Official UK procurement notice
Automated Admissions Platform - University of Sunderland 0326
Authority: University of Sunderland (Education)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe University of Sunderland (University) seeks to procure an Automated Admissions Platform and invites suitably qualified and experienced vendors to submit proposals. The University is seeking a modern, configurable, and automated admissions platform to manage the end-to-end admissions lifecycle for home and international applicants.
The current admissions landscape comprises legacy systems, manual processes, and fragmented workflows. Increasing application volumes, particularly for international recruitment, alongside heightened regulatory, governance, and applicant experience expectations, have driven the need for a future-proof admissions solution. The University’s strategic ambition is to improve efficiency, transparency, and decision quality, while ensuring that admissions decisions remain accountable, explainable, and compliant.
The University is looking to shortlist up to six (6) suppliers, selected via the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ), to receive the ITT pack, which will provide a more detailed set of requirements (The University reserves the right to take more than six suppliers through to ITT where scores at PSQ are so close as to make it difficult to draw a distinction between suppliers).
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at:
neupc.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Sunder… ↗
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
- How the procedure runs: This will be a three-stage above-threshold competitive flexible procedure with the intention of creating a contract with a single supplier. The objective of this competitive flexible procedure is to identify the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT). Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the assessment criteria and percentage weightings set out within both this PSQ document and the ITT document. Stage 1 - The Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ), which will allow the University to shortlist up to six (6) suppliers who meet the minimum requirements and score highest on the financial and technical ability questions in Parts 3 and 4. The University reserves the right to take more than six suppliers through to the ITT when PSQ scores are so close as to make it difficult to distinguish between bidders. Stage 2 - These shortlisted suppliers will progress to the second stage of the process, the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage, where further technical ability and qualitative elements will be tested along with pricing. Stage 3 - Following ITT submissions and initial evaluations, the 3 highest scoring suppliers will commence a third stage where suppliers will have the opportunity to delivery as sandbox which will be scored and the Quality recalculated. Every supplier must meet the mandatory minimum requirements detailed in Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4. Any suppliers who do not meet these requirements will be deemed unsuccessful and will not be shortlisted for the ITT stage (Stage 2). There will be no negotiation as part of this procurement
CPV: Software package and information systems
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1CancelledPublished value£1,200,000
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
- PSQ Supplier Selection 100%
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Cancelled
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 1 May 2026, 10:19 BST
- Last source update
- 1 Oct 2026, 10:32 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 16 Oct 2026
- Authority reference
UOS/Admissions platform/0326- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-060382- Latest notice
- Procurement termination notice (UK12)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-069003Find a Tender
- How it runs
This will be a three-stage above-threshold competitive flexible procedure with the intention of creating a contract with a single supplier.
The objective of this competitive flexible procedure is to identify the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT). Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the assessment criteria and percentage weightings set out within both this PSQ document and the ITT document.
Stage 1 - The Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ), which will allow the University to
shortlist up to six (6) suppliers who meet the minimum requirements and score highest on the financial and technical ability questions in Parts 3 and 4. The University reserves the right to take more than six suppliers through to the ITT when PSQ scores are so close as to make it difficult to distinguish between bidders.
Stage 2 - These shortlisted suppliers will progress to the second stage of the process, the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage, where further technical ability and qualitative elements will be tested along with pricing.
Stage 3 - Following ITT submissions and initial evaluations, the 3 highest scoring suppliers will commence a third stage where suppliers will have the opportunity to delivery as sandbox which will be scored and the Quality recalculated. Every supplier must meet the mandatory minimum requirements detailed in Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4. Any suppliers who do not meet these requirements will be deemed unsuccessful and will not be shortlisted for the ITT stage (Stage 2).
There will be no negotiation as part of this procurement
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 13 Jul 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission deadline
- 13 Jul 2026, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 3 Jul 2026, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Not allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
1 May 2026 → 16 Oct 2026 · 8 dates- Planning notice published178 days ago1 May 2026, 10:19 BST
- Market engagement170 days ago8 May 2026, 23:59 BST
The purpose of this PME is to gather industry expertise and feedback that will inform the development of our final project and procurement requirements.
Objectives:
•Gain a better understanding of suppliers' capabilities, experiences, and innovations.
•Identify potential challenges and solutions relevant to the upcoming procurement project.
•Inform suppliers about the project's scope, objectives, and key requirements.
It should be understood that by participating in this market engagement, suppliers are not guaranteed to be shortlisted as part of a competitive procurement process. Should a tender be advertised, it will be compliant with the Procurement Act 2023, and all bidders will be treated equally.
The UoS is particularly interested in understanding at a high-level how such a solution could support:
•Guided, mobile-first application journeys
•Intelligent triage and pre-screening
•Automated offer making for standard courses
•AI-supported application form and document checking
•Integrated admissions and UKVI workflows
•Modern applicant portals
•Real-time dashboards for operational insight
•Seamless integration with core systems such as SITS and CAS Shield
The UoS aims to identify a scalable, compliant platform that reduces the administrative burden, improves the speed and consistency of decision-making, enhances the applicant experience and conversion, and provides a robust foundation for on-campus and future distance and flexible-delivery recruitment. We are seeking to engage with suppliers very keen to arrange a demo with you to start gaining an understanding of available products on the market.
Invitation to Conduct a System Demonstration
Demonstration Details:
Please note that whilst we aim to engage with a broad range of suppliers, it may not be possible to invite all interested parties to a meeting. Participation in this exercise is voluntary, and there is no obligation for UoS to meet with every supplier who expresses an interest.
Purpose: This session aims to provide an opportunity for you to showcase your solution. Please be advised that this is not a sales pitch, and participation does not guarantee any future work or contracts with our organisation.
Compliance Note:
This demonstration request aligns with the Procurement Act 2023, which encourages preliminary market engagement to better understand available solutions and inform procurement strategies. As per the guidance, such engagements are designed to be transparent and non-committal, ensuring a fair and open procurement process for all potential suppliers.
This PME is not a request for quotation. UoS’s current intention is to conduct an openly advertised tender process at a later stage
There is no obligation for suppliers to respond to this PME. Supplier responses (or lack thereof) to this exercise will not be used to determine which suppliers will be carried forward to the tender process or in any subsequent evaluation of supplier proposals.
Action Required:
If you wish to be considered for a demonstration session with the project team, please contact [email protected] to register your interest with the subject heading “AI-Enabled Admissions platform 0326”.
Kindly respond with the following information by the end of Friday, 8 May 2026
Demonstrations will be online via Teams Meeting.
Specify your availability on the following dates: 15 May, 21 May, and 22 May.
Main Contact Details: Include the name, email address, and phone number of the primary contact person for the demonstration.
The UoS expects suppliers to provide a brief overview of their system that addresses the bullet points listed above. We kindly request that your response be concise, no more than one A4 page. This helps maintain a focused and efficient review process.
We look forward to your response and the opportunity to learn more about your system capabilities.
Should you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.
- Tender notice published122 days ago26 Jun 2026, 14:13 BST
- Clarification questions by115 days ago3 Jul 2026, 17:00 BST
- Submission deadline105 days ago13 Jul 2026, 12:00 BST
- Latest notice published25 days ago1 Oct 2026, 10:32 BST
- Contract starts10 days ago16 Oct 2026, 00:00 BST
- Award decision expected by9 days ago16 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST
Notice history
9 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 1 May 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published1 May 2026, 10:19 BSTUK2
- Preliminary market engagement notice published1 May 2026, 15:31 BSTUK2
- Published value updated1 May 2026, 15:31 BST
- Tender notice published26 Jun 2026, 14:13 BSTUK4
- Status changed to active26 Jun 2026, 14:13 BST
- Procurement method changed26 Jun 2026, 14:13 BST
- Tender notice published26 Jun 2026, 14:22 BSTUK4
- Procurement termination notice published1 Oct 2026, 10:32 BSTUK12
- Status changed to cancelled1 Oct 2026, 10:32 BST
Routine re-releases (5)
- 2026-05: 2 releases · 1 May 2026, 1 May 2026
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| supplier not published | — | 30 Sept 2026 | CancelledThe University has withdrawn this project. No tender submissions have been accepted under this notice, and no contracts have been awarded. |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Procurement termination notice Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender