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Find a TenderAwarded without competitionContract award notice
Published 24 Jul 2025, 15:16 BST

Official UK procurement notice

USW - Provision of Maintenance and Support for Quercus

Official notice

Authority: University of South Wales (Education)

Direct awardSME suitable
Sectors: Software Packages & ERP (48)IT Services & Software (72) Delivery: Wales (UKL15)
Awarded value£186,125published award · exc. VAT
Award in standstill 25 Jul 2025no call for competition
Award (standstill) to Sure Campus Ltd

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The University of South Wales intends to award a contract directly for the provision of ongoing support, maintenance, and additional technical work related to the Quercus software system.

As the original developer and implementer of the Quercus system, which is currently in operational use, the supplier holds unique technical knowledge and detailed understanding of the software's architecture, configuration, and integration with internal systems. This knowledge is essential to the continued reliable operation, support, and enhancement of the system.

The intended contract includes additional works that form a natural extension of the original implementation and which cannot be carried out by another supplier without significant risk of disruption, inefficiency, or duplication of effort. Due to the technical complexity and system-specific knowledge required, no alternative supplier is known to be capable of delivering these services to the required standard.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1AwardedSME
Delivery: WalesEligibility: SME eligible
48190000 Educational software package72212190 Educational software development services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
24 Jul 2025, 15:16 BST
Last source update
25 Jul 2025, 12:27 BST
Authority reference
026
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-043111
Latest notice
Contract award notice (UK6)
Delivery area
Wales (UKL15)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05659e Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Additional Repeat Extension Partial Replacement; Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
Published justification

This direct award is justified under the Procurement Act due to the presence of technical reasons and the necessity for additional works that can only be carried out by the original supplier.

The supplier in question is the original developer and proprietor of the Quercus software system, which is currently in use. As the initial vendor of the software, the supplier holds unique technical knowledge, proprietary rights, and expertise that are essential to the ongoing operation, support, and maintenance of the system for USW.

The requirement for additional work is directly related to updates, and ongoing support services integral to the continued and effective functioning of the Quercus system. These works cannot be carried out by any other supplier without risking system compatibility, data integrity, and operational continuity.

Furthermore, the supplier remains the only known provider in the market with the technical capability and legal rights to modify or maintain the Quercus system. Any attempt to engage a third party would not only introduce unnecessary risks and significantly increase costs and delays due to the steep learning curve.

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
—

Timeline

25 Jul 2025 → 6 Aug 2025 · 2 dates
  1. Notice published
    25 Jul 2025, 12:27 BST
  2. Standstill ends
    6 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST

Notice history

3 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 24 Jul 2025
  1. Transparency notice published
    24 Jul 2025, 15:16 BST
    UK5
  2. Contract award notice published
    25 Jul 2025, 12:27 BST
    UK6
  3. Contract signature expected
    8 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £186,1251 award exc. VAT
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Sure Campus LtdAward of the provision of maintenance and support for a student records and admissions system - Quercus11 Aug 2025 – 10 Aug 2026£186,12525 Jul 2025standstill to 6 Aug 2025Standstill

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

University of South Wales

Contracting authorityPublic undertakingWelsh devolved regulations apply GB-CHC: 1140312 University of South Wales,, Pontypridd, Wales, CF37 1DLContact name, email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • Surecampus LtdAwarded supplierGB-PPON: PWVJ-4777-XLMQ Clonross, Drumree, IE, A85 PX75, IEContact email

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender