Award

Research Ethics Management System

  • ASTON UNIVERSITY

UK6: Contract award notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-045258

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-051ff4 (view related notices)

Published 1 August 2025, 2:09pm



Scope

Reference

1109

Description

Aston University is seeking proposals from Suppliers who are able to provide a Research Ethics Management System suitable for use within a Higher Education Environment.

The Research Integrity Office (RIO) are responsible for ethics evaluation of research projects across the following stakeholder groups:

· Research active staff.

· Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs).

· UG/PG taught students.

Ethics management consists of entirely manual processes involving email, MS Word, and MS Excel, delivered by three people.

The RIO is a small team for the workload, smaller than equivalent teams at other institutions. Whilst the team has grown, so has the complexity and volume of their workload. With the workload demand of the current process, there are not enough reviewers in the Colleges.

With this manual and unsustainable way of working, process reengineering is required with proactive and compliant solutions to allow staff to manage the ethics approval process, in an efficient environment where there is positive sentiment and an understanding of the consequences and the broader context of ethical approval.

Proposals will also include ongoing hosting and maintenance provision.

The full specification is available as part of the procurement documents available through Aston's e-tendering portal.


Contract 1

Supplier

Contract value

  • £142,000 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Award decision date

31 July 2025

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

1 August 2025

Earliest date the contract will be signed

14 August 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 15 August 2025 to 31 August 2028
  • Possible extension to 31 August 2030
  • 5 years, 17 days

Description of possible extension:

2 years

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72260000 - Software-related services

Contract locations

  • UKG31 - Birmingham

Information about tenders

  • 14 tenders received
  • 6 tenders assessed in the final stage:
    • 5 submitted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
    • 0 submitted by voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
  • 1 supplier awarded contracts
  • 5 suppliers unsuccessful (details included for contracts over £5 million)

Procedure

Procedure type

Open procedure


Supplier

F1 Solutions Pty Ltd

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PJHX-2541-MGGZ

103-105 Northbourne Avenue

Turner

2612

Australia

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1


Contracting authority

ASTON UNIVERSITY

  • Companies House: RC000904
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PTLB-7496-TPTR

Aston Triangle

Birmingham

B4 7ET

United Kingdom

Region: UKG31 - Birmingham

Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government