal following the pre-market engagement event. Following this presentation, a questionnaire will be published on the tendering portal to gain insights from suppliers. The deadline for returning this questionnaire is Friday 21st August 2026. The University reserves the right to reject an application to attend sent after this time. This stage does not formally commence a procurement process. Participation in this pre-market engagement is voluntary and will not provide any advantage or disadvantage in any subsequent tender process. The University anticipates refining the scope, service levels, data requirements, performance metrics, and commercial structure following this Pre Market Engagement. Insights gained will inform the final tender documentation.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06c826
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081970-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

75121000 - Administrative educational services

79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

80000000 - Education and training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£5,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Aug 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
18 Sep 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
22 Mar 2027 - 21 Mar 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Cardiff 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
CARDIFF
Postcode
CF24 4HQ
Postcode Area
Cardiff
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL52 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan
Delivery Location
TLL22 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan
Local Authority
Cardiff
Electoral Ward
Cathays
Westminster Constituency
Cardiff South and Penarth

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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