Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Sheffield Hallam University
City Campus,Howard Street
SHEFFIELD
S11WB
Contact
Procurement Team
strategicprocurement@shu.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 1142253431
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKE32 - Sheffield
UK Register of Learning Providers (UKPRN number)
10005790
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
Financial Trading
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80300000 - Higher education services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Sheffield Hallam University intends to contract with a provider to deliver or support the delivery of both level 5 and level 7 Ofqual registered Financial Trading qualifications as modules which are integrated into established Undergraduate and Post Graduate Financial Trading courses at the University. The provider will deliver or support the delivery of their qualifications nationally and internationally with the potential to expand the scope of the contract into other complimentary areas.
The contract is intended to be for a five year term plus any applicable cohort run-off period(s) and is for teaching delivery commencing in August 2023. There will be the right to break at the end of year 3 of the potential 5 year term.
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: £1,925,500
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 66100000 - Banking and investment services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKE32 - Sheffield
- UKI - London
Main site or place of performance
Please refer to contract decription
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The contract with the provider is to deliver or support the delivery of independently accredited, Ofqual registered level 5 and level 7 financial trading qualifications as a component / module of a wider University Undergraduate and Postgraduate course. The level 5 qualification (as part of the BSc Financial Trading and Investment Management Course) is to be delivered by the provider on the provider's premises in central London. The Level 7 qualification (as part of the MSc Global Financial Trading Course) is to be delivered by the University at the University's Sheffield Campus but supported by the provider through the secondment of the provider's teaching staff and the licence of their level 7 qualification materials to the University.
The University's BSc Financial Trading and Investment Management course, which currently only accepts home students, requires a 30 credit level 5 financial trading module which runs over a period of approximately 6 weeks and aligns to the aims and objectives of the course. The module, to be delivered by the provider, must equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours to be competitive in the job market for a wide range of graduate level roles in the Financial Services industry.
The University's MSc Global Financial Trading course, which accepts both home students and international students, requires a 30 credit level 7 financial trading module again running over approximately 6 weeks and which aligns to the aims and objectives of the course. The provider will support the delivery of this module through the secondment of their teaching staff and licensing their level 7 module materials to the University. The module must equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours to be competitive in the job market for a wide range of postgraduate level roles in the Financial Services industry.
The University reserves the right to agree changes to the approach to a module's delivery, including but not limited to the location for delivery and responsible party for delivery, over the life of the contract in order to meet any changes in circumstances, opportunities for growth, or new or changed regulatory requirements applicable to the University and/or the delivery of its courses.
Both Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses are applied in nature and the University therefore intends to contract with a provider who has trading qualifications that can be delivered with an emphasis on real life, hands on experience. The provider's teaching staff must be experienced financial market traders who can demonstrate both the academic and professional capability to develop the next generation of Financial Services professionals.
In light of the success of the University's UK based delivery on the above courses we are also seeking, as part of the contract, to expand the offering for delivery internationally which may include, but is not limited to, course or module delivery in the following locations: India, China and The Middle East and Africa with immediate effect. It is therefore essential that the provider and our contract with them allows for the delivery of their trading qualifications internationally both on a face to face and remote basis.
Our international expansion plans are still at a relatively early stage but are ambitious. If required, the appointed provider must be able to scale their provision rapidly for multiple student cohorts running in different countries simultaneously.
As part of the contract, there is the potential, but no guarantee that, the University may extend the scope of the provider's services into other complimentary areas which could include but is not limited to: commercial enterprises, employability offers and further course development in partnership.
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Please refer to the contract descriptions at sections II.1.3 and II.2.1 regarding the option to break the 5 year term and options to expand the scope of services.
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:
The University issued a Prior Information Notice (PIN) in the Official Journal reference PIN 2021/S 000-018290 on 30 July 2021 and a further PIN on Find a Tender on 25 January 2022. The latter PIN invited interested parties to participate in a preliminary market consultation exercise (PMC). The University only received one response to the PINs and PMC, which was from the party to whom the University intends to award the contract. No other providers have indicated they have the technical capability to deliver the University's requirements in the timescales required including the stand-alone, Ofqual registered, professional trading qualifications included within the University's courses at both level 5 and level 7. Consumer protection law relating to student contracts requires the University to be clear about course content and provision at an early stage in the student application and offer process which in turn requires the University to have secured its arrangements with any third-party provider involved in a course (and with the necessary capabilities) at least 12 months ahead of the student intake date. In the absence of any other provider with the necessary technical capabilities, in the timescales required by the University and as required by consumer law - which has been demonstrated by the outcome of the two PINs and the PMC - the University believes it is justified in adopting the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a call for competition.
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: 2021/S 000-018290
Section five. Award of contract/concession
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
1 September 2022
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
Zishi Cornerstone Limited
Kent
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ4 - Kent
Companies House
09545988
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: £1,925,500
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £1,925,500
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The figure included for contract value in Section V.2.4 represents a mid-point in a value range between £1,100,000 GBP and £2,751,000 GBP (exclusive of VAT) based on current price per student fees. This value range is an estimate and indicative only and does not include potential fees arising from expansion into other complementary commercial service areas (as referred to below). The actual outturn figure for contract value will depend upon a variety of factors and uncertainties and whether all potential opportunities and ambitions for the partnership are fully exploited which, at this point, is not guaranteed. These factors include but are not limited to: the number of students recruited, both home students and internationally for the MSc and BSc courses; expansion to include delivery in international locations and, other expansion plans and ambitions for the partnership into complementary commercial and service areas.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Sheffield Hallam University
Sheffield
Country
United Kingdom