United Kingdom181 days leftOpen

Centre for Digital Healthcare Technology Main Build

Tender Overview

ORGANIZATION

Ulster University

LOCATION

Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

VALUE

£19,200,000

DEADLINE

August 02, 2026 at 23:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

45000000

REFERENCE

004556-2026

Project Timeline

Contact Information

View Original

Original Tender Description

The Contract is for the provision of the Centre for Digital Healthcare Technology (CDHT) Works to Ulster University. The project will involve the construction of a new six storey building titled “Centre for Digital Health Technology” (CDHT) which is a research and development facility (Use Class B1), comprising of laboratories, office spaces, communal meeting areas, and public realm improvements to Frederick Street. The proposed site is located on footprint of the current Northland House building, adjacent to the existing Belfast City Centre Ulster University Campus (Block BC). The current Northland House building is located at 2-5a Fredrick Street Belfast, BT1 2NH and will be demolished prior to this appointment being made. The proposed development maintains its strong physical and visual connection to the wider Ulster University campus, reinforcing established pedestrian routes and arrival spaces. The building’s scale and stepped massing respond sensitively to the surrounding urban context, aligning with neighbouring structures along York Street & Fredrick Street. A refined landscape strategy has been developed to integrate the building seamlessly with its setting, including the removal of the existing boundary wall and the extension of landscaped areas into the adjacent client owned car park to create a more open, cohesive public realm. Architecturally, the design mirrors the design language of the wider Belfast Campus following a robust brick base and a refined upper façade, featuring high-quality curtain walling, natural stone panels, and glass reinforced concrete fins to enhance depth and street presence. The six-storey front block and two-storey rear podium provide a total GIA of approximately 3,980 m². The building will be constructed primarily in reinforced concrete flat slabs on rotary bored piles socketed into rock, with localised steel framing for roof plant areas. The substructure comprises grouped piles tied with deep pilecaps and perimeter ground beams that provide stability and support for the façade, while internal beams have been rationalised to reduce complexity and improve service coordination. CDHT is required to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating low-energy systems and climate-resilient materials are proposed throughout, to achieve a low carbon building. PV panels are installed on the roof, and a green roof is proposed for the two-storey terrace. Further details about the CDHT construction and design can be found in the supporting documents supplied with this PQQ. As of the time of writing, Q4 2025, the project is expecting a planning decision imminently. Planning was submitted in March 2025 and to date has received no objection from the consultee panel. Further details of the planning application can be found here: Northern Ireland Public Register. The planning application reference is LA04/2025/0477/F). The University is using Develop and Construct as the project delivery methodology under the Contract. This tender notice is for the award of a public contract through a competitive flexible procedure in accordance with section 20(1) and (2)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023.
⚠️

MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • Comply with all mandatory exclusion grounds as stipulated by the Procurement Act 2023, section 20(1) and (2)(b), and any other relevant UK public procurement legislation.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Adhere to the competitive flexible procedure outlined in the tender documents, in accordance with section 20(1) and (2)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023.
  • Participate in the PQQ (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire) stage as part of the Restricted procurement type.
  • Be legally constituted and able to enter into a contract with Ulster University for the provision of construction works.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Demonstrate proven capability and experience in the construction of new six-storey buildings.
  • Possess expertise in constructing research and development facilities (Use Class B1), including laboratories, office spaces, and communal meeting areas.
  • Demonstrate experience in public realm improvements.
  • Capability to undertake demolition works of existing structures (Northland House building) prior to new construction.
  • Expertise in architectural design mirroring existing campus language, including robust brick base, refined upper façade, high-quality curtain walling, natural stone panels, and glass reinforced concrete fins.
  • Capability to construct buildings with a Gross Internal Area (GIA) of approximately 3,980 m².
  • Proficiency in construction using reinforced concrete flat slabs on rotary bored piles socketed into rock, with localised steel framing for roof plant areas.
  • Experience with substructure comprising grouped piles tied with deep pilecaps and perimeter ground beams.
  • Ability to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating for the facility.
  • Expertise in implementing low-energy systems and climate-resilient materials to achieve a low carbon building.
  • Experience with installation of PV panels on roofs and green roof systems.
  • Capability to deliver the project using a Develop and Construct methodology.
  • Ability to work within the approved planning application (reference LA04/2025/0477/F).
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Demonstrate sufficient financial capacity and stability to undertake a construction project with an estimated contract value of 19,200,000 EUR.
📋

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Submit all required documentation by the deadline of 2026-08-03T00:00:00+01:00.
  • Provide all information requested in the PQQ (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire) documents.
  • Adhere to the specific submission procedures and formats as detailed in the tender documents.

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DOC
OCDS Record
OCDS Data004556-2026_ocds_record.json
Summary:
This OCDS record provides standardized, machine-readable data detailing Ulster University's tender for the construction of the Centre for Digital Healthcare Technology (CDHT) building.
DOC
OCDS Release Package
OCDS Data004556-2026_ocds_release.json
Summary:
This tender is for the construction of the six-storey Centre for Digital Healthcare Technology (CDHT) at Ulster University's Belfast campus, a research and development facility aiming for a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating.
PDF
Official PDF Version
General Information004556-2026_official.pdf
Summary:
This document is a tender notice from Ulster University for the construction of a new six-storey Centre for Digital Healthcare Technology (CDHT) building, a research and development facility requiring a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating.
HTM
Tender Notice
General Information004556-2026.html
Summary:
Ulster University is seeking a contractor for the construction of a new six-storey Centre for Digital Healthcare Technology (CDHT) building at its Belfast campus, comprising laboratories, offices, and public realm improvements, targeting a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating.

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73
Good

Tender Quality Score

This tender for the Centre for Digital Healthcare Technology construction is well-detailed regarding project scope and technical requirements, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. However, it suffers from a critical lack of specified evaluation criteria and the absence of electronic submission, impacting clarity, completeness, and fairness.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance75/100

The tender explicitly references compliance with the UK Procurement Act 2023, and the CPV code is correctly assigned. There are no reported disputes or suspensions. The procedure type is defined, although the specific codes are missing, which is a minor detail.

Missing procedure type codes for 'Restricted' and 'Competitive flexible procedure'.
Clarity80/100

The project description is highly detailed and unambiguous, providing a clear vision of the construction work. AI-extracted requirements are comprehensive and understandable. However, the critical absence of specified evaluation criteria significantly diminishes the overall clarity of the procurement process.

No evaluation criteria specified.
Completeness70/100

Most essential information, including title, reference, organization, financial details, timeline, and location, is provided. Documents are attached and summarized. The primary deficiency is the lack of defined evaluation criteria, which is a fundamental component of a complete tender.

Missing evaluation criteria.
Fairness85/100

The submission deadline provides ample time for preparation, and the estimated value is disclosed. Technical requirements are specific but appear project-driven rather than tailored to a single company. However, the absence of evaluation criteria and the lack of e-submission are significant barriers to transparency and equal access for all potential bidders.

No evaluation criteria specified.
No e-submission capability.
Practicality65/100

The tender lacks electronic submission support, which is a significant practical drawback in modern procurement. While documents are summarized, direct URLs are not explicitly provided. The contract start date matching the submission deadline is illogical and impractical, suggesting a data entry error or an unrealistic timeline for award.

No e-submission capability.
Contract start date is illogical (matches submission deadline).
Data Consistency70/100

Several inconsistencies are present, including missing codes for the procedure types, the contradictory 'Value Classified: Yes' flag despite the value being disclosed, and most notably, the contract start date being identical to the submission deadline. The 'Liable Person' field is also empty.

Missing procedure type codes.
Contradictory 'Value Classified: Yes' when value is disclosed.
Sustainability50/100

The tender demonstrates a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, requiring a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating, low-energy systems, climate-resilient materials, PV panels, and a green roof. However, it explicitly lacks social criteria and does not highlight an innovation focus within the procurement process itself.

No explicit social criteria.
No innovation focus in the procurement process.

Strengths

Detailed project description and technical requirements.
Strong environmental sustainability focus (BREEAM 'Excellent', low carbon).
Clear legal compliance with the Procurement Act 2023.
Reasonable submission deadline for a complex project.
Value and duration are clearly specified.

Concerns

Absence of specified evaluation criteria.
Lack of electronic submission capability.
Illogical contract start date matching submission deadline.
Missing codes for procedure types and contradictory 'Value Classified' flag.
No explicit social criteria or innovation focus in procurement.

Recommendations

1. Publish clear and objective evaluation criteria to enhance transparency and fairness.
2. Implement an electronic submission system to improve practicality and equal access.
3. Clarify the contract start date and ensure consistency across all tender fields.

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B
Tender Quality Score
73/ 100 · Good

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