T25/0018 – Smart Card & Identity Management

Northumbria University is launching a bold and innovative digital transformation programme centred on the implementation of SMART cards and advanced identity management. This initiative is designed to strengthen our identification capabilities improving the wider user experience and is to be driven by the adoption of a cutting-edge approach supported by market-leading technology. This strategic investment will replace the University’s outdated ImageBase system (introduced in 2015) and photo uploader (introduced in 2006), which no longer support the university’s operational, security or digital transformation needs.

The current anticipated project approach is to deliver a modern, cloud-native identity and credential management solution to support around 7,000 staff, 77,000 student accounts and a wide range of visitors across our campuses. As a minimum, the solution must enable secure identity verification, smartcard issuance and management and integrate smoothly with the University’s established Joiners, Movers, and Leavers (JML) processes.

Identified key deliverables that will form part of this requirement include (but is not limited to):

•Cloud solutions replacing Smartcard system (ImageBase) and Identity application (MIM).

•Mobile-friendly platform for photo capture and validation, replacing the legacy photo uploader.

•Transition from Mifare Classic 1K to a secure credential card storage such as Mifare DESFire EV3.

•Smooth interoperability with key business applications such as SITS, Oracle HCM, Entra, ADFS, PACOM and other student and library systems.

•Architecture designed to support mobile credentials and future digital identity options and centralised dashboard for card issuance, usage tracking, and operational reporting.

•Cyber secure offerings to align to National Cyber Security Centres Cyber Assessment Framework

Prior to commencing formal procurement, we are engaging the market to:

•Deepen and confirm our understanding of the wider opportunity, showcasing best practice in deploying new technology while meeting the key deliverables outlined above as well as any mandatory and statutory requirements, placing user experience at the core of the solution.

•Define and evolve our requirements beyond key deliverables by leveraging industry best practice and supplier insight to deliver a solution that surpasses conventional approaches to identity management.

•Gather insight into indicative commercial models, potential delivery timelines and the critical internal enablers necessary to ensure the programme’s success.

•Draw on supplier expertise in implementing scalable technology solutions for organisations with comparable scale and complexity.

•Expand our understanding on how current hardware could be retained or repurposed.

•Explore potential delivery models that follow a phased approach beginning with strategic advisory and progressing through design, delivery and implementation.

By engaging suppliers at this early stage, we aim to harness market insight to help inform and shape our future requirements. This approach is designed to support a fair, competitive and effective tender process, ensuring we identify the right supplier to successfully deliver the programme.

Further information relating to this PME opportunity are available via our Delta eSourcing platform:

login.bipsolutions.com/casDelta/login ↗

Access Code: 4S99HAJH85

To access the platform, please copy and paste the URL into your browser. If you don’t yet have a Delta account, registration is quick and straightforward.

As part of this process and to assist the University develop its requirements, we would appreciate responses from interested suppliers to our questionnaire.

Responses to the questionnaire should be submitted by 17:00 GMT on 2nd December, 2025 via Delta eSourcing.

In addition to the questionnaire process and to promote further insight into the programme, we will be holding a Microsoft Teams Town Hall on 28th November, 2025 at 14:00 GMT. The purpose of this session will be for the University to provide further insight into the programme including background, scope and indicative project timescales. Please note, Q and A will not be open for this Town Hall.

Furthermore, suppliers are invited to book a virtual one-to-one Microsoft Teams session for 30 minutes which will be running over 3 days; 8th – 10th December, 2025. Each supplier may reserve a single slot on any of these dates to offer their input, expand on responses given within your Supplier Questionnaire and raise any queries or questions. Slots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and communications regarding your preferred slot should be made via the submission of your Supplier Questionnaire within Delta.

The value referenced in relation to this pre-market engagement is indicative only and does not represent a commitment to any specific level of expenditure.

For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:

www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Newcas… ↗

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:

www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/4S99HAJH85 ↗