Official UK procurement notice
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
Authority: UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER (Education)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionRenewal of Blackboard Learn SaaS.
CPV: Educational software package
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Awarded
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- 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
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 13 Jan 2022, 15:32 GMT
- Last source update
- 15 Feb 2022, 13:23 GMT
- Authority reference
2021-1828-VLE2022-JL- FTS notice number
2022/S 000-004279- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-030aafFind a Tender
- Why no open competition
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons
- Published justification
- The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
- absence of competition for technical reasons
The continuity of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is business-critical to the University and renewal of the Blackboard Learn SaaS solution is essential to our student experience.
Change to a new environment is not possible at this stage but the University does anticipate undertaking a procurement exercise for a replacement during the calendar year 2022
- Student Experience. Due to Covid there has been considerable disruption to the student experience and it is essential that we have minimal disruption in the short term to ensure the continuity of the online components of teaching and learning.
- We are currently undertaking a review of our requirements from a wide range of teaching and support staff across the University. The recommendations of this review is anticipated to be Spring 2022 and will be essential to shaping the specification as part of a competitive tendering process.
- Given the time-frame for the review, and the expected length of time to conduct competitive tendering, it is not feasible that a future VLE supplier could be identified much before November 2022, when our existing Blackboard contract expires.
- Sufficient time will be required to implement and configure the chosen solution and to migrate all existing course and student/staff data (c. 8,000 courses, 50,000 users). A reasonable estimate for this activity is 2-3 years, during which we will need to retain access to all Blackboard data in order to comply with data retention regulations.
- Review procedure
The authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers.
Applicants who are unsuccessful shall be informed by the authority as soon as possible after the decision has been made as to the reasons why the Applicant was unsuccessful.
- if an appeal regarding the award of the contract has not been successfully resolved, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Any such action must generally be brought within 3 months,
- if a declaration of ineffectiveness is sought, any such action must be brought within 30 days where the authority has communicated the award of the contract and a summary of reasons to tenderers, or otherwise within 6 months of the contract being entered into. Where a contract has not been entered into, the Court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the authority to amend any document and may award damages,
- if the contract has been entered into the court may, depending on the circumstances, award damages, make a declaration of ineffectiveness, order the authority to pay a fine, and/or order that the duration of the contract is shortened.
The purpose of the standstill period referred to above is to allow the parties to apply to the Courts to set aside the award decision before the contract is entered into.
Notice history
3 releases on Find a TenderPublished amendments (1)
Please note the original website link is an incorrect link. The correct website link to the University of Manchester Procurement Portal is https://in-tendhost.co.uk/manchesteruniversity/
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackboard International B.V. | £2,700,000 †same award published again · counted once | — | Awarded |
| Blackboard International B.V. | £2,700,000 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) · Blackboard International B.V.
- Signed
- 15 Feb 2022
- Value
- £2,700,000
- Status
- active
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) · Blackboard International B.V.
- Signed
- 13 Jan 2022
- Value
- £2,700,000
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1bids | — | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- The High Court of Justice of EnglandReview body
- The University of ManchesterReview contact point
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Blackboard International B.V.Awarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.