Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Edgbaston
BIRMINGHAM
B152TT
Contact
Teisha Ravenscroft
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKG - West Midlands (England)
UK Register of Learning Providers (UKPRN number)
10006840
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
Contract for the provision of WORKTRIBE Research Contract to the University of Birmingham
Reference number
SC12641/24
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 48900000 - Miscellaneous software package and computer systems
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
Worktribe is a market-leading research management system. Through examination of the market and discussions with staff at other institutions, there appear to be few main options currently available for consideration.
Since first procuring Worktribe, the University has made a substantial investment in terms of integrations into the rest of the technical estate, working processes and staff training, as such the impact of moving to a new system would be significant, such as:
• System Integration Data: Migrating data to a new system entails significant financial and non-financial costs, including data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes, data cleansing, validation, and ensuring data integrity during the migration process which would entail significant internal UoB resources to support.
• Staff Training: Transitioning to a new system would require comprehensive training for staff members to ensure they are proficient in its use. Extending the contract with WorkTribe allows us to leverage existing staff expertise and minimise the need for extensive retraining, thereby reducing overall training costs.
• Project Managing Implementation: Implementing a new system necessitates effective project management to ensure a smooth transition and minimise disruptions to ongoing operations. Project management costs include personnel expenses, software licenses for project management tools, and other resources required to oversee the implementation process. By extending the contract with WorkTribe, we can mitigate the need for additional project management costs, as the UoB team is already familiar with our systems and processes.
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: £722,860
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Unique Market Technology: Worktribe is a market-leading research management system. Through examination of the market and discussions with staff at other institutions, there appear to be few main options currently available for consideration.
Return on the University's Investment: Since first procuring Worktribe, the University has made a substantial investment in terms of integrations into the rest of the technical estate, working processes and staff training, as such the impact of moving to a new system would be significant, such as:
• System Integration Data: Migrating data to a new system entails significant financial and non-financial costs, including data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes, data cleansing, validation, and ensuring data integrity during the migration process which would entail significant internal UoB resources to support.
• Staff Training: Transitioning to a new system would require comprehensive training for staff members to ensure they are proficient in its use. Extending the contract with WorkTribe allows us to leverage existing staff expertise and minimise the need for extensive retraining, thereby reducing overall training costs.
• Project Managing Implementation: Implementing a new system necessitates effective project management to ensure a smooth transition and minimise disruptions to ongoing operations. Project management costs include personnel expenses, software licenses for project management tools, and other resources required to oversee the implementation process. By extending the contract with WorkTribe, we can mitigate the need for additional project management costs, as The University team is already familiar with our systems and processes.
Customisation and Integration: WorkTribe's systems are customised to The University's specific requirements and seamlessly integrated with our existing infrastructure. Migrating to a new system would require reconfiguring workflows, customisations, and integrations, leading to additional costs and potential compatibility issues.
Conclusion: In conclusion, extending the contract with WorkTribe is the most cost-effective and practical solution to meet our system needs. The substantial costs associated with migrating data, training staff, and project managing implementation make transitioning to a new system financially prohibitive at this time. Furthermore, maintaining our relationship with WorkTribe ensures system stability, reliability, and ongoing support tailored to our business requirements. Therefore, it is recommend to extend the contract with WorkTribe to sustain the University's operational efficiency and effectiveness in the long term.
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
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:
Unique Market Technology: Worktribe is a market-leading research management system. Through examination of the market and discussions with staff at other institutions, there appear to be few main options currently available for consideration.
Return on the University's Investment: Since first procuring Worktribe, the University has made a substantial investment in terms of integrations into the rest of the technical estate, working processes and staff training, as such the impact of moving to a new system would be significant, such as:
• System Integration Data: Migrating data to a new system entails significant financial and non-financial costs, including data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes, data cleansing, validation, and ensuring data integrity during the migration process which would entail significant internal UoB resources to support.
• Staff Training: Transitioning to a new system would require comprehensive training for staff members to ensure they are proficient in its use. Extending the contract with WorkTribe allows us to leverage existing staff expertise and minimise the need for extensive retraining, thereby reducing overall training costs.
• Project Managing Implementation: Implementing a new system necessitates effective project management to ensure a smooth transition and minimise disruptions to ongoing operations. Project management costs include personnel expenses, software licenses for project management tools, and other resources required to oversee the implementation process. By extending the contract with WorkTribe, we can mitigate the need for additional project management costs, as the UoB team is already familiar with our systems and processes.
Customisation and Integration: WorkTribe's systems are customised to our specific requirements and seamlessly integrated with our existing infrastructure. Migrating to a new system would require reconfiguring workflows, customisations, and integrations, leading to additional costs and potential compatibility issues.
Conclusion: In conclusion, extending the contract with WorkTribe is the most cost-effective and practical solution to meet our system needs. The substantial costs associated with migrating data, training staff, and project managing implementation make transitioning to a new system financially prohibitive at this time. Furthermore, maintaining our relationship with WorkTribe ensures system stability, reliability, and ongoing support tailored to our business requirements. Extending the contract with WorkTribe will sustain our operational efficiency and effectiveness in the long term.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
SC12641/24
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
20 May 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
Bristol
BS8 3NB
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKK - South West (England)
Companies House
04576074
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £722,860
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
01 August 2024 to 31 July 2025: £160,418.00
01 August 2025 to 31 July 2026: £173,251.00
01 August 2026 to 31 July 2027: £187,111.00
01 August 2027 to 31 July 2028: £202,080.00
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The University of Birmingham
Birmingham
B15 2TT
Country
United Kingdom