Business School Accreditation Management System

Southampton Business School (SBS) are a full-service Business School that offers undergraduate, Masters, MBA, DBA and PhD programmes on campus to over 2,500 students from around the world. Our programmes are currently accredited by the AACSB and AMBA. A central part of the University's ambition for SBS is to achieve and maintain the 'Triple Crown of internationally recognised accreditations. The 'Triple Crown' is made up of three of the largest and most influential business school accreditation organisations: • AACSB - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (United States) • AMBA - The Association of MBAs (United Kingdom) • EQUIS - EFMD Quality Improvement System (European Union) The University are currently accredited by AACSB and AMBA but achieving EQUIS accreditation would put The University of Southampton Business School into the top 1% of Business Schools worldwide. Management and reporting of accurate data is a key part of the process when working towards or maintaining accreditations. Throughout the academic year we are required to report to the accrediting bodies on several areas within the Business School relating to HR, student marks, student numbers and finance. We also keep records on 'Assurance of Learning' which is a key part of AACSB accreditation and require accurate records on pass rates and areas for improvement to 'close the loop'. This is currently a resource intensive process and SBS are seeking a system to help manage this process in order to achieve these outcomes.

The University is seeking a system to meet the needs of SBS for both collecting and storing data for accreditation purposes. The required system should enable SBS to collate the data required for accreditation, removing the current use of an Access database and series of spreadsheets, and providing a single source of data to supply to the accrediting bodies. The system should also be able to provide outputs in the required format for the 3 Accrediting bodies which make up the Triple Crown. The system must be able to interface, either directly or through automated reports, with the following key corporate systems, to help reduce the time taken to collect the required data and reduce the risk of error and inaccuracies:

As well as the data required from the core systems, the system must be able to handle a record of 'Assurance of Learning' which is key part of AACSB accreditation and requires records on pass rates and areas of improvement.

Contract Period:

The University proposes to enter into a Contract for 9 years - this will be the maximum contract period, including any potential extensions with the successful tenderer. This will comprise of an initial contract of 5 years with an option to extend by further 2 x 2 year periods, subject to satisfactory performance and at the discretion of the University.

For details on how to apply, follow the instructions given in the more information section.

Additional information: E-Tendering Portal: The University is utilising an electronic tendering tool, In-Tend (https://intendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton) to manage this procurement and to communicate with potential suppliers and/or tenderers (as appropriate). All documentation in relation to this tender can be downloaded from In-Tend. Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that there will be no hard copy documents issued and all communications with the University, including the submission of Selection Stage and/or Invitation to Tender responses will be conducted via In-Tend. Regular monitoring of the portal is the responsibility of the potential supplier/tenderer. If you are not already registered as a supplier with the University of Southampton, you will need to register in In-Tend in order to access the procurement documentation. Once you have logged in as a supplier: click on 'Tenders'; locate the relevant project; and click 'View Details'. Once you are in the project screen, you will be able to register your organisation against the project and access all documentation by clicking 'Express Interest'. Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that formal expressions of interest in the project must be by way of completion and return of the relevant documents via In-Tend. Further instructions for the submission of responses: To submit your return: 1. Log in 2. Click 'Tenders' 3. Locate the relevant project 4. View details 5. Click on the tab relating to the relevant project stage (e.g. 'Invitation to Tender') 6. Click on the 'Attach Documents' button and upload your return. 7. Check ALL your response documents are uploaded and displayed in the 'My Tender Return' panel. The system will only permit your organisation to make one return. 8. Click the red 'Submit Return' button. Please note, to preserve the integrity of the procurement, all communications with the University must be made via the correspondence function within In-Tend. Publication of Award Details: In accordance with Regulation 50, paragraph (2) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and subject to Article 5 and Annex 5, Part D (13) of Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (if applicable), the University intends to publish the value of any resulting contract at the award stage, and reserves the right to do so. By submitting a response, potential suppliers/tenderers are consenting to publication of this information unless otherwise agreed in advance with the University. Costs and Expenses: Potential suppliers/tenderers are solely responsible for their costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and submission of responses and participation in this and all future stages of this procurement. Under no circumstances will the University be liable for any costs or expenses borne by potential suppliers/tenderers or any of their supply chain, partners or advisers in this procurement process.