--- title: "Framework for the Provision of Services of Virtual Learning Environment Accessibility for the University of Birmingham" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-043c79" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-043c79" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-043c79.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-043c79.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM" published: "2024-02-23" --- # Framework for the Provision of Services of Virtual Learning Environment Accessibility for the University of Birmingham Buyer: THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-043c79 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-043c79) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-043c79.json) ## Summary The University of Birmingham is seeking tenders for a framework aiming to enhance accessibility of its Virtual Learning Environment. The procurement process involves creating an integrated solution to support digital accessibility in teaching materials, with key aims including staff engagement, providing accessible content for students, and access to reports on content accessibility. Supplier demonstrations are scheduled for April 2024, and the tender period ends on 25th March 2024. This tender opportunity presents a chance for businesses specializing in educational software development services to compete for providing solutions that integrate seamlessly with Canvas VLE. Businesses with experience in higher education institutes in the UK and a focus on accessibility, user experience, and technical proficiency would be well-suited to participate. The University of Birmingham is the contracting authority, and the procurement process is currently in the tender stage under an open procedure. ## Notice The University of Birmingham invites tenders for the provision of an integrated solution to support digital accessibility of teaching materials in our Virtual Learning Environment, Canvas VLE. The University has a number of aims with regards to this solution: 1. The solution should be in place and ready to use from August 2024. 2. For staff, the aim is to improve staff engagement with creating accessible teaching content by providing automated identification of accessibility issues with the VLE and to provide means by which they may remedy these issues, for example by serving point of need guidance and to support them in making improvements with the accessibility of their content. 3. For students, the aim is to provide access to automatically produced accessible alternatives of content within the VLE. 4. For the institution, the aim is to access reports on the accessibility of content within the VLE. 5. The preferred solution(s) will fully integrate in Canvas in a way which provides a consistent experience for students and staff. There should be little to no manual interventions required to synchronise data or user permissions between the solution and Canvas. 6. The preferred solution(s) will have experience working with other Higher Education Institutes in the UK and will have a well-developed Roadmap with a proven track record of meeting Roadmap timescales. 7. There are 38,000 students of which circa 32,000 are based in the University Birmingham's Edgbaston campus, circa 2000 in the University's Dubai campus, and circa 4000 on Distance Learning programmes (current published HESA FTE 33,570). There are also circa 900 students at the University's Jinan-Birmingham-Joint-Institute (JBJI) in China. The preferred solution will need to cater to these variations in student populations, programme types and location. ### Lot Information Lot 1 The University of Birmingham invites tenders for the provision of an integrated solution to support digital accessibility of teaching materials in our Virtual Learning Environment, Canvas VLE. The University has a number of aims with regards to this solution: 1. The solution should be in place and ready to use from August 2024. 2. For staff, the aim is to improve staff engagement with creating accessible teaching content by providing automated identification of accessibility issues with the VLE and to provide means by which they may remedy these issues, for example by serving point of need guidance and to support them in making improvements with the accessibility of their content. 3. For students, the aim is to provide access to automatically produced accessible alternatives of content within the VLE. 4. For the institution, the aim is to access reports on the accessibility of content within the VLE. 5. The preferred solution(s) will fully integrate in Canvas in a way which provides a consistent experience for students and staff. There should be little to no manual interventions required to synchronise data or user permissions between the solution and Canvas. 6. The preferred solution(s) will have experience working with other Higher Education Institutes in the UK and will have a well-developed Roadmap with a proven track record of meeting Roadmap timescales. 7. There are 38,000 students of which circa 32,000 are based in the University Birmingham's Edgbaston campus, circa 2000 in the University's Dubai campus, and circa 4000 on Distance Learning programmes (current published HESA FTE 33,570). There are also circa 900 students at the University's Jinan-Birmingham-Joint-Institute (JBJI) in China. The preferred solution will need to cater to these variations in student populations, programme types and location. Supplier demonstrations are expected to take place during the weeks commencing 29th April 2024 and 6th May 2024. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005955-2024 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Framework | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 23 Feb 2024 | | Submission deadline | 25 Mar 2024 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | 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 | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM | | Locality | BIRMINGHAM | | Post town | Birmingham | | Postcode | B15 2TT | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) | | ITL 2 | TLG3 West Midlands | | ITL 3 | TLG31 Birmingham | | Local authority | Birmingham | | Electoral ward | Edgbaston | | Westminster constituency | Birmingham Edgbaston | | Delivery location | TLG31 Birmingham | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 48 - Software package and information systems - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 48190000 - Educational software package - 72212190 - Educational software development services ## Release History - 23 Feb 2024 at 12:18 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005955-2024 ## Notice URLs - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofbirmingham/aspx/Home - https://www.birmingham.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-043c79. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-043c79.json.