---
title: "Provision of Research Management System"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06815b"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06815b"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06815b.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06815b.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF KEELE"
published: "2026-04-14"
---

# Provision of Research Management System

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF KEELE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06815b

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## Summary

The University of Keele has announced its intention to award a direct contract to Worktribe Ltd for the provision of a consolidated research management system. This contract falls within the 'Software package and information systems' industry category and will be delivered in Keele, Staffordshire, UKG24 region. The procurement is at the award stage, with a contract period spanning from 27th April 2026 to 26th April 2031. Following the publication of the award notice on 14th April 2026, a mandatory standstill period concludes on 24th April 2026 before the contract can commence. This decision is based on the Procurement Act 2023 and aims to avoid cost duplication and delays associated with integrating alternative suppliers.

This tender presents significant growth opportunities for firms specialising in research management platforms, particularly those with expertise in system integrations and support within academic environments. SMEs already engaged in software solutions tailored for higher education institutions may find this contract appealing, although competitive tendering was deemed unsuitable due to existing integrations and the expertise developed with Worktribe since 2022. The collaboration between Keele University and Worktribe exemplifies the potential for specialised suppliers to preserve technological investments within educational sectors, aligning services with academic operational objectives.

## Notice

Following the publication of a Transparency Notice on 13 April 2026, University of Keele is publishing this Contract Award Notice to announce its intention, in accordance with its statutory obligations, to award a contract to Worktribe Ltd for the provision of a consolidated, end-to-end research management system. This direct award is justified under Paragraphs 7 and 25 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023. The services require a platform that is fully integrated with the University's existing technical estate (including HR and Finance systems), workflows, and processes. Since first procuring Worktribe in 2022, the University has made a substantial investment in system integrations, customisations, and staff training. These are now embedded in the University's research support operations. Appointing any alternative supplier would require them to replicate this specific integration and expertise. This would necessitate a substantial duplication of effort and cost, and an unacceptable period of mobilisation, resulting in: 1. Potential material duplication of cost for the University (including data migration, new integrations, and staff retraining); and 2. Detrimental delays in the delivery of critical research support services, which would disrupt the University's research activities and prevent it from achieving its operational and financial objectives. The award of this contract to Worktribe Ltd represents the only viable route to secure the required goods and services in a timely and cost-effective manner, as a competitive procurement process would be objectively unsuitable in these specific circumstances. This justification is supported by precedents from other UK universities, including the University of Birmingham, the University of Greenwich, and Nottingham Trent University. Disclaimer This Contract Award Notice is published by the University of Keele, a contracting authority, in accordance with its statutory obligations under Section 50 of the Procurement Act 2023 to notify its intention to award a contract. This notice does not itself constitute an offer, an award of contract, or give rise to any implied contract. The publication of this Contract Award Notice by University of Keele will initiate the mandatory 8 working day standstill period, as required by Section 51(1) of the Act. The University will not, and cannot lawfully, enter into a contract for the required goods and services until the 8-working-day standstill period has been successfully completed. Any contract award will be confirmed through the subsequent publication of a Contract Details Notice.

### Procurement Information

University of Keele is publishing this transparency notice to announce its intention, in accordance with its statutory obligations, to award a contract directly to Worktribe Ltd for the provision of a consolidated, end-to-end research management system. This direct award is justified under Paragraphs 7 and 25 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023. The services require a platform that is fully integrated with the University's existing technical estate (including HR and Finance systems), workflows, and processes. Since first procuring Worktribe in 2022, the University has made a substantial investment in system integrations, customisations, and staff training. These are now embedded in the University's research support operations. Appointing any alternative supplier would require them to replicate this specific integration and expertise. This would necessitate a substantial duplication of effort and cost, and an unacceptable period of mobilisation, resulting in: 1. Potential material duplication of cost for the University (including data migration, new integrations, and staff retraining); and 2. Detrimental delays in the delivery of critical research support services, which would disrupt the University's research activities and prevent it from achieving its operational and financial objectives. The award of this contract to Worktribe Ltd represents the only viable route to secure the required goods and services in a timely and cost-effective manner, as a competitive procurement process would be objectively unsuitable in these specific circumstances. This justification is supported by precedents from other UK universities, including the University of Birmingham, the University of Greenwich, and Nottingham Trent University. This Transparency Notice is published by the University of Keele, a contracting authority, in accordance with its statutory obligations under Section 44 of the Procurement Act 2023 to notify its intention to award a contract directly. Disclaimer This notice does not itself constitute an offer, an award of contract, or give rise to any implied contract. The publication of the subsequent Contract Award Notice will initiate the mandatory 8-working-day standstill period, as required by Section 51(1) of the Act. The University will not, and cannot lawfully, enter into a contract for the required goods and services until the 8-working-day standstill period has been successfully completed. Any contract award will be confirmed through the subsequent publication of a Contract Details Notice.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033957-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Apr 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 7 Apr 2026 |
| Contract period | 26 Apr 2026 - 26 Apr 2031 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £1,424,104 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF KEELE |
| Locality | KEELE, STAFFORDSHIRE, |
| Post town | Stoke-on-Trent |
| Postcode | ST5 5NB |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLG2 Shropshire and Staffordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLG24 Staffordshire CC |
| Local authority | Newcastle-under-Lyme |
| Electoral ward | Keele |
| Westminster constituency | Newcastle-under-Lyme |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

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

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems

### Codes

- 48000000 - Software package and information systems

## Release History

- 14 Apr 2026 at 17:47 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033957-2026
- 13 Apr 2026 at 16:03 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033452-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033957-2026
  14th April 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033452-2026
  13th April 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.worktribe.com
- https://www.keele.ac.uk
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-06815b. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06815b.json.