Provision of South East Asia Representative Office for International Office

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

Maynooth University (MU) International Office (IO) seeks a supplier to establish and operate a staffed representative office in Vietnam. The supplier will be responsible for developing international student recruitment plans, forging new institutional partnerships, and achieving ambitious recruitment targets across Southeast Asia. This role aligns with MU's strategic aims outlined in its 2023-2028 Strategic Plan.

The supplier will demonstrate leadership, creativity, and innovation in international recruitment, understanding the imperative to meet MU's growth trajectories. Key activities include:

• International Student Recruitment: Developing and executing plans to recruit non-EU fee-paying students (undergraduate and postgraduate taught). This involves managing application numbers, conversion rates, and engagement with agents and prospective students.
• Institutional Partnerships: Developing new partnerships such as articulations, transfer pathways, progression arrangements, and dual degrees with Southeast Asian universities.
• Marketing and Promotion: Implementing marketing strategies to promote MU's programmes and brand within the region.
• Market Intelligence: Providing market intelligence and analysis on trends, risks, and opportunities within the Southeast Asian higher education sector.
• Admissions and Conversion: Supporting the admissions and conversion process for students from the region.
• Operational Management: Managing the representative office, including staff, fixed costs (central costs, management, salaries, equipment, IT), and projected operational costs (travel, accommodation, subsistence, event registration, marketing).
• Reporting and KPI Monitoring: Monitoring performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) including student enrolments, application numbers, conversion rates, recruitment activities, agent engagement, partnership development, and market intelligence delivery.
• Collaboration: Working in conjunction with the Director of International Recruitment and Conversion at MU.

The supplier must provide advice on a demand-led portfolio and deliver flexible, evidence-based solutions. The office will serve as MU's outward-facing representation in Southeast Asia and provide an internal advisory role. The contract is for an initial three years, with an option to extend by two further one-year periods. The annual budget is capped at €90,000.

3. Background & buyer context

Maynooth University (MU) is an autonomous public university with a strategic plan (2023-2028) focused on excellence, opportunity, and impact. The International Office (IO) manages international partnerships, student recruitment, and mobility programmes. This procurement supports MU's ambition to grow its global reputation and student numbers, particularly from Southeast Asia. The university currently has approximately 10 registered students from the region. The Maynooth International Engineering College (MIEC), a joint venture with Fuzhou University, highlights MU's existing engagement in Asia. The strategic driver is to significantly increase international student enrolments, targeting over 200% growth for PGT and 800% for UG over three years.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered eligible:

• Turnover Requirement: Minimum average annual turnover of €200,000 in the relevant financial year. Legally related or connected entities may combine resources to meet this.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Past Experience: Candidates must demonstrate successful delivery of services of a comparable nature within the last three to five years. Specific details on the number or value of comparable projects are not stated.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / Facility Constraints: The representative office must be based in Vietnam.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award will be based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), comprising a balance of quality and cost.

Criterion Weight (%) Sub-criteria