--- title: "Soft Market Testing Exercise (SMTE) for Staff Augmentation" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-991a114b-053d-453a-9d8d-c61f2f373780" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-991a114b-053d-453a-9d8d-c61f2f373780" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-991a114b-053d-453a-9d8d-c61f2f373780.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-991a114b-053d-453a-9d8d-c61f2f373780.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON" published: "2021-10-13" --- # Soft Market Testing Exercise (SMTE) for Staff Augmentation Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-991a114b-053d-453a-9d8d-c61f2f373780 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-991a114b-053d-453a-9d8d-c61f2f373780) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-991a114b-053d-453a-9d8d-c61f2f373780.json) ## Summary The University of Southampton is conducting a Soft Market Testing Exercise (SMTE) titled "Soft Market Testing Exercise (SMTE) for Staff Augmentation". This initiative aims to enhance the university's resource management for its transformation programme and ongoing support needs within the IT services industry. The SMTE is currently active and will close for responses on 12th November 2021. All communications and tenders are to be processed via the In-Tend electronic procurement system, with the primary delivery location being Southampton, England. The total value of this procurement opportunity is estimated at £100,000. This tender provides a significant opportunity for businesses in the IT services sector, particularly those that specialise in networking software, project management software, and related consulting services. Companies that offer staff augmentation solutions, particularly with capabilities in remote or flexible working models, would be well-positioned to engage in this process. Additionally, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are encouraged to participate, as the university aims to explore a diverse range of market offerings. ## Notice The University is currently reviewing how it resources its ambitious transformation programme and the subsequent Business As Usual ("BAU") support. With an ever-evolving technology landscape and the introduction of new platforms and services, the University needs to have access to the right skills in a timely manner. To meet these challenges, the University is exploring a "core-flex" model using staff augmentation. Remote working for iSolutions is now the norm so the University is accepting of a model which relies upon a mix of on shore, near shore and off shore resources to take advantage of labour arbitrage. For on shore resources, these do not need to be based in Southampton although there is an expectation that there will be a need for that to happen for some roles. This Soft Market Testing Exercise ("SMTE") is to enable the University to better understand the external market, and offerings to utilise from industry leaders. The below describes the steps of this SMTE. 1. SMTE launched and advertised by the University, 2. Interested bidders register to the Universities In-Tend System, https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton/aspx/Registration. If a bidder is already registered they do not need to re-register on In-Tend, 3. Once setup on In-Tend, bidders send e-mail to m.c.gage@soton.ac.uk seeking copy of a Non Disclosure Agreement ("NDA"), 4. Bidder receives, completes, signs and returns the NDA to the University, 5. Upon receipt of the signed NDA, bidders are included to the project and the full SMTE documents are available to review and download, 6. Interested bidders submit their response(s) in-line with the SMTE requirements. Additional information: The University is utilising an electronic tendering tool (In-Tend: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton) to manage this procurement and to communicate with participating organisations. All documentation in relation to this tender can be downloaded from the In-Tend portal, following successful completion and submission of a signed NDA. Participating organisations are advised that there will be no hard copy documents issued to organisations and all communications with the University including the submission of Soft Market Testing Exercise questionnaires will be conducted via the In-Tend portal. Regular monitoring of the portal is the responsibility of the participating organisation. If you are not already registered as a supplier with the University of Southampton, you will need to register in In-Tend in order to access the tender documentation. Steps following submission of a signed NDA. Once you have logged in as a supplier: click on 'Tenders'; locate the relevant project; and click 'View Details'. Once you are in the project screen, you will be able to register your company against the project and access all documentation by clicking 'Express Interest'. Further instructions for the submission of the Soft Market Testing Exercise questionnaires are below. To submit your return, please follow the instructions below: 1. Log In 2. Click 'Tenders' 3. Locate the relevant project 4. View Details 5. Click on the tab relating to the relevant project stage (e.g. 'Soft Market Testing') 6. Click on the 'Attach Documents' button and upload your return. 7. Check ALL your response documents are uploaded and displayed in the "My Tender Return" panel. The system will only permit your organisation to make one return. 8. Click the red "Submit Return" button. Please note that, to preserve the integrity of the tendering procedure, all queries must made be via the correspondence function within the In-Tend portal. Please Note: This early engagement notice is issued solely for the purpose of conducting pre-procurement market engagement and does not constitute an commitment to undertake any procurement in the future. Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to the Soft Market Testing Exercise and a response to this notice does not guarantee and invitation yo participate in this exercise of any future procurement. This notice does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services, supplies or works mentioned in this notice and the University will not accept and proposals offered in response to this notice. The University of Southampton is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party in relying to this early engagement notice and/or providing a soft Market Testing Exercise response. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/15a01c73-68fc-4728-9bed-cf4b1650fc54 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Goods | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Other - Soft Market Testing Exercise | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 13 Oct 2021 | | Submission deadline | 12 Nov 2021 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 15 Nov 2021 - 16 Nov 2021 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £100,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON | | Locality | SOUTHAMPTON | | Post town | Southampton | | Postcode | SO17 1BJ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight | | ITL 3 | TLJ32 Southampton | | Local authority | Southampton | | Electoral ward | Portswood | | Westminster constituency | Southampton Test | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 48 - Software package and information systems - 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 48215000 - Networking developers' software package - 48331000 - Project management software package - 71620000 - Analysis services - 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ## Release History - 13 Oct 2021 at 08:10 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/15a01c73-68fc-4728-9bed-cf4b1650fc54 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/15a01c73-68fc-4728-9bed-cf4b1650fc54 13th October 2021 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder ## Notice URLs - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton/aspx/Registration ## 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-b5fd17-991a114b-053d-453a-9d8d-c61f2f373780. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-991a114b-053d-453a-9d8d-c61f2f373780.json.