Scope
Reference
SMUWEB001
Description
St Mary's University, Twickenham ("the University") is seeking to appoint a supplier to redevelop its external website. The aim is to deliver a modern, accessible, and user-centred digital platform that meets the needs of a diverse range of audiences including prospective students, parents, staff, alumni, and commercial partners.
The new website will support the University's strategic goals in recruitment, engagement, and brand positioning. It will replace the current Content Management System (CMS) and introduce improved content management, personalisation, integration, and performance capabilities.
General Requirements
The general requirements for the new website will serve as a critical platform for:
• Prospective students (home, international, postgraduate, and online / short courses learners) to explore courses, apply, and engage with the University.
• Parents, teachers, and advisors seeking information to support student decision-making.
• Commercial clients and business partners exploring opportunities for collaboration.
• Alumni, job seekers, and the wider community to stay connected and informed.
• Internal users including staff and CMS editors who require a flexible, intuitive, and secure content management experience.
The project will deliver a new website built on a modern CMS, with a focus on:
• User-centred design and accessibility
• Personalised content and marketing automation
• Seamless integration with third-party systems (e.g. CRM, course data, event booking)
• Scalable architecture and future-proof technology
• Improved governance, analytics, and performance
After the initial build period of the external website, the project will enter into a subsequent operational period of 3 years for on-going hosting and licensing, with the optional scope of on-going retainer service for development support. There will be an option to extend the operational term for a 2 single-year periods.
Project Scope
The initial website build scope includes UX discovery (e.g. user research, existing site and content audit, stakeholder engagement), design (e.g. wireframes and prototypes, design system), development, testing, training, content migration (optional), and post-launch support. The internal website (existing staff and student portals) is out of scope for this procurement and will be delivered separately.
Detailed specifications will cover the following key features of a new CMS and key project areas:
• Development of website templates
• Site map, navigation and search
• Content creation, update, preview, testing and publishing
• Content modelling
• Digital asset management
• Personalisation
• Integration with key systems / platforms
• Marketing Automation
• Accessibility
• SEO
• Analytics and report
• CMS product UI, access control and governance
• Multiple website management
• Product roadmap
• Hosting
• System and security configuration
• Data protection
• Infrastructure and performance
• SaaS cloud configuration
• Change control
• Operational support
• Business continuity
• System capacity
• Training
• Testing
• Exit Plan
• User policy
The project is scheduled to launch the new external website by May 2027, with discovery and implementation phases commencing in April 2026.
Further details of the University's requirements will be available to the shortlisted suppliers in Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender.
Total value (estimated)
- £284,167 excluding VAT
- £341,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 31 March 2026 to 30 April 2030
- Possible extension to 30 April 2032
- 6 years, 1 month, 1 day
Description of possible extension:
The contract term will be awarded for an initial build period (estimated to be around 14 months according to the project timeline) and a subsequent operational term of 3 years for on-going hosting and licensing, with the option to extend by 2 single-year periods, up to a maximum of 5 years in total for operation.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 72413000 - World wide web (www) site design services
- 72415000 - World wide web (www) site operation host services
Submission
Enquiry deadline
3 October 2025, 12:00pm
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
15 October 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
28 February 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relevant experience and contract examples | Please provide details of up to three contracts to meet conditions of participation relating to technical ability set out in the relevant notice or procurement documents, in any combination from... |
Quality | 40% |
| Account Management and Consultancy | Please describe your approach to client success and relationship management, as well as provision of consultancy or retainer services, particularly ongoing development support. Your response should... |
Quality | 25% |
| Performance and Reliability | How do you monitor server performance and website uptime? Please also include your downtime prevention procedures. Please state your guaranteed website uptime (%) and also your average actual uptime... |
Quality | 20% |
| Support and Maintenance | Please describe the support platforms you offer (including but not limited to phone, email, and a ticketing system), the support times and expected response time (within UK time zone). Please also... |
Quality | 15% |
Other information
Payment terms
Contract Duration: 14 Months Design and Build. 36 Months (3 years) Hosting and Operations with option to extend for further 24 Months (2 years).
Standard Payment Terms 30 days of invoice date.
Invoice must carry official purchase order number and sent to accountspayable@stmarys.ac.uk
Full Terms and Conditions of supply to be supply at ITT stage
Description of risks to contract performance
Failure to comply with Mandatory Requirements
Misrepresentation in PSQ/ITT Submission
Failure to meet Insurance or Financial requirements at the contract award stage
Failure to deliver specified requirements or meet agreed KPI criteria
Sub-contractor poor performance
Sub-contractor mistreatment
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Competitive flexible procedure description
Stage 1 Participation - Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ)
A Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) will be used to access the suitability of suppliers by responding to the mandatory and technical questions. The technical questions will be evaluated and the top FIVE suppliers* will be invited to take part in Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender. Please see the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) for the technical questions weighting and the evaluated scoring methodology.
Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender (ITT)
The top FIVE suppliers* will be advanced to Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender. Full project specifications and the Invitation to Tender pack will be provided.
Documents
Documents to be provided after the tender notice
Electronically by the In-tend portal
Contracting authority
St. Mary's University, Twickenham
- Companies House: 05977277
Waldegrave Road
Twickenham
TW1 4SX
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@stmarys.ac.uk
Region: UKI75 - Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government