---
title: "The Delivery and Development of the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-03d54c"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03d54c"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03d54c.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03d54c.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UK CAT CONSORTIUM LTD"
published: "2025-04-02"
---

# The Delivery and Development of the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

Buyer: UK CAT CONSORTIUM LTD  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-03d54c

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## Summary

The UK CAT Consortium Ltd, a body governed by public law, has awarded a contract to Pearson Professional Assessments Limited for the delivery and development of the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). This contract, valued at £27,000,000, was signed on 12 December 2023 and covers services in the education and training sector. The procurement process was conducted using an open procedure, starting with a tender published on 28 July 2023 and concluded with an award in December 2023. The mobile implementation phase will begin in October 2024, with full service delivery commencing from January 2025. The services will be delivered both within the UK and internationally, with potential expansion to Australia and New Zealand.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in education and IT services, including software development, data analysis, and support. It is particularly suitable for large-scale service providers experienced in handling complex, high-stakes assessment tools. With a focus on providing excellent customer service, including accommodations for candidates with disabilities and comprehensive preparation materials, the appointed supplier is expected to ensure a robust and seamless testing process. This contract offers a stable, long-term engagement that could enhance the supplier’s industry reputation and open further opportunities within the higher education sector.

## Notice

The UCAT Consortium is a consortium of 36 universities responsible for the delivery and development of a test used in undergraduate medical and dental selection. The purpose of the future procurement exercise is for the UCAT Consortium to appoint a supplier to deliver and further develop the test from 2025 onwards.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The UCAT test is an aptitude exam, designed to measure innate cognitive abilities in addition to individuals' judgement regarding situations encountered in a target role. The test is used in selection by a consortium of UK universities for entry to medical and dental training. The current exam consists of five separately timed subtests - Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and the Situational Judgement Test. Items (questions) include those developed from operational items used in previous administrations and new items trialled in previous years. The Consortium owns the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in existing test content. The test is currently delivered to candidates at physical test locations in the UK and internationally from July through to October. A small number of candidates take the test online. In 2022 over 36,000 candidates sat the test. Test scores are delivered to universities in early November. The delivery of the test is underpinned by a commitment to excellent customer service including candidate access to a straightforward online booking system, provision of a wide range of accommodations for candidates with disabilities, extensive preparation advice to candidates and access to freely available preparation materials, and pre-equating of the test to allow candidates immediate access to their test scores. The Consortium wishes to appoint a supplier to develop and deliver services within the UK and Internationally from January 2025 (mobilisation period to start October 2024). The supplier may also be required to provide the test for use in selection by a consortium of Australia and New Zealand universities. It is anticipated that the contract will be awarded in December 2023.

Renewal: Initial Contract Period will be 5 years with the option to extend a further 5 years.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012559-2025 |
| Notice type | Planning Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Planning, Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 2 Apr 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 13 Oct 2023 |
| Future notice date | 27 Jul 2023 |
| Award date | 12 Dec 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £26,500,000 |
| Lots value | £26,500,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £27,000,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UK CAT CONSORTIUM LTD |
| Additional buyers | UK CAT CONSORTIUM LIMITED |
| Locality | NOTTINGHAM |
| Post town | Nottingham |
| Postcode | NG7 2UH |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLF East Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLF1 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire |
| ITL 3 | TLF14 Nottingham |
| Local authority | Nottingham |
| Electoral ward | Lenton & Wollaton East |
| Westminster constituency | Nottingham South |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | PEARSON PROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENTS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems
- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 80 - Education and training services

### Codes

- 48000000 - Software package and information systems
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 72200000 - Software programming and consultancy services
- 72316000 - Data analysis services
- 72500000 - Computer-related services
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 80300000 - Higher education services
- 80320000 - Medical education services
- 80490000 - Operation of an educational centre

## Release History

- 2 Apr 2025 at 14:00 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012559-2025
- 28 Jul 2023 at 14:16 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022032-2023
- 12 Jun 2023 at 08:17 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016506-2023

## Notice URLs

- https://in-tendhost.co.uk/intendsharedservices/
- https://www.ucat.ac.uk/

## 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-h6vhtk-03d54c. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03d54c.json.