---
title: "University of York VLE Assessment Tools Expansion"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-03ec2e"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03ec2e"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03ec2e.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03ec2e.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF YORK"
published: "2023-08-01"
---

# University of York VLE Assessment Tools Expansion

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF YORK  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-03ec2e

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## Summary

The University of York recently completed a procurement process titled 'University of York VLE Assessment Tools Expansion' in the goods category. The University aimed to enhance its BlackBoard Learn assessment capability by adding features such as bridging handwritten and digital content, supporting technical nomenclature, and enabling batch marking of student work. The procurement method used was a limited award procedure without prior publication, and the contract involved a 4-year commitment to serve 24,000 student users.

This tender for expanding assessment tools at the University of York provides an opportunity for technology companies specialising in educational software packages and solutions. Businesses offering Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions with capabilities to integrate with Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and support educational assessment processes would be well-suited to compete in this procurement. The successful bidder, Turnitin LLC, demonstrates the potential for innovative technology companies to secure contracts with prestigious educational institutions like the University of York.

## Notice

The University of York is looking to extend the range, and capabilities, of its "in VLE" (BlackBoard Learn) assessment capability in the most economic way in terms of resource, solutions and cost without overlapping features of existing assessment tools; which could create alternate mechanisms in operation across faculties.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The University of York is looking to extend the range, and capabilities, of its "in VLE" (BlackBoard Learn) assessment capability in the most economic way in terms of resource, solutions and cost without overlapping features of existing assessment tools; which could create alternate mechanisms in operation across faculties. The required features additional to our current estate (BlackBoard Learn/Turnitin Feedback Studio) are: Ability to bridge the gap between handwritten (paper based) responses (either as coursework or exams) and digital marking activities, with well supported entry points for handwritten content into an online digital workflow for marking and feedback irrespective of the source of the submitted work (ie from an open coursework or a closed exam activity). Ability to use complex technical and scientific nomenclature, formulas and equations in both questions and feedback responses. This is expected to work in concert with handwritten responses, allowing questions to be posed requiring detailed handwritten answers which can then be rendered digitally and technical responses provided digitally - using scientific formulae and equations as necessary. Tools which can identify and direct specific questions within a response to specific markers who have responsibility for marking that specific question. Enabling a single multi-answer submission to be marked in parallel by multiple markers and then collating that information through a structured workflow so the student receives a single mark and set of feedback. Ability to batch mark student work (primarily short answer texts) where responses are the same or similar. Being able to group or categorise responses providing a more rapid marking capability; this may utilise machine learning in order to facilitate that batching activity. Ability to support computer code review, grading and feedback. Automation of the grading activity is also being sought in order to provide economies of scale. The delivery model needed to align to our strategy must: - be SaaS - be delivered through an LTI 1.3 connection with the VLE - production ready status with an enterprise level service. Additional information: Contract sums equate to a 4-year commitment with a growth path to extend to 24000 student users

### Procurement Information

No other SaaS solution is able to meet the needs of the university

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022378-2023 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 1 Aug 2023 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 31 Jul 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £240,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF YORK |
| Locality | YORK |
| Post town | York |
| Postcode | YO10 5DD |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |
| ITL 2 | TLE2 North Yorkshire |
| ITL 3 | TLE21 York |
| Local authority | York |
| Electoral ward | Hull Road |
| Westminster constituency | York Central |
| Delivery location | TLE21 York |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | TURNITIN |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems

### Codes

- 48190000 - Educational software package

## Release History

- 1 Aug 2023 at 16:01 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022378-2023

## Notice URLs

- http://www.york.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-03ec2e. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03ec2e.json.