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Published 20 Feb 2025, 15:28 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Prospective Student Engagement and Conversion Service for Keele University

Official notice

Authority: University of Keele (Charity / VCSE)

ServicesOpen procedure
Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: West Midlands (UKG24)
Published estimate£1,900,000≈ £844k / year27.6% below published estimate
Submissions closed 31 Mar 2025awarded 17 Sept 2025
Awarded to QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited
Contract term 2 yrs 3 moends 30 Sept 2027 · extension options published · starts 1 Jul 2025

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Tenders are invited from interested parties for the Contract for the provision of a Prospective Student Engagement and Conversion Service for Keele University in accordance with the Tender Specification in Section 2 of the Invitation to Tender (ITT).

The services required are fully described in the Tender Specification.

All Tenderers are required to submit a compliant tender response in accordance with the tender requirements as set out in the Tender Specification.

All tender responses will be subject to the Tender Evaluation Methodology as set out in the ITT.

CPV: Marketing services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1Main reasons for the decision not to sub-divide the contract into lots: Given the need…AwardedRenewal 2 yrs 3 moPublished value£1,900,000

Main reasons for the decision not to sub-divide the contract into lots: Given the need for one Service Provider to co-ordinate the delivery of all of the services required, the contract has not been subdivided into lots.

The contract will run for an initial period of twenty-seven months from 1st July 2025 to 30th September 2027 with options to extend for a further two twelve-month periods, reviewed annually, with a final end date of 30th September 2029. The decision of whether to take up the extension options will be down to the absolute discretion of the University.

The estimated total value of the contract over its duration (including the extension options if these are taken up) is £1.9 million excluding VAT.

Contract period: 1 Jul 2025 – 30 Sept 2027 (2 yrs 3 mo)
Delivery: West Midlands
Extensions: Options to extend for a further two twelve-month periods, reviewed annually, with a final end date of 30th September 2029. · Options to extend for a further two twelve-month periods, reviewed annually, with a final end date of 30th September 2029.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
  • Proposed Management Structure and Key Personnel for the Contract for the provision of a Prospective Student Engagement and Conversion Service for Keele University: 200 marks
  • Approach and Methodology for the delivery of the Contract for the provision of a Prospective Student Engagement and Conversion Service for Keele University: 300 marks
  • Conversion Rates and Return on Investment under the Contract for the provision of a Prospective Student Engagement and Conversion Service for Keele University: 200 marks
  • Price: 300 marks

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
Services
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
Yes
First published
20 Feb 2025, 15:28 GMT
Last source update
16 Dec 2025, 13:58 GMT
Award evaluation window
1 Apr 2025 – …
Authority reference
KU/697/DP/SM/2025
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-083400
Classification (CPV)
Marketing services
Delivery area
West Midlands (UKG24)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04e544 Find a Tender
Contract terms
Electronic trading
e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
Review and risk notes
Review procedure

Any review proceedings should be promptly brought to the attention of the Chief Financial Officer of the University at the address provided above and will be dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ('PCRs 2015').

Any review proceedings must be brought within the timescales specified by the applicable law, including, without limitation, the PCRs 2015. In accordance with the PCRs 2015, the University will incorporate a minimum 10-calendar day standstill period from the date information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: In-tend · Who buys & how to bid on In-tend
Supplier login requiredLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · one account per buying organisation's portal · reCAPTCHA on signup
Submission deadline
31 Mar 2025, 12:00 BST
Submission channel
{"electronicSubmission"}
Accepted languages
en
Bid validity
120 days from the deadline
Bids opened
1 Apr 2025, 12:00 BST
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofkeele/as… ↗

Timeline

31 Mar 2025 → 16 Dec 2025 · 4 dates
  1. Submission deadline
    31 Mar 2025, 12:00 BST
  2. Bids opened
    1 Apr 2025, 12:00 BST
  3. Contract starts
    1 Jul 2025, 00:00 BST
  4. Notice published310 days ago
    16 Dec 2025, 13:58 GMT

Notice history

1 event · 2 releases on Find a Tender
  1. Status changed to complete
    16 Dec 2025, 13:58 GMT

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £1,374,8901 contract exc. VAT
Bids received 3
Contracts signed 1latest 17 Sept 2025
Awarded toValueDateStatus
QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited£1,374,890 †—Awarded

Contracts

  • Prospective Student Engagement and Conversion Service for Keele University · QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited

    Signed
    17 Sept 2025
    Value
    £1,374,890
    Period
    … – 30 Sept 2027
    Status
    active

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
3bids———

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

The University of Keele

Contracting authorityCharity / VCSEBody governed by public lawEducation GB-COH: Company number RC000655 Procurement Office, Directorate of Finance, Innovation Centre 1, Keele University Science and Innovation Park,, Keele, Staffordshire,, West Midlands, ST5 5NBContact name, email, phone Published organisation website ↗

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • High Court of England and WalesReview body London

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

  • Economic and financial selection criteriatenderEconomic and financial selection criteria
  • Technical selection criteriatenderTechnical selection criteria