Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
OPEN UNIVERSITY(THE)
THE OPEN UNIVERSITY
MILTON KEYNES
MK76AA
Contact
Procurement Team
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ12 - Milton Keynes
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Production Agency & Brand Hub
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79342000 - Marketing services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Contract awarded to one supplier who will be responsible for the Brand hub - hosting and management. This includes both technical services, digital and creative developments, digital builds and regular updates. In addition, we need an agency who can provide digital, creative design and production services. All in line with the OU Brand guidelines.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £1,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79342000 - Marketing services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ12 - Milton Keynes
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Website delivery
•Conception, design, development of existing and new digital pages/sites
•Hosting of Brand hub and Brand policy
•Ongoing maintenance of site, including updating pages and building of new pages, adapting
the site for user needs
•Services site for both internal (staff) and external (agencies/third party partners) audience with asset distribution
•Immediate response to systems issue/errors/changes
Brand templates development
Using Brand guidelines to design, create and deliver on brand assets and templates for OU colleagues and partners
•Build and maintenance of Microsoft Office suite templates, finely tuned to maximize productivity and brand consistency to be used by a broad range of OU stakeholders with built in guidance, preset fonts, colours, brand elements and data-linked elements.
Online & offline creative assets
•Using Brand guidelines to design, create and deliver on brand assets and templates for OU colleagues and partners
•Assets include videos, animations, illustrations; printed assets; graphic files in multiple formats. (e.g. Designing doordrop leaflet; suite of social media animated videos; ezines;
openlearn content projects; digital banners; resizing outdoor artwork; brochures; leaflets;
building vinyl; pull-up banners; event stand collateral)
Brand asset management
•Safely store and make maintain Brand assets on both the Asset bank and on servers to service Brand guidelines
•Full knowledge of use of Brand guidelines and brand assets
Brand guidelines & web toolkits
•Creation of multiple brand toolkits and online guidelines with cross-linking to the OU asset bank
•The Asset bank is used by both internal and external users for obtaining up to date Brand assets, brand images and case stories
•The Asset bank tracks user download details and asset usage
Host Brand guidelines
•Maintain guidelines - add new pages, action updates, input to development to ensure we are leading with the best technology and for easy user experience.
Problem-solving and systems support
•Intricate problem-solving within the digital environment, encompassing the rapid deployment of complex solutions that leverage new technologies to address any challenges
posed.
•Provide technical support to enhance the online offering to OU users
•Provide new solution and technology to enhance the user experience and host the complicated web infrastructure
End-to-end technical support
•Provide solutions and recommendations for best practice/best use of system
•Immediate response to critical issues/queries
•Immediate response to urgent/business critical changes that need to be implemented Accessibility enhancement
•Rigorous adherence to the latest accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1 AA, with indepth conformance reviews and comprehensive audits, ensuring a frictionless experience for users of all abilities across all media such as templates, guidelines and websites.
•Ensure the site is fully compliant with OU and industry accessibility guidance
•Knowledge and experience of accessibility requirements for digital and offline users
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
2 year agreement with the options to extend for a further 2 x 12 months.
Total contract length: 4 years
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
- absence of competition for technical reasons
Explanation:
Matrix Graphics Ltd have developed a bespoke brand infrastructure, spanning technical architecture, institutional workflows and alignment to the University's specific operational
and compliance requirements. At its core lies a codebase developed over many years, drawing on advanced methodologies, such as modular programming, adaptive algorithms, and bespoke data handling systems, to support the institution's unique and evolving needs.
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-039352
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
1 February 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Matrix Graphics Ltd
1.05b Assay Studios 141 Newhall Street
Birmingham
B3 1SF
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKG31 - Birmingham
Companies House
02556297
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £1,000,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,000,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The Open University
Milton Keynes
Country
United Kingdom