--- title: "Cash Bursary Alternatives/PRO/PIN/2021" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-58708c25-9d43-4ca0-a373-92604a3ce198" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-58708c25-9d43-4ca0-a373-92604a3ce198" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-58708c25-9d43-4ca0-a373-92604a3ce198.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-58708c25-9d43-4ca0-a373-92604a3ce198.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "OPEN UNIVERSITY(THE)" published: "2021-03-16" --- # Cash Bursary Alternatives/PRO/PIN/2021 Buyer: OPEN UNIVERSITY(THE) Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-58708c25-9d43-4ca0-a373-92604a3ce198 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-58708c25-9d43-4ca0-a373-92604a3ce198) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-58708c25-9d43-4ca0-a373-92604a3ce198.json) ## Summary The Open University is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process titled "Cash Bursary Alternatives/PRO/PIN/2021," which aims to explore electronic solutions for supporting students unable to receive bursary payments directly into their bank accounts. Located in Milton Keynes, England, the university has set a deadline for supplier engagement feedback by 23rd April 2021. Potential suppliers should submit their responses via the Open University's e-tendering platform, In-Tend. The procurement falls within the software package and information systems industry category. This tender presents a valuable opportunity for businesses specialising in software as a service and digital financial solutions. Companies that provide electronic platforms for managing cash credits, virtual wallets, or similar technology will be particularly well-suited to participate. Additionally, those with experience collaborating with educational institutions or offering products that enhance student support services may find this tender aligns with their capabilities, facilitating a potential avenue for business growth in the higher education sector. ## Notice We are requesting information from suppliers about their online electronic solutions or portals to support students who are unable to accept a bursary paid via direct payment into their bank accounts. The OU would like to receive information from suppliers on solutions which deliver support in the same way many Clinical Commissioning Groups and Local Authorities deliver Personal Health Budgets. The OU is open to various solutions such as virtual wallets, limited marketplaces and restricted trading platforms, or other solutions which might support overcoming this problem. Suppliers are requested to respond to this PIN via The Open University's e-tendering website, In-Tend (https://in-tendhost.co.uk/openuniversity). Suppliers should complete and return a Request for Information Response Document by no later that noon on 23rd April 2020. Submissions must be made via the In-Tend correspondence function. The OU is offering a limited number of briefing sessions to suppliers on a first come, first served basis. The purpose of the briefing session is to provide further context to our requirement and for suppliers to ask questions and share some of their solution ideas with us prior to submitting their formal RFI response. The briefing sessions will be on a one-to-one basis. They will be held on the 25th March 2021 and the timeslots available are indicated in the RFI response pack with questions on how to request a session. The sessions will be held via Microsoft Teams. The OU requires a mechanism to provide support to students which doesn't involve directly providing payments to students. We envisage providing an electronic solution which holds cash credits that can be spent on providing products/services to students through the main software/marketplace/portal supplier without the need for The OU to contract with individual suppliers. When a student chooses a product and/or service, this will be provided directly to the student, either by the solution provider or their partners. The solution will also facilitate payment for these items/services from the authorised funds the OU provides. The OU anticipates that this solution will be delivered as an off the shelf, software as a service package, managed by a single vendor. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/1fd0c651-64cf-46c0-8107-284bc8dbe86a | | Notice type | Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 16 Mar 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 23 Apr 2021 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | OPEN UNIVERSITY(THE) | | Locality | MILTON KEYNES | | Post town | Milton Keynes | | Postcode | MK7 6AA | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire | | ITL 3 | TLJ12 Milton Keynes | | Local authority | Milton Keynes | | Electoral ward | Monkston | | Westminster constituency | Milton Keynes Central | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 48 - Software package and information systems ### Codes - 48000000 - Software package and information systems ## Release History - 16 Mar 2021 at 15:03 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/1fd0c651-64cf-46c0-8107-284bc8dbe86a ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/1fd0c651-64cf-46c0-8107-284bc8dbe86a 16th March 2021 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder ## Notice URLs - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/openuniversity ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-58708c25-9d43-4ca0-a373-92604a3ce198. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-58708c25-9d43-4ca0-a373-92604a3ce198.json.