Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
University of Ulster
Block X Room X031, Cromore Road
Coleraine
BT52 1SA
Telephone
+44 2870124227
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKN - Northern Ireland
National registration number
NIC100166
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
Similarity Detection Systems
Reference number
project_27032
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 48190000 - Educational software package
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
Similarity Detection 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: £168,446
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Turnitin is used to detect plagiarism and is also a fundamental part of the Electronic Management of Assessment that supports over 250,000 student submissions in a given year at Ulster University. As a business model it is very successful as the business value is in the historical database of student papers
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
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
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:
(1) Prevention of loss of historical University data
The Turnitin solution is embedded within the entire digital learning infrastructure throughout
the University. lt is not technically feasible to consider another solution without a significant
loss of historical information that enables the functionality of plagiarism detection
throughout the University.
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: 2022/S 000-018128
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
19 July 2022
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
Turnitin UK
6-8 Charlotte Square
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 4XF
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKC - North East (England)
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £168,446
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland
Royal Courts of Justice, Chichester Street
Belfast
BT1 3JY
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The University incorporated a minimum 10 calendar days standstill period at the point information on award of the contract was communicated to all tenderers. The standstill period provided time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract was entered into. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (Northern Ireland).