Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX(THE)
Sussex House
Falmer, Brighton
BN19RH
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ21 - Brighton and Hove
Companies House
RC000672
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
Unit4 Renewal
Reference number
US_25209
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
UNIT4 is the University's main Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
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: £71,622
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
UNIT4 is the primary finance system for the University, used for raising purchase orders, paying invoices, authorizing expenses and so on. This contract is for support and maintenance of our UNIT4 system.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
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:
The tender procedure followed for this requirement was a direct award in line with the
Public Contracts Regulations 2015, regulation 32. "(2) The negotiated procedure without
prior publication may be used for public works contracts, public supply contracts and
public service contracts in any of the following cases:- (b) where the works, supplies or
services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator for any of the following
reasons:- (ii) competition is absent for technical reasons, and (iii) the protection of
exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights".
UNIT4 has been on a long term contract starting on 01.01.2026 as a result of a tender process and contract award from December 2024.
Replacing this system would be impossible in the given timescale of end of April 2025 and delay in renewing might cause disruption to working practices around invoicing and expenses for the entire University. The University new Cloud Unit 4 service provision is to commence January 2026 with a duration until December 2027.
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
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
21 March 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
UNIT4 Business Software Limited
London
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Companies House
01737985
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £71,622
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
University of Sussex
Brighton
Country
United Kingdom