Award

Provision of a Research Management System

  • University of Leeds

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-008672

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0449ef

Published 18 March 2024, 2:05pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

University of Leeds

Purchasing Office, Woodhouse Lane

Leeds

LS2 9JT

Email

CentralPurchasing@adm.leeds.ac.uk

Telephone

+44 1133436987

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKE42 - Leeds

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.leeds.ac.uk/

Buyer's address

http://purchasing.leeds.ac.uk/

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Other type

University

one.5) Main activity

Education


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Provision of a Research Management System

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 48100000 - Industry specific software package

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

The proposed contract is for the supply and implementation of a commercial off the shelf SaaS Research Management System. The University's externally funded research grant portfolio is currently managed using an in-house developed, highly bespoke SAP application called KRISTAL, which reports via a bespoke SQL database using QlikView. The proposed contract hopes to modernise and simplify the pre and post-award IT applications landscape with a move to a cloud based solution removing legacy complex bespoke systems.

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: £533,454

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKE42 - Leeds
Main site or place of performance

Leeds

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The University's externally funded research grant portfolio is currently managed using an in-house developed, highly bespoke SAP application called KRISTAL, which reports via a bespoke SQL database using QlikView. The proposed contract hopes to modernise and simplify the pre and post-award IT applications landscape with a move to a cloud based solution removing complex bespoke legacy systems. Through the proposed SaaS system the University's Research and Innovation will implement improvements to the research administration systems and processes currently in place at the University of Leeds. Improving efficiency and sustainability by being able to better track the entire research life cycle and ensure that as much of the cost of research is recovered as possible.

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No

two.2.14) Additional information

The proposed contract is for the University to enter a contract with the selected Research Management System for 4 years.


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Negotiated without a prior call for competition

  • The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
    • absence of competition for technical reasons

Explanation:

Under Clause 32(b) (ii) of Public Contract Regulations 2015: Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition: (2) The negotiated procedure without prior publication may be used for works contract, public supply contracts and public service contracts in any of the following cases: - (b) where the works, suppliers or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator for any of the following reasons: - (ii) competition is absent for technical reasons Justification: A substantial options appraisal exercise has been carried out. This included investigation and soft market testing of thirteen potential solutions available in the market. Following the options appraisal, a number of reference site demos and knowledge sharing events were organised to learn from peer-group approach; this included Universities of Cambridge, Exeter, York, Edinburgh and UCL. Through this approach there is an evolving consensus that a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution will offer the best fit for the University of Leeds. The result of the market research and reference site demonstrations concluded Worktribe As the only option to emerge from the appraisal that can meet the University’s requirements on a single SaaS solution, Worktribe’s Research Management System is a fully integrated, end-to-end research management solution, currently used by 50 UK universities (including Russell Group Universities). We have identified the Pre-Award and Post-Award products of the research lifecycle to meet our needs. These will increase organisational efficiency and compliance through providing aligned and auditable workflows, which in turn provides a single source of truth for research grant data, which can be used across the organisation. Worktribe can securely share its information with other interdependent systems. The workflow and data management system will enable easy collaboration both between academic and professional service colleagues and within the academic and professional service areas.

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Title

Provision of a Research Management System

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

15 March 2024

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

WorkTribe Ltd

Engineers House, The Promenade, Clifton Down

Bristol

BS8 3NB

Email

CentralPurchasing@adm.leeds.ac.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKE42 - Leeds
National registration number

04576074

Internet address

www.Leeds.ac.uk

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £533,454

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £533,454


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

To view this notice, please click here:

https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=843680835" target="_blank">https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=843680835

GO Reference: GO-2024318-PRO-25525551

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

University of Leeds

Woodhouse

Leeds

LS2 9JT

Email

CentralPurchasing@adm.leeds.ac.uk

Telephone

+44 1132431751

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures

University of Leeds

Woodhouse

Leeds

LS2 9JT

Email

CentralPurchasing@adm.leeds.ac.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

http://www.leeds.ac.uk

six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

University of Leeds

Woodhouse

Leeds

LS2 9JT

Email

CentralPurchasing@adm.leeds.ac.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

http://www.leeds.ac.uk