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About the buyer

University of Southampton is a higher education institution whose procurement team runs tenders and quotations under its own financial regulations. Tenders are advertised through In-Tend, the university's e-tendering system. Many contracts are awarded through framework agreements managed by the Southern Universities Procurement Consortium. Larger opportunities may also appear on Contracts Finder and Find a Tender. Purchasing teams raise orders and requisitions for faculties and professional service groups. Procurement thresholds set the route to market, ranging from a single quotation to a formal tender. Contractors must hold appropriate insurance before work begins.

Education procurement reached £47.4bn in 2024/25, the fourth-largest public sector budget.

Over the past 5 years, most of University of Southampton's contract awards have been in software and information systems, office and computing equipment and architectural and engineering services.