The IMLS Framework: Background and Scope
1. Background
This framework completes the development of the ICT Services vision originally developed
by Becta and now adopted by the Department for Education. This is all about school ICT
becoming a set of learner focused services, enabling schools to teach and make use of the
technology to facilitate that vision, whether through broadband provision, a Virtual Learning
Environment (VLE) or a Management Information System.
The new framework will be known as the Information Management and Learning Services
(IMLS) Framework. It will give educational establishments a convenient and efficient route to
procure Management Information Systems (MIS), Learning Platforms (LP), and associated
services.
Information Management and Learning Services (IMLS) refers to the management of
resources, data and information in the school environment using a combination of
Management Information Systems (MIS) and Learning Platforms (LP).
1.1 Management Information Systems
A typical MIS provides a suite of software covering all parts of a schools' administration, from
behaviour and achievement, planning curriculum and lesson structures, dinner money,
educational learning plans, data sharing for the 14-19 agenda, managing registration and
admissions, and providing teachers, parents and pupils access to all this information over
the internet through a secure webpage.
Summary of an MIS function:
 helps schools manage student registration and truancy, student performance,
personalised learning, exam organisation, timetable construction, cover management
and a range of other school activities
 maintains real-time information to support schools in conducting regular and
comprehensive self-evaluations, target resources, support personal development,
promote achievements and share good practice
 enables teachers to access information, analyse and input pupil data through the use
of integrated desktop tools
 provides web access through a Learning Gateway, which allows teachers and
parents to access the data from home
1.2 Learning Platforms
A learning platform is an integrated set of interactive online services that provide teachers,
learners, parents and others involved in education with information, tools and resources to
support and enhance educational delivery and management.
Learning platforms commonly allow:
 Content management – creation, storage, access to and use of learning resources
 Curriculum mapping and planning – lesson planning, assessment and
personalisation of the learning experience
 Learner engagement and administration – managed access to learner information
and resources and tracking of progress and achievement
 Communication and collaboration - emails, notices, chat, wikis, blogs
IMLS Background and Scope
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In principle a learning platform is a safe and secure environment that is reliable, available
online and accessible to a wide user base. A user should be able to move between learning
platforms throughout their life with no loss of access to their personal data. The concept of a
learning platform suggests a continuously evolving description of functionality changing to
meet the needs of the user. The Becta survey of schools in 2010 found that most schools in
England have their own LP (67% of primary schools and 93% of secondary schools)
Interoperability
Following the stakeholder engagement exercise undertaken early in 2011, interoperability
was highlighted as a key requirement for MIS and LP systems. Some suppliers now offer
integrated MIS and LP systems, and it is seen as particularly important for the MIS and LP
used within a school to be able to exchange information electronically. For this to work fully
would require them to be completely interoperable.
2. Aims of the Framework
The reasons for procuring this follow up Framework remain compelling and in line with the
recommendations of the Becta report “Schools MIS and Value for Money 2010”. The
Framework is designed to:

Create an efficient and EU compliant route for the purchase of School Management
Information Systems and Learning Platforms. It will provide a brand new procurement
framework for Management Information Systems (MIS) as well as replacing an expired
Learning Platform framework.
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Secure more favourable licensing pricing, terms and conditions designed to address the
current licencing issues affecting those academies opting out of Local Authority Control.
The re-licensing for education users is currently costing up to £25,000 per academy.

Facilitate a legal and cost effective route for Local Authorities (LAs), free schools and
academies to procure the software solutions required to effectively administer school
back offices, provide data returns to the Department for Education (DfE) and ‘virtually’
manage a wide range of learning resources.
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Address the multiple issues raised by the Becta report “Schools MIS and Value for
Money 2010”
This market review produced by an independent consultant, Atkins, highlighted the current
problems in the schools MIS marketplace:
o
The marketplace is still uncompetitive as a result of a virtual absence of Official
Journal of the European Union (OJEU) compliant procurement activity
o
The marketplace for Management Information Systems is still dominated by a single
supplier who control over 80% of the market.
o
The impact of the statutory returns process is distorted, which increases costs to
schools, increases the burdens on local authorities and mitigates in particular against
smaller providers
o
There is a lack of understanding of the relevant EU and UK procurement regulations
at the local authority level, and concerns round the cost of change
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o
The marketplace is still impeded by a lack of a mandated interoperability standard
o
MIS systems are generally supported by specialist teams, almost always operating at
the individual local authority level, and consequently unable to take advantage of
economies of scale.
o
In addition to the evidence reported above, the move to create free schools and more
academies seems to have highlighted some consequential issues such as:
 When a school changes legal status (for example by becoming an academy),
it may be required by its MIS provider to pay again to license its existing MIS
system. This can often result in a bill of up to £20,000.
 There has been some confusion over who exactly owns (and has access to)
the schools data held and this situation needs clarifying. This position has the
double effect of dissuading schools from easily switching supplier and
potentially facilitating an MIS provider charging for access, data cleansing and
transfer etc.
In respect of Learning Platform services, there was a need for a replacement procurement
arrangement in order for schools and local authorities to have access to a cost effective
mechanism that secures on-going savings and fit for purpose solutions.
The opportunity was also identified to facilitate the market in order to create full
interoperability with MIS. This should allow educational establishments to maximise savings
potential by combining the purchase of both systems.
3. Scope of the Framework
The Framework is therefore designed to provide educational establishments a convenient
and efficient route to procure Management Information Systems (MIS), Learning Platforms
(LP), and associated services.
The IMLS Framework Agreement has been let for a period of four years (with an option to
terminate after three) which will cover the period 2012-16. It has been developed and
procured by the Government Procurement Service working in conjunction with the
Department for Education.
The Framework was developed following comprehensive feedback received from within the
education sector. It is made up of two ‘lots’, each of which includes specialist providers
rigorously assessed as capable of providing the specified services..
A. Lot 1 focuses on Management Information Services, enabling customers to procure
either a complete service or to buy individual components.
B. Lot 2 covers the provision of Learning Services, again providing the opportunity to
procure either a comprehensive system or individual components
The development of the Framework focussed on a number of mandatory requirements which
were seen as key areas for customers. These included a number of conditions which were
pre-requisites for inclusion, covering areas such as:

Willingness to collaborate
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Comprehensive User and Identity Management processes
Simplified Sign On processes
Anytime, anywhere access
Extensive system availability
Transparency
Facilitating integration
Assistance with migration of data
Bespoke SLAs
Data Management
Accessibility
Supporting Open Standards
System Interoperability
And for Licensing
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Flexibility of support arrangements
Transparency of support costs
Enabling of sub-licensing
Transferability of rights
Ownership and rights over data
Open and inter-operable format for data
No payment required to transfer licence to successor bodies
Assistance with transfer to new service providers
Clear visibility of charges
Suppliers may only provide services for projects within the lot for which they are approved.
Suppliers are aware of this, and cannot be included in a mini-competition covering a lot for
which it is not approved.
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