UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

Aston is seeking to procure several mechanical services which have previously been provided 'off contract.' To assist with the initial stages of planning, these services have been grouped into the following lots: 1. HVAC Maintenance: - Air conditioning maintenance (inc. installation) - Chillers - Fan coil units - Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery systems - Air handling units - Filters - Humidifiers - Air source heat pumps 2. Gas and Plumbing - Gas pipework tightness testing - Gas boilers/ heaters - Carbon monoxide alarms (for boilers) - Strainer maintenance - Plate heat exchanger clean/ tightness test - Water booster pump maintenance - Pressurisation units/ expansion vessel maintenance - Safety valve inspection and changes - General plumbing repairs/installation 3. Water Hygiene, Safety and Dosing - Water tank cleaning - Thermostatic mixing valves maintenance and testing - Shower head cleaning - On-line dosing system maintenance - UV filtration system maintenance - District heat network dosing - Heating system dosing - Chilled water system dosing - Inhibitor dosing - Energy saving surfactant dosing - Water sampling Please note, this scope is subject to change.

Aston University potentially has a requirement for an internship scheme for postgraduate students. The new PG virtual internment scheme will significantly increase the number of virtual internships; the exact number is currently unknown. This engagement exercise seeks to identify potentially suitable partners, capable of managing student virtual internships for Aston's postgraduates. Interested parties are advised to write to Aston and provide a brief company overview. Please note the indicated value is based on a rough annual estimate of circa £410,500 (with a 5-year contract term equating to £2,052,500); actual demand and budget is still to be confirmed.

Aston University is seeking to engage with the market to better understand available solutions that can strengthen the support and management of our Postgraduate Research (PGR) student community. This notice is issued for market engagement purposes only and does not constitute a commitment to procure, nor does it form part of any formal procurement process at this stage. The University is seeking information to inform future decision-making and potential next steps. 2. Context and Objectives Aston University is exploring options for a digital solution that provides end-to-end lifecycle management for PGR students, supporting academic, administrative, and regulatory processes from application through to award. Our objective is to identify solutions that are mature, widely adopted within the UK Higher Education sector, and capable of supporting PGR lifecycle processes in a robust, efficient, and largely out-of-the-box manner. 3. Scope of Functional Requirements The University is interested in solutions capable of supporting the full PGR lifecycle, including but not limited to: • Admissions • Applications for all forms of PGR study (funded and non-funded) • Student Onboarding • Enrolment • Induction processes • Programme Management • Learning agreements • Training and development, including: • Training Needs Analysis (TNA) • Module and course information • Attendance tracking • Certification and records • Supervision and Engagement • Supervisory meeting scheduling and records • Progression and Assessment • Progression milestones • Qualifying / Upgrading / Transfer reports • Annual progress reports • Student Status Changes • Extension requests • Leave of Absence / Suspension of Study requests • Examination and Completion • Initial thesis submission • Viva management • Examiner reports • Final thesis submission • Award processing 4. High-Level Technical and Service Requirements At a high level, Aston University anticipates that any potential solution would: · Have proven implementation and strong adoption within the higher education sector · Provide robust PGR recruitment, admissions, and progression functionality · Support all lifecycle activities listed above · Require minimal customisation and operate largely "out of the box" · Offer fully documented and maintained REST APIs to enable integration with the University's Azure based middleware · Be delivered as a SaaS solution with a transparent 12month development roadmap and UK/EU based hosting (preferably in Microsoft Azure) · Support single sign on via OpenID Connect or SAML2 through Microsoft Entra ID · Have security-based certifications that confirm commitment to maintaining a security focussed infrastructure, such as Cyber Essentials (Plus), ISO 27001 or equivalent · Consideration will also be given to usability and user experience.

The purpose of this Preliminary Market Consultation (PMC) is to seek input from potential suppliers within the market, to establish how Aston University may get a comprehensive and up-to-date database of the labour market, which includes the ability to analyse job postings data in order to provide insights into employer demand for jobs and skills. The PMC will provide an opportunity for Aston University to obtain an insight into how potential suppliers might approach the delivery of this product and gain an understanding into the likely level of interest from the market. Aston wants to gain an understanding of the types of services available in the market with a view to ensuring best value for money of service procured. We require a real-time labour market information system able to analyse data on UK job postings and provide information on skills required and employers recruiting across all levels and sectors. Search criteria will include (but not be limited to) skills in demand, location of job postings, job titles and salaries etc. The ability to generate regional reports, economic outlooks, access international data and analyse worker CVs in a similar way to the job postings is desirable.

The purpose of this PMC is to seek input from potential suppliers within the market, to establish how Aston University may design and deliver a Digital Employee Experience platform with the following overarching framework to guide: • Built on Microsoft Viva, which will be available to all staff and will fully replace the current staff intranet • Creating a new portal to access resources and information, integrating with a CMS (Drupal) to drive and manage the content. • Phased approach to development from a generic to personalised experience The PMC will provide an opportunity for Aston University (Aston) to obtain an insight into how potential suppliers might approach the delivery of this service and gain an understanding into the likely level of interest from the market. The intention is to review the responses from the market, to support the development of any future specifications or requirements. Proprietary information will not be included from individual respondents.

Please note that this is a Pipeline Notice only. A full options appraisal will be carried out in due course and a decision made thereafter with regards to any next steps (if any) for Educational Recruitment and Advertising Services. Please note that this is a Pipeline Notice only, and the use of the CPV code 79600000 refers to Recruitment Services in the context of recruiting students. The anticipated contract value of £3m is a very provisional estimate based on a possible 3 year + 1 year (4 year total) overall contract value.

Aston University is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to redesign our website to enhance our digital presence and align with our 2030 strategy. The website serves as a critical touchpoint for diverse stakeholders, including prospective students and staff, researchers and funders, alumni, and industry partners, and will play a pivotal role in delivering on our vision. By enhancing communication, supporting engagement, and showcasing our transformative impact, the website will be instrumental in fostering a positive influence on all the communities we serve. The website supports multiple strategic objectives, such as student and staff recruitment, research promotion, business engagement, and brand positioning, but currently lacks the flexibility, scalability, and personalisation needed to meet the university's evolving strategic needs and user expectations. This redevelopment project aims to establish a modern, adaptable web presence that reflects Aston University's future-thinking approach and commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and an inclusive and engaging experience for all users. The goal is to create a platform that not only meets current demands but is also capable of evolving alongside the university's future needs, ensuring long-term sustainability and impact. The redesigned website should embody Aston University's commitment to accessibility, inclusivity, and personalised user experiences. The site must be modern, flexible, and future-proof, supporting our goals for growth, innovation, and engagement. It should reflect our bold, innovative strategy and our pillars: transformational, inclusive, and entrepreneurial. The new website will be a key tool in communicating our vision and values, supporting users, and ensuring they receive the information and services they need in a timely and effective manner. It should also allow for easy integration with other systems and platforms to provide a seamless user experience across all touchpoints. Proposals will also include ongoing hosting and maintenance provision.

The purpose of this Preliminary Market Consultation (PMC) is to seek input from potential suppliers within the market, to establish how Aston University may get a comprehensive and up-to-date database of the labour market, which includes the ability to analyse job postings data in order to provide insights into employer demand for jobs and skills. The PMC will provide an opportunity for Aston University to obtain an insight into how potential suppliers might approach the delivery of this product and gain an understanding into the likely level of interest from the market. Aston wants to gain an understanding of the types of services available in the market with a view to ensuring best value for money of service procured. We require a real-time labour market information system able to analyse data on UK job postings and provide information on skills required and employers recruiting across all levels and sectors. Search criteria will include (but not be limited to) skills in demand, location of job postings, job titles and salaries etc. The ability to generate regional reports, economic outlooks, access international data and analyse worker CVs in a similar way to the job postings is desirable. For additional information please register your interest https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=0c5a7f1c-7153-ed11-811a-005056b64545&fromProjectDashboard=True Additional information: Please register your interest at the following site: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=0c5a7f1c-7153-ed11-811a-005056b64545&fromProjectDashboard=True

Aston University is seeking proposals to provide a Research Ethics Management System. The Research Integrity Office (RIO) are responsible for ethics evaluation of research projects across the following stakeholder groups: · Research active staff. · Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs). · UG/PG taught students. Ethics management consists of entirely manual processes involving email, MS Word, and MS Excel, delivered by three people. The RIO is a small team for the workload, smaller than equivalent teams at other institutions. Whilst the team has grown, so has the complexity and volume of their workload. With the workload demand of the current process, there are not enough reviewers in the Colleges.

The purpose of this PMC is to seek input from potential suppliers within the market, to establish how Aston University may use a Contract Management System to monitor; manage and control its existing and future contracts. The PMC will provide an opportunity for Aston University to obtain an insight into how potential suppliers might approach the delivery of this product/service and gain an understanding into the likely level of interest from the market. The intention is to review the responses from the market, to support the development of any future specifications or requirements. Proprietary information will not be included from individual respondents. At present, the Procurement Team maintains a contract register in an Access Database. This has been created internally, and whilst this enables Procurement to monitor contracts it has sourced, it has limited functionality in relation to KPIs; SLAs; supplier compliance; sharing of contract documentation and notifications of contract expiry and extensions.

The purpose of this PMC is to seek input from potential suppliers within the market, to establish how Aston University may use a Contract Management System to monitor; manage and control its existing and future contracts. The PMC will provide an opportunity for Aston University to obtain an insight into how potential suppliers might approach the delivery of this product/service and gain an understanding into the likely level of interest from the market. The intention is to review the responses from the market, to support the development of any future specifications or requirements. Proprietary information will not be included from individual respondents. At present, the Procurement Team maintains a contract register in an Access Database. This has been created internally, and whilst this enables Procurement to monitor contracts it has sourced, it has limited functionality in relation to KPIs; SLAs; supplier compliance; sharing of contract documentation and notifications of contract expiry and extensions.

Aston University is planning to set up a new Estates and Capital Development Consultants Framework for use with its new build, fit-out, refurbishment and demolition projects. It is anticipated that the Framework will be split into the following Lots but the University reserves the change this list prior to the issue of the contract notice. 1. Project Manager 2. Architect 3. Mechanical and Electrical 4. Principal Designer 5. Structural / Civil 6. Building Surveyor The contract notice issue date is the anticipated date at this stage and this may be subject to change.