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UK5

Review of Higher Education

  • First published: 26 August 2026
  • Last modified: 26 August 2026
  • Version: N/A
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The buyer is not using this website to administer the notice.

To record your interest or obtain additional information or documents please find instructions within the Full Notice Text. (NOTE: Contract Award Notices and Prior Information Notices do not normally require a response)

This is an amendment notice, there is a full version which may contain postbox and other relevant documents.

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Contents

Summary

OCID:
ocds-h6vhtk-06ebb6
Published by:
Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government
Authority ID:
AA0007
Publication date:
26 August 2026
Deadline date:
-
Notice type:
UK5
Has documents:
No
Has SPD:
No
Has Carbon Reduction Plan:
N/A

Abstract

The purpose of the contract is to take overall responsibility for the success of the review, provide expertise and insight and to lead the work of the Review Panel. The contractor will lead the Panel established to undertake the Review; be the public face of the Review, including building relationships with stakeholders. The contractor will be expected to provide on average two days service per week and travel throughout Wales as required.

Full notice text

Scope

Procurement reference

C158/2026/2027

Procurement description

The purpose of the contract is to take overall responsibility for the success of the review, provide expertise and insight and to lead the work of the Review Panel. The contractor will lead the Panel established to undertake the Review; be the public face of the Review, including building relationships with stakeholders. The contractor will be expected to provide on average two days service per week and travel throughout Wales as required.

Contracting authority

Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government

Identification register:

  • GB-PPON

Address 1: Gwasanaethau Caffael Corfforaethol / Corporate Procurement Services

Town/City: Cardiff

Postcode: CF10 3NQ

Country: United Kingdom

Website: http://gov.wales

Public Procurement Organisation Number: PQYQ-3841-BHTP

NUTS code: UKL22

Contact name: Sian Brown

Email: CPSProcurementAdvice@gov.wales

Organisation type: Public authority - central government

Devolved regulations that apply: Wales

Supplier

Dempsey Murphy and Associates

Identification register:

  • GB-PPON

Address 1: 28 Saint Kevin's Parade, Portobello, Dublin 8

Town/City: Dublin

Postcode: D08E2V4

Country: Ireland

Public Procurement Organisation Number: PGNW-7569-MBZM

NUTS code: IE

Email: info@dempseymurphyassociates.com

Type:

  • SME

Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Description of how these justifications apply

This transparency notice is intended to provide notice of the Authority’s decision to award a contract to Dempsey Murphy and Associates for the provision of services of an Independent Chair for the delivery of a review into Higher Education in Wales.

A number of candidates have been approached through soft market testing, but during this process, it became apparent to the Contracting Authority that only the individual nominated by Dempsey Murphy and Associates had the knowledge, skills and expertise in the sector of delivering the services required, within the timeline for the review.

It is the opinion of Welsh Government that the contract in question satisfies the requirements of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 with justification for the direct award of a contract to Dempsey Murphy and Associates as there is an absence of competition for technical reasons and that no reasonable alternative exists that satisfies the deliverables of the contract. Therefore the requirements of paragraph 41 Direct award in special cases and Schedule 5 part (6) (a) (b) apply to the contract.

Direct award justification

Single suppliers technical reasons

Contract terms and risks

Description of risks to contract performance

Successful levels of engagement with stakeholders. Complexity of policy issues under consideration.

Lots

Divided into 1 lots

Lot number: 1 Status: Complete

Sustainability

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

Contract

Review of Higher Education

ID: 1

Status: Pending

Related lots

1

Date the contract will be signed (estimated)

04 September 2026, 23:59PM

Can this contract be extended?: Yes

Value

155400.00 GBP Excluding VAT

186480.00 GBP Including VAT

Main category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 80300000 - Higher education services

Delivery regions

  • UKL - Wales

Is the total value above threshold?

Above threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

04 September 2026, 00:00AM to 28 February 2028, 23:59PM

Extension end date (if all the extensions are used): 01 May 2028

Suppliers

  • GB-PPON-PGNW-7569-MBZM

Documents

ID

conflictOfInterest

Document type

Conflict of interest

Description

Not published

Coding

Commodity categories

ID Title Parent category
80300000 Higher education services Education and training services

Delivery locations

ID Description
100 UK - All

Alert region restrictions

The buyer has restricted the alert for this notice to suppliers based in the following regions.

ID Description
There are no alert restrictions for this notice.

About the buyer

Main contact:
N/a
Admin contact:
N/a
Technical contact:
N/a
Other contact:
N/a

Further information

Date Details
No further information has been uploaded.

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