Data Futures Programme

The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited (HESA) collects a range of data from approximately 260 higher education (HE) providers across the UK and is regarded as a global leader in HE data collection and dissemination. HESA provides data to UK government and HE funding bodies to support their work in regulating and funding HE providers. In addition, information derived from the data is published as official statistics in many accessible formats for use by a wide range of organisations and individuals.

This procurement will fundamentally redesign and transform HESA's student data collection and dissemination processes. HESA's vision is for a modernised and more efficient approach to collecting data that is able to respond to a wide range of data users. We want to create more relevant, reliable, comprehensive and timely information about HE for the benefit of the sector, and to deliver this in more efficient ways which reduce the burden on providers.

HESA wishes to appoint a supplier to: i) Redesign the way HESA specifies, collects, stores, analyses and disseminates data relating to students undertaking higher education (including personal, subject, course and module data); and ii) Deliver the new collection system for HESA to operate (the ‘Part 1 Requirement’). The procurement also includes some ‘business as usual’ services which are specified in more detail within the procurement documents available at www.hesa.ac.uk/df_procurement. HESA is seeking a solution which is flexible and scalable so it can be configured in the future, by HESA, to support all HESA collection streams. The solution will need to be cloud based to provide sufficient scalability.

The contract will be for a maximum period of 14 years which will include an initial term of 4 years in respect of the Part 1 Requirement and an option for HESA to extend the contract for a further period of 5 years in respect of any further hosting/licensing/support and maintenance required thereafter. Following this, HESA may opt to extend the contract for a further 5 x 1 year periods.

HESA estimates that the total value of this contract will range between £3.5-7.5m (made up of: between £2.5-5.5m in respect of the Part 1 Requirement; and between £1-2m in respect of the Part 2 Requirement, subject to HESA's discretion to renew the contract as described above).

Candidates will remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them in respect of this procurement.

HESA intends to conduct this procurement by following the procedures laid down in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. In doing so, HESA is not to be taken as acknowledging that it is a contracting authority within the meaning of the Regulations, or as accepting any legal obligation to follow those procedures in the case of this or any other procurement.

Additional information: Further information, including a copy of the pre-qualification questionnaire is available at www.hesa.ac.uk/df_procurement.