Find a TenderAwarded
Published 3 Mar 2021, 15:12 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

(NU/1647) Supply of a Digital Exam System

Official notice

Authority: Newcastle University (Education)

GoodsOpen procedureSME suitable
Awarded value£645,000published contract · exc. VAT
Submissions closed 9 Apr 2021awarded 27 Jul 2021
Awarded to Inspera AS Limited

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Newcastle University is looking for a digital exam system to support the provision of

authentic summative assessments in a secure digital environment.

Newcastle University has in the region of 28,000 students and 5,500 staff, who may use the

digital assessment system. Prior to the global pandemic the University’s centrally supported

digital exams service delivered 140 on campus digital exams each academic year, equating

to 20,000 student sittings. The largest cohort sitting an individual exam exceeds 400

students. On campus digital exam provision is expected to return to a similar level from

2021/22 academic year, should the public health situation allow.

Demand for on campus digital exams exceeds the scale of existing provision, and increasing

both capability and capacity is a strategic priority. The University’s ambition is to expand the

scale of on campus digital exam provision using a combination of delivery on university

owned PCs and student’s own devices, alongside diversifying the types of online assessment

that can be delivered in a secure exam setting.

The scope of this tender is for the supply and support of a digital exam system to be used by

all members of the University, including those located in our Branch Campuses in Malaysia

and Singapore. Digital exams will take place on campus.

Please note that tenders are only invited from bidders who have an existing off the shelf solution, deployed in an educational institutions of comparable size and scale (as detailed in the ITT documentation). We will not consider bespoke solutions.

CPV: Software package and information systems

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal
Delivery: North East
Extensions: The contract will commence on contract signature, with an implementation period up to 3rd September 2021. The solution will ‘go-live’ on 6th September 2021 and will run for an initial 24 months from the go-live date, ending on 5th September 2023. If the performance fulfils the expectations of the University during the initial 24-month contract period, then a further 12-month contract may be awarded to run from 6 September 2023, subject to mutual agreement. A further two 12-month contracts may be awarded on the same basis, to give a maximum contract length of 5 years post go-live. Options will be taken up on or before 1st February 2023, 2024 and 2025 respectively. · If the performance of the successful tenderer fulfils the expectations of the University during the initial 26-month contract period, then a further 12-month contract may be awarded to run from 6 September 2023, subject to mutual agreement. A further two 12-month contracts may be awarded on the same basis, to give a maximum contract length of 5 years post go-live.Variant bids: not allowed

What it takes to win
i

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 more
How bids were scored
Quality: 60%Price: 40%
Published sub-criteria (3)
  • Technical Merit and Functional Fit: 40%
  • Usability: 20%
  • price: 40%
Published award criteria (3)
  • Technical Merit and Functional Fit: 40
  • Usability: 20
  • Price: 40
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category
Goods
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
No (one-off requirement)
First published
3 Mar 2021, 15:12 GMT
Last source update
18 Aug 2021, 15:05 BST
Award evaluation window
7 Apr 2021 – …
Authority reference
DN527361
FTS notice number
2021/S 000-020223
Classification (CPV)
Software package and information systems
Delivery area
North East (UKC22)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-029804 Find a Tender
Review and risk notes
Review procedure

The University will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.

The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) within 30 days of knowledge or constructive knowledge of breach.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: ProContract (Due North) · Who buys & how to bid on ProContract
Supplier login requiredLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · short registration with manual review; public opportunity list
Submission deadline
9 Apr 2021, 14:00 BST
Submission channel
{"electronicSubmission"}
Accepted languages
en
Bid validity
90 days from the deadline
Bids opened
7 Apr 2021, 15:00 BST
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

7 Apr 2021 → 18 Aug 2021 · 3 dates
  1. Bids opened
    7 Apr 2021, 15:00 BST
  2. Submission deadline
    9 Apr 2021, 14:00 BST
  3. Notice published
    18 Aug 2021, 15:05 BST

Notice history

1 event · 2 releases on Find a Tender
  1. Status changed to complete
    18 Aug 2021, 15:05 BST

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £645,0001 contract exc. VAT
Bids received 33 from SMEs
Contracts signed 1latest 27 Jul 2021
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Inspera AS Limited£645,000 †—Awarded

Contracts

  • (NU/1647) Supply of a Digital Exam System · Inspera AS Limited

    Signed
    27 Jul 2021
    Value
    £645,000
    Status
    active

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
3bids · 3 electronic · 2 from abroad3——

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Newcastle University

Contracting authorityEducationBody governed by public lawEducation Newcastle University, Procurement Services, Kingsgate, Newcastle, North East, NE1 7RUContact name, email, phone Published organisation website ↗

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • Inspera ASAwarded supplier Cort Adelers gate 30, Oslo, NO

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.