Embedded International Study Centre (EISC)

Tender description

Manchester Metropolitan University wishes to enter into a collaboration to establish an Embedded International Study Centre ("EISC") on campus to deliver educational study programmes to international students to equip them with the skills/qualifications required to enrol on an undergraduate or postgraduate course at Manchester Met. This presents an exciting opportunity for a suitably experienced and innovative partner to enter into a joint venture ("JV") with Manchester Met to realise its ambitions for the EISC. At this point in the process, Manchester Met wishes to remain agnostic in respect of the form which the JV will take (e.g. contractual/incorporated), and is therefore interested to hear bidders’ proposals on this aspect later in the process. The JV Partner will be responsible for the operational running of the EISC, delivering programmes, promoting the EISC, recruitment of international students, administration of admissions and provide teaching services within the EISC. Lot 1: Manchester Met’s vision is to collaborate with a JV Partner to create a fully embedded EISC on campus which provides pathway programmes for international students progressing onto Manchester Met degree courses. The EISC will support the University's ambition to significantly increase the number of international students enrolling on Manchester Met degree courses.To achieve this vision, it is envisaged that the EISC will: -be established in partnership with a private provider/partner; -be managed by Manchester Met and the Partner; -be physically embedded on Manchester Met’s campus; and -be established such that the EISC students will have appropriate rights and access to the University's facilities (e.g., library, laboratories, studios, classrooms and accommodation It is envisaged that in the short to medium term the EISC will be based in either existing University facilities or in leased space close to the campus. Led by the growth prospects of the JV, longer term purpose built/renovated facilities will be provided to accommodate such growth on or near to campus. It is intended that the relationship will facilitate a successful collaboration between the two entities, creating a true partnership with the shared ambition of maximising the success of the EISC. To realise this, the parties will enter into a JV following contract award – the form of which will be discussed during the procurement process. As explained above, Manchester Met wishes to remain agnostic at this point in respect of whether the JV will be based on a contractual or incorporated model. Therefore, to assist bidders in their assessment of this opportunity, Manchester Met has provided a document which lists its ‘key commercial principles’ upon which this arrangement will be based (a copy of which is provided in the procurement documents, available via the Portal). What will the JV Partner bring? Expertise in successfully delivering embedded colleges for other further education institutions and the drive, determination and innovation to ensure that the EISC is at the forefront of the international student market. What will Manchester Met bring? The facilities required to operate the EISC, support the JV Partner to maximise its success and aims to create a true partnership which optimises the benefits for both parties. The first stage of this process requires bidders to complete a Selection Questionnaire (SQ), a copy of which is provided via the Portal. This will enable Manchester Met to identify providers who have the requisite level of experience in delivering similar projects, and the required levels of capability to deliver the EISC. Key areas of importance which will be assessed throughout the process include facilitating a supportive environment for students which maximises their educational success, academic experience, marketing of the EISC, increasing the number of international students who will eventually enrol for degree courses at Manchester Met, realising social value, IT/Systems maturity and facilitating innovation throughout the lifetime of the contract. Following the evaluation of all SQ responses, Manchester Met intends to identify a maximum of 5 bidders to invite to the invitation to negotiate (ITN) stage of the procurement process. Those 5 bidders will be invited to submit initial tenders which will be evaluated and the top 3 scoring bidders invited to take part in the negotiation phase. Those 5 bidders will be invited to submit initial tenders which will be evaluated by Manchester Met with the top 3 scoring bidders invited to take part in the negotiation phase. At this stage Manchester Met intends to undertake the negotiation phase such that areas for negotiation are focussed, in accordance with its ambition to undertake an efficient but fair and robust process. A copy of the procurement pack which provides further information about this opportunity is available for download via the Portal.