Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
University of Ulster
Block X Room X031, Cromore Road
Coleraine
BT52 1SA
UK
Telephone: +44 2870124515
E-mail: a.todd@ulster.ac.uk
NUTS: UKN0
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.ulster.ac.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Education
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Global Online Education Venture
Reference number: project_25463
II.1.2) Main CPV code
80430000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Ulster University (University) undertook a procurement exercise (in accordance with the competitive dialogue process) to select an Online Programme Management provider to participate in a global online education venture.
The venture aims to grow a substantial high quality and premium global online education portfolio for the University. The objective is to accelerate to a diverse, versatile and agile portfolio at scale with bespoke design and development for targeted markets that break from the traditional academic calendar and which lower common academic and professional services barriers of curriculum design, development, recruitment, delivery and support.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
40 000 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
48190000
80000000
80300000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKN0
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The University currently has strong credentials in online education with a significant portfolio of courses delivered through online distance learning. The requirement from the successful collaborative partner for this new collaboration will include, inter alia, the following:
— market insights to optimally prime the course development pipeline;
— supported curriculum design, instructional design and media content development;
— marketing, recruitment and student retention.
The anticipated characteristics of the development are:
— collaborative relationship;
— revenue-share based on investment profile of Collaborative Partner;
— professionals as the target student;
— global in anticipated target market;
— carousel in course delivery approach;
— English language as the taught medium;
— scale of the order of several thousand enrolled in steady state within a few years;
— revenue to the parties of up to GBP 20 000 000 in steady state.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
It is envisaged that the University will enter into a long-term arrangement (an initial 10-year contract with the potential for the University, acting at its discretion, to extend up to a total further period of 60 months) with the successful economic operator.
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive dialogue
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2019/S 194-471714
Section V: Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
24/07/2020
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Pearson Education Ltd
00872828
80 Strand
London
WC2R 0RL
UK
NUTS: UKI
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 40 000 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland
Royal Courts of Justice, Chichester Street
Belfast
BT1 3JY
UK
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
The University incorporated a minimum 10 calendar days standstill period at the point information on award of the contract was communicated to all economic operators. The standstill period provided time for unsuccessful economic operators to challenge the award decision before the contract was entered into.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
18/08/2020