---
title: "Institutional Readiness Assessment and AI Strategy Scoping"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06b4ba"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06b4ba"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06b4ba.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06b4ba.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "YORK ST JOHN UNIVERSITY"
published: "2026-06-15"
---

# Institutional Readiness Assessment and AI Strategy Scoping

Buyer: YORK ST JOHN UNIVERSITY  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06b4ba

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## Summary

York St John University is planning an upcoming procurement for a Governance and Institutional Readiness Assessment and AI Strategy under the industry category of systems and technical consultancy services. This initiative, titled "Institutional Readiness Assessment and AI Strategy Scoping," is at the planning stage, with a pre-market engagement scheduled to conclude on 3rd July 2026. Located in York, United Kingdom, the buying organisation is looking for market insights to shape the final tender process. The procurement will include designing a governance structure and developing an AI strategy. The total estimated contract value is £60,000, with the contract period anticipated from 1st September 2026 to 30th November 2026.

This tender represents a valuable growth opportunity for businesses specialising in AI strategy, governance model development, and systems consultancy. Companies skilled in conducting AI readiness assessments or involved in the higher education sector can significantly benefit by engaging in this market engagement. Small to medium-sized enterprises with innovative approaches, tools, and methodologies tailored to the specific needs of educational institutions would be well-suited to compete. By participating in shaping the final procurement specification, businesses can align their offerings closely with the University’s requirements, potentially resulting in successful future contract awards.

## Notice

York St John University (YSJ) is preparing to procure specialist support to deliver a Governance and Institutional Readiness Assessment and AI Strategy. Generative AI is already widely embedded across institutional activity, including teaching, learning, research and professional services, with evidence indicating the use of a significant number of tools across the University and a largely decentralised approach to adoption. In response, the University is seeking to move from fragmented, unmanaged adoption towards a coherent, governed and strategically aligned approach to AI, enabling safe, effective and purposeful use at scale. This pre-market engagement exercise is intended to inform the development of the full procurement and ensure that the Invitation to Tender (ITT) reflects current best practice, innovation and market capability. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-York:-Systems-and-technical-consultancy-services./26QBGUNP78 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/respond/26QBGUNP78

### Planning Information

Governance and Institutional Readiness Assessment and AI Strategy
The University’s objective is to establish a clear institutional AI strategy and governance model that enables a coordinated, controlled and adaptable approach to AI. 
This includes strengthening the University’s ability to:
•Shape how AI is used across academic and professional services
•Manage associated risks, including legal, ethical and operational considerations
•Monitor and assess AI usage across the institution
•Enable consistent, safe and effective adoption at scale 
The University is seeking market insight to inform how this requirement can best be delivered, including approaches, methodologies and innovations that are aligned to the Higher Education sector.
Indicative scope of requirement
While requirements continue to be refined, the University anticipates that the appointed partner will support:
•AI Readiness and Maturity Assessment
Evaluation of current AI adoption, governance effectiveness, and institutional risk exposure
•Assessment of Existing Systems and AI Capability
Review of enterprise platforms (e.g. M365, VLE, CRM) and embedded AI capabilities
Identification of value, gaps and unmanaged risk
•AI Strategy Development (Primary Output)
A clear, practical and implementable institutional AI strategy
Defined principles covering teaching, research and professional services
•Governance and Operating Model (Primary Output)
Design of a governance structure enabling effective oversight, control and decision-making
•Platform, Access and Tooling Model
Approach for providing safe, consistent access to approved AI tools
Reduction in reliance on unapproved or high-risk tools
•Policy, Guidance and Acceptable Use Framework
Development of a clear and usable framework aligned to institutional governance and controls
•User Experience and Adoption
Ensuring tools and guidance are accessible, practical and embedded in workflows
•Indicative Roadmap and Decision Framework
A high-level, flexible implementation pathway supported by structured decision-making
•Risk, Control and Benchmarking
Proportionate control framework and benchmarking against sector leaders
Purpose of this engagement
This pre-market engagement exercise is designed to:
•Test the University’s current assumptions about delivery approach and scope
•Understand what represents standard practice in AI strategy and governance engagements
•Identify innovative approaches, tools and methodologies emerging in the market
•Explore delivery models appropriate to the UK Higher Education context
•Ensure the eventual ITT reflects practical, implementable and market-aligned requirements
Insights gathered will directly inform the final specification and procurement approach.
Engagement activities
During the engagement period, the University may:
•Invite suppliers to submit written responses or position statements
•Hold market engagement sessions or one-to-one discussions
•Request demonstrations of relevant methodologies, frameworks or tools
Participation is entirely voluntary and will not influence any future procurement evaluation.
How to participate
Suppliers interested in contributing to this engagement are be invited to register their interest by emailing an initial proposal to procurement@yorksj.ac.uk. Further details regarding timelines and engagement activities will be shared with participants.
Important notice
This notice is issued solely for the purpose of pre-market engagement.
It:
•Does not constitute a call for competition
•Does not form part of any procurement process
•Does not commit the University to undertake any future procurement
The intention is to ensure that any future procurement is well-informed, proportionate and aligned to market capability.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/056058-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 15 Jun 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 3 Jul 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 Aug 2026 - 30 Nov 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £60,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | YORK ST JOHN UNIVERSITY |
| Locality | YORK |
| Post town | York |
| Postcode | YO31 7EX |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |
| ITL 2 | TLE2 North Yorkshire |
| ITL 3 | TLE21 York |
| Local authority | York |
| Electoral ward | Guildhall |
| Westminster constituency | York Central |
| Delivery location | TLE21 York |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 72220000 - Systems and technical consultancy services
- 72221000 - Business analysis consultancy services
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

## Release History

- 15 Jun 2026 at 09:41 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/056058-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/056058-2026
  15th June 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/respond/26QBGUNP78
- https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-York:-Systems-and-technical-consultancy-services./26QBGUNP78
- 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-06b4ba. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06b4ba.json.