Soft Market Testing Exercise (SMTE) for Staff Augmentation

The University is currently reviewing how it resources its ambitious transformation programme and the subsequent Business As Usual ("BAU") support. With an ever-evolving technology landscape and the introduction of new platforms and services, the University needs to have access to the right skills in a timely manner. To meet these challenges, the University is exploring a "core-flex" model using staff augmentation.

Remote working for iSolutions is now the norm so the University is accepting of a model which relies upon a mix of on shore, near shore and off shore resources to take advantage of labour arbitrage. For on shore resources, these do not need to be based in Southampton although there is an expectation that there will be a need for that to happen for some roles.

This Soft Market Testing Exercise ("SMTE") is to enable the University to better understand the external market, and offerings to utilise from industry leaders.

The below describes the steps of this SMTE.

1. SMTE launched and advertised by the University,

2. Interested bidders register to the Universities In-Tend System, https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton/aspx/Registration. If a bidder is already registered they do not need to re-register on In-Tend,

3. Once setup on In-Tend, bidders send e-mail to [email protected] seeking copy of a Non Disclosure Agreement ("NDA"),

4. Bidder receives, completes, signs and returns the NDA to the University,

5. Upon receipt of the signed NDA, bidders are included to the project and the full SMTE documents are available to review and download,

6. Interested bidders submit their response(s) in-line with the SMTE requirements.

Additional information: The University is utilising an electronic tendering tool (In-Tend: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton) to manage this procurement and to communicate with participating organisations.

All documentation in relation to this tender can be downloaded from the In-Tend portal, following successful completion and submission of a signed NDA.

Participating organisations are advised that there will be no hard copy documents issued to organisations and all communications with the University including the submission of Soft Market Testing Exercise questionnaires will be conducted via the In-Tend portal.

Regular monitoring of the portal is the responsibility of the participating organisation.

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 tender documentation.

Steps following submission of a signed NDA.

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 company against the project and access all documentation by clicking 'Express Interest'.

Further instructions for the submission of the Soft Market Testing Exercise questionnaires are below.

To submit your return, please follow the instructions below: 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. 'Soft Market Testing') 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 that, to preserve the integrity of the tendering procedure, all queries must made be via the correspondence function within the In-Tend portal.

Please Note: This early engagement notice is issued solely for the purpose of conducting pre-procurement market engagement and does not constitute an commitment to undertake any procurement in the future.

Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to the Soft Market Testing Exercise and a response to this notice does not guarantee and invitation yo participate in this exercise of any future procurement.

This notice does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services, supplies or works mentioned in this notice and the University will not accept and proposals offered in response to this notice.

The University of Southampton is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party in relying to this early engagement notice and/or providing a soft Market Testing Exercise response.