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Business Travel PME

University of Portsmouth

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

27 Oct 2026 at 10:16

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of Portsmouth Higher Education Corporation intends to re-tender business travel services. It is seeking a travel management company to arrange domestic and international travel for a large and diverse group of university stakeholders. The service is expected to cover air and rail travel, and accommodation bookings. Delivery would combine online booking through a platform and smartphone app with offline support through a UK-based call-centre model. The work is intended to serve the university’s travel needs across the United Kingdom. This is an early market engagement exercise: the university is seeking feedback from suitably qualified and experienced suppliers on its proposal before inviting tenders.

The process is at planning, with no invitation to tender at this stage. The university plans to seek supplier feedback through 31 December 2026. It expects the existing travel management contract to end in 2027, with the replacement service planned to start on 1 March 2028. The stated contract period runs to 28 February 2032, with a maximum extent to 28 February 2034; the university describes the intended re-contract as lasting up to six years. The estimated value is £9 million including VAT. The procurement is planned as one lot, which is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The procedure and evaluation criteria have not yet been set out.

This requirement is most relevant to travel management companies able to support a large, varied customer base and manage both domestic and international bookings. Suppliers should be prepared to provide air and rail booking, accommodation reservations, an online booking platform and a smartphone app, alongside responsive offline support through a UK-based call-centre model. Experience delivering integrated travel services across digital and telephone channels is directly relevant, as is the operational capacity to handle the university’s diverse stakeholder needs. The university is seeking feedback from suitably qualified and experienced suppliers, so businesses with a track record in comparable travel management services are well placed to contribute to the planning. The single-lot structure is stated to be suitable for SMEs, though suppliers will need to meet the eventual service scope.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Business Travel PME

Notice Description

The University of Portsmouth is seeking early market feedback from suitably qualified and experienced Suppliers on its proposal to re-tender it's Business Travel Services requirement. The University requires a Travel Management Company (TMC) that can facilitate the travel booking needs for a large and diverse range of stakeholders, including but not limited to Air Travel, Rail Travel and Accommodation Booking, for Domestic and International travel requirements. The University requires a TMC with the provision to provide these services both online through a booking platform and smartphone-based app, and offline through a UK based call-centre type model. The University has used the services of a TMC since 2018. As the current TMC contract is ending in 2027, the University is now seeking to re-contract for this service for up to a further 6 years.

Planning Information

Link to the University of Portsmouth supplier portal is: https://supplier.in-tend.co.uk/port/home Where you will be able to view the opportunity and download the PME document which outlines the process and timelines.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0790d5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/101370-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79997000 - Business travel services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£9,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Oct 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Mar 2028 - 28 Feb 2032 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
University of Portsmouth
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PORTSMOUTH
Postcode
PO1 2EG
Postcode Area
Portsmouth
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ31 Portsmouth
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Portsmouth
Electoral Ward
St Thomas
Westminster Constituency
Portsmouth South

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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