Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
University of Ulster
Block X Room X031, Cromore Road
Coleraine
BT52 1SA
Telephone
+44 2870124227
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKN - Northern Ireland
National registration number
NIC100166
Internet address(es)
Main address
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Online Academic Writing Support
Reference number
project_27888
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80000000 - Education and training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Online Academic Writing Support
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement at the time of conclusion of the contract:
The requirement is for a fully online academic writing and literacy support service. The service should be equitably available to all Ulster University students and will allow students to avail of both synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous academic writing and literacy support.
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Start date
1 March 2024
End date
30 July 2029
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Contract award notice concerning this contract
Notice number: 2024/S 000-006834
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
project_27888
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:
1 March 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract/concession has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Studiosity Ltd
5 New Street Square, London
London
EC4A 3TW
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
11065708
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (at the time of conclusion of the contract;excluding VAT)
Total value of the procurement: £1,800,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead, any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended.
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead, any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended.
UK
The UK does not have
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead, any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended.
uk
The UK does not have
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
Any proceedings alleging that the University is in breach of its duties under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 must be started in the High Court of Northern Ireland, in accordance with the time limits set out therein (including the requirement to start proceedings within 30 days beginning with the date when the economic operator first knew or ought to have known that grounds for starting proceedings had arisen). The University will not enter into the modifications proposed herein before the end of a period of at least 30 days beginning with the day after the date on which this notice is published in the Official Journal.
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead, any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended.
uk
The UK does not have
Country
United Kingdom
Section seven: Modifications to the contract/concession
seven.1) Description of the procurement after the modifications
seven.1.1) Main CPV code
- 80000000 - Education and training services
seven.1.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
seven.1.3) Place of performance
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
seven.1.4) Description of the procurement:
The requirement is for a fully online academic writing and literacy support service. The service should
be equitably available to all Ulster University students and will allow students to avail of both
synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous academic writing and literacy support
seven.1.5) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Start date
1 March 2024
End date
31 July 2029
seven.1.6) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession:
£1,800,000
seven.1.7) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Studiosity Ltd
5 New Street Square, London
London
EC4A 3TW
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
11065708
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
seven.2) Information about modifications
seven.2.1) Description of the modifications
Nature and extent of the modifications (with indication of possible earlier changes to the contract):
Ulster University has modified the contract with Studiosity Pty Ltd to migrate part of the service to Studio Plus, which provides AI-augmented academic writing feedback, while retaining human-to-human support through Connect Live. The contract term is to 31 July 2029, exercising the optional three-year extension included in the original tender. The total annual contract value remains £250,000 + VAT.
This modification is necessary to maintain service continuity and platform interoperability. All other terms and conditions of the contract remain unchanged.
seven.2.2) Reasons for modification
Need for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor/concessionaire.
Description of the economic or technical reasons and the inconvenience or duplication of cost preventing a change of contractor:
Studiosity provides a platform fully integrated with the University’s virtual learning environment, enabling continuity of academic writing support for students. Changing supplier at this stage would result in loss of service continuity, duplication of cost in system integration and staff training, and potential loss of student data. The modification allows migration to Studiosity’s enhanced service model while maintaining existing commercial arrangements and ensuring uninterrupted support for students.
seven.2.3) Increase in price
Updated total contract value before the modifications (taking into account possible earlier contract modifications, price adaptions and average inflation)
Value excluding VAT: £1,800,000
Total contract value after the modifications
Value excluding VAT: £1,800,000