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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

SMS Service

Bournemouth University · Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 30 Sept 2026, 09:09.

Opportunity overview

Bournemouth University (“BU” or the “University”) has a requirement to replace its existing SMS solution which has reached end of life. SMS messages are used as part of a multi-channel communication approach to engage with students. Approximately 35,000 messages are sent each year. Scenarios where SMS communication is used include the following: • Automated messages to notify of timetable changes and cancellations • Applicant interview details • Appointment notifications and reminders • Wellbeing and engagement contact • Sports centre information and promotions • Urgent alerts to university first-aiders The replacement SMS service may include, but is not limited to, the features listed below: Core Functionality • Ability to convert email into SMS messages. • Extract subject/body and trim to SMS character limits. • Deliver to UK and international mobile phone numbers. • Ability to create custom message templates. • Replies matched to the originating outbound message and delivered to sender. • Ability to prioritise messages and specifically send high-priority alerts. Message Routing and Delivery • Retry failed messages and report failures. • Ability to schedule or delay delivery based on recipient time zone. • Ability to schedule messages on an ad-hoc or recurring basis. Logging and Reporting • Maintain logs of all messages sent and received. • Ability to view message stats, delivery success rates and errors. Compliance and Security • Potential to encrypt messages. • Provide means for recipients to opt out of SMS communications. • Ability to define retention periods for message history. Integration • Potential ability to integrate with other systems (e.g. case management, CRM). Administration and Support • Seamless access (preferably via Single Sign On) to system for message sending, receiving, managing users and viewing logs/reports. • Notification of failed messages and gateway issues. • Option to establish message quotas with notification when close to quota threshold. • Defined service-level agreement for support.

Classification

  • CPV48000000 — Software package and information systems
  • CPV48510000 — Communication software package
  • CPV64216000 — Electronic message and information services
  • CPV72250000 — System and support services

Lots

  • Lot 1Value not stated

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
IT/OS/461
Status
planning
Main Procurement Category
services

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Communication

Future Notice Date
28 Nov 2025, 23:59

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
planning
Has Renewal
Yes

Suitability

Sme
Yes

Contract period

Ends
28 Feb 2029, 23:59
Starts
1 Mar 2026, 00:00
Max Extent Date
28 Feb 2031, 23:59

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKK24
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Id
48000000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Software package and information systems
Entry 2
Id
48510000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Communication software package
Entry 3
Id
64216000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Electronic message and information services
Entry 4
Id
72250000
Scheme
CPV
Description
System and support services

Planning and budget

Documents

Entry 1
Id
055962-2025
Format
text/html
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Published
11 Sept 2025, 16:46

Milestones

Entry 1
Id
engagement
Type
engagement
Status
scheduled
Due
25 Sept 2025, 23:59
Description
The purpose of this PME is to gather industry expertise and feedback that will inform the development of our final project and procurement requirements. Objectives: • Gain a better understanding of suppliers' capabilities, experiences, and innovations. • Identify potential challenges and solutions relevant to the upcoming procurement project. • Inform suppliers about the project's scope, objectives, and key requirements. BU are intending on holding virtual meetings / demonstration sessions with interested suppliers via Microsoft Teams on the week commencing 20 October 2025. If you wish to be considered for a virtual meeting / demonstration session with BU’s project team, please contact procurement@bournemouth.ac.uk to register your interest with the subject heading “IT/OS/461 – SMS Service”. Once suppliers have expressed their interest we will provide further information on the requirements with a Questionnaire for completion. BU will then shortlist suppliers for the virtual meetings / demonstration sessions based on the answers provided in the Questionnaires. Please note that while we aim to engage with a broad range of suppliers, it may not be possible to invite all interested parties to a meeting. Participation in this exercise is voluntary, and there is no obligation for BU to meet with every supplier who expresses an interest and submits a completed Questionnaire. This PME is not a request for quotation. BU’s current intention is to conduct an openly advertised tender process at a later stage. There is no obligation for suppliers to respond to this PME. Supplier responses (or lack thereof) to this exercise will not be used to determine which suppliers will be carried forward to tender process or in any subsequent evaluation of supplier proposals.

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-PPON-PVRY-5141-LLTP
Name
Bournemouth University

Roles

buyer

Address

Region
UKK24
Country
GB
Locality
Poole
Postal Code
BH12 5BB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Poole House, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Description
Public authority - sub-central government

Identifier

Id
PVRY-5141-LLTP
Scheme
GB-PPON

Contact

Name
Olly Sanders
Telephone
01202961623

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Poole · UKK24 · BH12 5BB · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKK24 · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-0598e8-2025-09-11T16:46:04+01:00Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·