Tender

Business School Accreditation Management System

  • UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

F02: Contract notice

Notice identifier: 2022/S 000-028261

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0373ee

Published 7 October 2022, 2:10pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

HIGHFIELD CAMPUS,UNIVERSITY ROAD

SOUTHAMPTON

SO171BJ

Contact

Mandy Stephens

Email

procurement@soton.ac.uk

Telephone

+44 2380595000

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKJ32 - Southampton

UK Register of Learning Providers (UKPRN number)

10007158

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.southampton.ac.uk

Buyer's address

https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton/aspx/Home

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton/aspx/Home

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton/aspx

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

Business School Accreditation Management System

Reference number

2021UoS-0411

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 72268000 - Software supply services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The University is seeking a Business School Accreditation Management System.

Southampton Business School (SBS) are a full-service Business School that offers undergraduate, Masters, MBA, DBA and PhD programmes on campus to over 2,500 students from around the world. Our programmes are currently accredited by the AACSB and AMBA.

A central part of the University's ambition for SBS is to achieve and maintain the 'Triple Crown of internationally recognised accreditations. The 'Triple Crown' is made up of three of the largest and most influential business school accreditation organisations:

• AACSB - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (United States)

• AMBA - The Association of MBAs (United Kingdom)

• EQUIS - EFMD Quality Improvement System (European Union)

The University are currently accredited by AACSB and AMBA but achieving EQUIS accreditation would put The University of Southampton Business School into the top 1% of Business Schools worldwide. Management and reporting of accurate data is a key part of the process when working towards or maintaining accreditations.

Throughout the academic year we are required to report to the accrediting bodies on several areas within the Business School relating to HR, student marks, student numbers and finance. We also keep records on 'Assurance of Learning' which is a key part of AACSB accreditation and require accurate records on pass rates and areas for improvement to 'close the loop'. This is currently a resource intensive process and SBS are seeking a system to help manage this process in order to achieve these outcomes.

The University is seeking a system to meet the needs of SBS for both collecting and storing data for accreditation purposes. The required system should enable SBS to collate the data required for accreditation, removing the current use of an Access database and series of spreadsheets, and providing a single source of data to supply to the accrediting bodies. The system should also be able to provide outputs in the required format for the 3 Accrediting bodies which make up the Triple Crown.

The system must be able to interface, either directly or through automated reports, with core corporate systems, such as the student record system, finance system, human resources and research system to help reduce the time taken to collect the required data and reduce the risk of error and inaccuracies.

As well as the data required from the core corporate systems, the system must be able to handle a record of 'Assurance of Learning' which is key part of AACSB accreditation and requires records on pass rates and areas of improvement.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKJ32 - Southampton

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Southampton Business School (SBS) are a full-service Business School that offers undergraduate, Masters, MBA, DBA and PhD programmes on campus to over 2,500 students from around the world. Our programmes are currently accredited by the AACSB and AMBA.

A central part of the University's ambition for SBS is to achieve and maintain the 'Triple Crown of internationally recognised accreditations. The 'Triple Crown' is made up of three of the largest and most influential business school accreditation organisations:

• AACSB - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (United States)

• AMBA - The Association of MBAs (United Kingdom)

• EQUIS - EFMD Quality Improvement System (European Union)

The University are currently accredited by AACSB and AMBA but achieving EQUIS accreditation would put The University of Southampton Business School into the top 1% of Business Schools worldwide. Management and reporting of accurate data is a key part of the process when working towards or maintaining accreditations.

Throughout the academic year we are required to report to the accrediting bodies on several areas within the Business School relating to HR, student marks, student numbers and finance. We also keep records on 'Assurance of Learning' which is a key part of AACSB accreditation and require accurate records on pass rates and areas for improvement to 'close the loop'. This is currently a resource intensive process and SBS are seeking a system to help manage this process in order to achieve these outcomes.

The University is seeking a system to meet the needs of SBS for both collecting and storing data for accreditation purposes. The required system should enable SBS to collate the data required for accreditation, removing the current use of an Access database and series of spreadsheets, and providing a single source of data to supply to the accrediting bodies. The system should also be able to provide outputs in the required format for the 3 Accrediting bodies which make up the Triple Crown.

The system must be able to interface, either directly or through automated reports, with the following key corporate systems, to help reduce the time taken to collect the required data and reduce the risk of error and inaccuracies:

As well as the data required from the core systems, the system must be able to handle a record of 'Assurance of Learning' which is key part of AACSB accreditation and requires records on pass rates and areas of improvement.

Procurement Process:

This procurement process is being conducted as an Open procedure.

Contract Period:

The University proposes to enter into a Contract for 9 years - this will be the maximum contract period, including any potential extensions with the successful tenderer.

This will comprise of an initial contract of 5 years with an option to extend by further 2 x 2 year periods, subject to satisfactory performance and at the discretion of the University.

Contract Value: The estimated value of the initial 5-year contract term is in the region of £118,000 and £150,700 GBP (excluding VAT).

The estimated value of the 2 x 2-year extension periods is between £40,000 to £62,400 GBP (excluding VAT) each.

It is estimated, therefore that the total value of this contract will be between £198,000 and £272,000 GBP (excluding VAT).

Details of current expenditure or potential future uptake are given as a guide base on past purchasing and current planning to assist you in the preparation of your Tender. They should not be interpreted as an undertaking to purchase any goods or services to any particular value and do not form part of the Contract.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Functional Requirements (Mandatory Requirements) / Weighting: Pass/Fail

Quality criterion - Name: Non-Functional Requirements (Mandatory Requirements) / Weighting: Pass/Fail

Quality criterion - Name: Compliance with the Qualitative Requirements, 3.1 Relevant Experience of Services Carried Out Within the Last Three Years / Weighting: Pass/Fail

Quality criterion - Name: Functional Requirements / Weighting: 40%

Quality criterion - Name: Non-Functional Requirements / Weighting: 10%

Quality criterion - Name: Compliance with Qualitative Requirements / Weighting: 15%

Quality criterion - Name: Scenario Demonstrations / Weighting: 15%

Cost criterion - Name: Commercial Response / Weighting: 20%

Cost criterion - Name: 5 year break out costs / Weighting: Information only

Cost criterion - Name: Costs for the Extension Period / Weighting: Information only

Cost criterion - Name: Possible additional costs / Weighting: Information only

Cost criterion - Name: Payment Plan - Payment by Milestones / Weighting: Information only

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

108

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

The University proposes to enter into a Contract for 9 years / 108 months - this will be the maximum contract period, including any potential extensions with the successful tenderer(s).

This will comprise of an initial contract period of 5 years / 60 months with an option to extend by a further 4 years / 48 months in two 2 year / 24 month increments, subject to satisfactory performance and at the discretion of the University.

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.14) Additional information

Lots: This contract is NOT suitable for splitting into lots. The risk of dividing the requirement into Lots would render the execution of the contract excessively technically difficult, not cost effective and would undermine proper execution of the contract.


Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information

three.1) Conditions for participation

three.1.2) Economic and financial standing

List and brief description of selection criteria

To support the financial assessment, the University will obtain a Business Risk Report for all Tenderers and every organisation that is being relied on to meet this procurement, using an independent company called Creditsafe.

The University reserves the right to exclude a Tenderer or request provision of further assurances such as parent company/bank guarantee or performance bonds where a Tenderer's

Business Risk Score is: "Moderate Risk"; "High Risk"; "Very High Risk" or "Not Rated", based on the rating provided by Creditsafe.

Where a Business Risk Score from our external system is not available an alternative method of assessing financial standing will be used. This method is detailed within the Invitation to Tender document set.

Tenderers are advised that a requirement of this procurement is to have in place, or commit to obtain prior to the commencement of the contract the following minimum insurance levels:

Public Liability - £5 million GBP per occurrence

Product Liability - £5 million GBP per occurrence

Employers' Liability - £5 million GBP per occurrence

Professional Indemnity - £5 million GBP per occurrence

three.1.3) Technical and professional ability

List and brief description of selection criteria

Tenderers attention is drawn to the MANDATORY requirements of the award criteria:

- Grounds for mandatory exclusion

- Grounds for discretionary exclusion

- Economic & Financial Standing

- Insurance

- Mandatory Functional Requirements

- Mandatory Non-Functional Requirements


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

7 November 2022

Local time

12:00pm

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 4 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

7 November 2022

Local time

12:01pm


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: Yes

six.3) Additional information

E-Tendering Portal: The University is utilising an electronic tendering tool, In-Tend (https://intendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton) to manage this procurement and to communicate with potential suppliers and/or tenderers (as appropriate).

All documentation in relation to this tender can be downloaded from In-Tend.

Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that there will be no hard copy documents issued and all communications with the University, including the submission of Selection Stage

and/or Invitation to Tender responses will be conducted via In-Tend.

Regular monitoring of the portal is the responsibility of the potential supplier/tenderer.

If you are not already registered as a supplier with the University of Southampton, you will need to register in In-Tend in order to access the procurement documentation.

Once you have logged in as a supplier: click on 'Tenders'; locate the relevant project; and click 'View Details'. Once you are in the project screen, you will be able to register your organisation against the project and access all documentation by clicking 'Express Interest'.

Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that formal expressions of interest in the project must be by way of completion and return of the relevant documents via In-Tend.

Further instructions for the submission of responses are below:

To submit your return:

1. Log in

2. Click 'Tenders'

3. Locate the relevant project

4. View details

5. Click on the tab relating to the relevant project stage (e.g. 'Invitation to Tender')

6. Click on the 'Attach Documents' button and upload your return.

7. Check ALL your response documents are uploaded and displayed in the 'My Tender

Return' panel. The system will only permit your organisation to make one return.

8. Click the red 'Submit Return' button.

Please note, to preserve the integrity of the procurement, all communications with the

University must be made via the correspondence function within In-Tend.

Publication of Award Details: In accordance with Regulation 50, paragraph (2) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and subject to Article 5 and Annex 5, Part D (13) of Directive

2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (if applicable), the University intends to publish the value of any resulting contract at the award stage, and reserves the

right to do so. By submitting a response, potential suppliers/tenderers are consenting to publication of this information unless otherwise agreed in advance with the University.

Costs and Expenses: Potential suppliers/tenderers are solely responsible for their costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and submission of responses and

participation in this and all future stages of this procurement. Under no circumstances will the University be liable for any costs or expenses borne by potential suppliers/tenderers or any of their supply chain, partners or advisers in this procurement process.

The University is not liable for any costs in the event of the cancellation of this procurement process.

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

University of Southampton

Southampton

Country

United Kingdom