Award

Consultantation on StARS Project

  • THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

UK5: Transparency notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-035961

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-055588

Published 30 June 2025, 9:09am



Scope

Reference

SC13117/24

Description

The consultant will be working on StARS (Student Administration Refresh and Simplification) which is a University-wide transformation programme to simplify, standardise and improve our student administration processes and as a consequence its services to students and staff, key enabler of this being by an upgrade of our student record system. Its vision is to deliver a better experience for students, academics and professional services staff; and enables a fundamental shift towards a more flexible set of capabilities and services that are fit for the future.

The Banner Lead Consultant will be responsible for implementing the solution designs for each of the workstream releases, working closely with the Project Managers, Business Analysts, Programme IT Architect and other consultants (e.g. Ellucian), whilst ensuring that implementations of the solution design are compliant with the broader programme principles of utilising the core capability and functionality of the Banner product set.


Contract 1

Supplier

Contract value

  • £498,640 excluding VAT
  • £498,640 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

1 July 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 1 July 2025 to 1 March 2026
  • 8 months, 1 day

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72221000 - Business analysis consultancy services

Contract locations

  • 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)

Participation

Particular suitability

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)


Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Direct award justification

Additional or repeat goods, services or works - extension or partial replacement

The University of Birmingham licenses its Student Record System Software (Banner) from Ellucian, which has been foundational to its academic and administrative processes.

Orebus Consulting limited has worked with UoB for over two years, demonstrating both the expertise and adaptability essential to supporting the StARS Programme's ambitious goals.

Specialised Expertise and Established Knowledge:

Orebus Consulting limited brings extensive functional expertise in technologies and methodologies essential to StARS delivery, such as Banner Student, Ellucian Workflow, and Banner Document Manager. Beyond functional skills, the company has developed a deep understanding of UoB's unique processes in areas like Online Registration, Student Fees, Course and Module Catalogue, Reasonable Adjustments, and Progression-areas critical to the programme's core objectives.

Time Efficiency:

Orebus Consulting limited established knowledge and familiarity with our systems and processes allow for immediate and effective contributions, which would not be possible with a new provider. The time required to bring another supplier up to this level of understanding would be significant, leading to delays in the project timeline and impacting key programme milestones. Retaining this partnership ensures continuity and minimises the time loss that would otherwise be incurred through an extensive onboarding and training period with a new vendor.

• Continuity and Risk Mitigation: The StARS Programme's success depends on continuity, particularly in complex areas like data migration, student records management, and integrated reporting. Disruption in this partnership could lead to delays, increased costs, and potential misalignment with programme principles. By retaining this experienced partner, UoB can mitigate these risks and ensure a stable, continuous path toward full programme implementation.

The ongoing contribution of this company remains pivotal to achieving the objectives of the StARS Programme within both budgetary and timeline constraints.


Supplier

Orebus Consulting Limited

1, Derwent Business Centre, Clarke Street

Derby

DE1 2BU

United Kingdom

Region: UKF11 - Derby

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1


Contracting authority

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

  • Companies House: RC000645
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PHCQ-3464-LVTM

Edgbaston

Birmingham

B15 2TT

United Kingdom

Region: UKG31 - Birmingham

Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government