Service to assist UL's medical students prepare and take the United States Medical Licensing Examination

UL is requesting prospective economic operators to identify if they have the capability to supply and deliver a Preparatory Programme (BMBS) for students within the School of Medicine relating to the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

UL is requesting prospective economic operators to identify if they have the capability to supply and deliver a Preparatory Programme for Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS) students within the School of Medicine relating to the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). In response to a previous tender process conducted by UL, it emerged that only one supplier was capable of delivering such a programme. UL wish to gain a better understanding of the current market to determine the number of suppliers with the competencies and experience to supply and deliver the required programme. In the event the marketplace does not reasonably demonstrate that UL’s requirements can be provided by an alternative supplier, then UL may reasonably conclude that only one company (the current incumbent) can meet its requirements in which case, UL may proceed to enter into a contract with this supplier without conducting a formal tender process.

As noted above, the purpose of this communication is to test the market and to obtain information from suitable suppliers. It is imperative that ONLY suitable suppliers that can meet the mandatory requirements set out below should submit a response to this process.

The service to be provided should include:

• provision of comprehensive curriculum with study guides and online video libraries to complement studies

• provision of student diagnostic tests to benchmark against other exam takers

• provision of workshops/lectures (online or face-to-face) for areas of curriculum assessed in USMLE Step 1

• ability to run a simulated (mock) exam that students can participate in to allow them adequately prepare for the lengthy Step 1 exam (8 hours normally)

• management and administration of the USMLE Step 1 preparatory programme by the e-learning provider including managing access and technical support to students

• summary reports and assessment data (raw and summary) must be accessible and made available to named faculty within the school.

Where providers consider the meet the requirements they should indicate their capability to supply via eTenders by the date indicated.

UL may enter into discussions with any suppliers who respond to this PIN and may use any information obtained as part of such discussion to inform any possible subsequent procurement process or if there is only one suitable party, UL may engage with this party with a view to awarding a contract. Finally, it should be noted that UL estimates the value of this contract to fall below the threshold for the application of Directive 2014/24/EU.