Official UK procurement notice
SU113(26) Online Learning - Marketing and Student Recruitment Services
Authority: Swansea University (Education)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe University is seeking to award an initial 3-year contract, to commence in Spring 2026 with an option to extend for a further two one-year period (3+1+1) to develop and execute a comprehensive marketing and recruitment strategy for online learning programmes.
Swansea University intends to launch Swansea University Online in September 2026. This ambitious programme of online learning will enhance and diversify the university’s educational portfolio and ensure that it remains relevant and attractive to the needs of all learners.
Swansea University Online will combine the university’s existing expertise in educational innovation with external commercial partnership to market and recruit to high-quality online programmes and courses, at scale and at pace. The intention is to deliver new postgraduate taught programmes for both the UK and international markets from September 2026, with the potential addition of an undergraduate programme within the initial contract period.
This tender is being run as a Light Touch Contract pursuant to section 9 of the Procurement Act 2023.
The Contract Value stated is based on target anticipated student numbers recruited. Should numbers recruited be above the targeted amount then the contract value will be higher based on a fee per student recruited.
In line with Procurement Act 2023 Schedule 5, for any future procurement of additional or repeat goods, services or works we reserve the right to directly award under sch5 para.8 a) and b).
In line with Procurement Act 2023, we reserve the right to vary the Contract.
This tender is being run on eTenderWales portal
- No preliminary market engagement: Timescales to proceed to publish tender preliminary market engagement exercise has not been taken on this occasion.
CPV: Higher education services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£4,700,000
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).
Published sub-criteria (6)
- Case Studies and Expertise: 10%
- Marketing Approach and Expertise: 20%
- Recruitment Approach and Expertise: 20%
- Project Management and Contract Mobilisation: 10%
- Account Management and Continuous Improvement: 10%
- Price: 30%
Published award criteria (6)
- Case Studies and Expertise
- Marketing Approach and Expertise
- Recruitment Approach and Expertise
- Project Management and Contract Mobilisation
- Account Management and Continuous Improvement
- Price
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 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
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 18 Feb 2026, 11:17 GMT
- Last source update
- 24 Jun 2026, 14:39 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 30 Mar 2026
- Authority reference
SU113(26)- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-014662- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0656d9Find a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 18 Mar 2026, 16:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 18 Mar 2026, 13:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en, cy
All Tender documents and tender responses are via eTenderWales portal.
etenderwales.ukp.app.jaggaer.com/home.html ↗
Please ensure that you follow the eTendering portal instructions carefully to ensure that your completed tender is correctly saved and successfully submitted. Should you require assistance, please refer to the online “HELP FOR SUPPLIERS” in the first instance. Any further problems should be directed to the eTendering helpdesk, available Mon-Fri from 8am to 6pm on:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0800 069 8634
Timeline
18 Feb 2026 → 24 Jun 2026 · 7 dates- Tender notice published246 days ago18 Feb 2026, 11:17 GMT
- Clarification questions by218 days ago18 Mar 2026, 13:00 GMT
- Submission deadline218 days ago18 Mar 2026, 16:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by205 days ago30 Mar 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts185 days ago20 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent120 days ago24 Jun 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published120 days ago24 Jun 2026, 14:39 BST
Notice history
6 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 18 Feb 2026- Tender notice published18 Feb 2026, 11:17 GMTUK4
- Tender notice published18 Mar 2026, 11:51 GMTUK4
- Deadline moved to 18 Mar 2026, 16:00 GMT18 Mar 2026, 11:51 GMT+0 days · was 18 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Contract award notice published24 Jun 2026, 14:39 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete24 Jun 2026, 14:39 BST
- Contract signature expected6 Jul 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Published amendments (1)
Closing time extended to 16:00
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Education Services6 Jul 2026 – 5 Jul 2029 · up to 5 Jul 2031Extensions: Contract is a 3 +1+1 term A 3 year contract with two 12 month extension periods | £4,553,875 | 24 Jun 2026 | Awarded |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2final-stage tenders · 4 at stage one | 2 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Online Education Services LimitedAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender