Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Advance HE Strategic Membership Renewal

University of Bedfordshire

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

07 Aug 2026 at 14:34

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of Bedfordshire procured a strategic membership renewal with Advance HE, a service provider focused on higher education. The requirement supports the university’s continued membership of Advance HE and relates to higher education services. The buyer is the University of Bedfordshire, based at University Square in Luton. Delivery is in the United Kingdom. The selected supplier, ADVANCE HE, is based in York and is classified as a small and medium-sized enterprise and a voluntary, community or social enterprise. This opportunity is relevant to organisations that provide strategic membership, sector support or comparable services to universities and other higher education institutions, particularly where delivery can support a university operating from Luton and across the UK.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to ADVANCE HE. It used a direct award below the applicable threshold, without competition. There was one lot, covering the full requirement. The contract was signed on 17 July 2026 and runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2029. Its value is £117,588 excluding VAT, or £141,105.60 including VAT. The contract is active. The requirement was evaluated through the direct-award route rather than a competitive tender, and the award covers higher education services. The selected supplier is ADVANCE HE. The three-year contract period indicates a sustained membership relationship with the University of Bedfordshire rather than a short, one-off service purchase.

This procurement demonstrates established demand from the University of Bedfordshire for strategic membership services connected with higher education. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need to understand the university sector and provide an organised membership offer that delivers continuing value to an institution, rather than a single event or isolated consultancy assignment. Relevant providers are likely to have sector knowledge, relationships with higher education institutions and the capacity to support an ongoing university-wide engagement. Advance HE’s status as the selected specialist supplier shows that the buyer accepted a direct, non-competitive route for this requirement, so competitors would need a clearly differentiated service or a strong relationship-building approach before the next relevant procurement. The requirement is a useful indicator of recurring institutional demand for higher education sector support.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Advance HE Strategic Membership Renewal

Notice Description

Advance HE Strategic Membership Renewal-UoB This notice is linked to contract award notice: Notice identifier: 2026/S 000-067554 Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-06cd7a

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06df41
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075357-2026
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
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80300000 - Higher education services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£117,588 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
17 Jul 20261 months ago
Contract Period
1 Aug 2026 - 31 Jul 2029 3-4 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
University of Bedfordshire
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LUTON
Postcode
LU1 3JU
Postcode Area
Luton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH21 Luton
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Luton
Electoral Ward
Central
Westminster Constituency
Luton South and South Bedfordshire

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ADVANCE HE

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...