Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 22 Jan 2026, 10:50 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

ACE - Provision of Integrated HR and Payroll System

Official notice

Authority: Academies for Character & Excellence (Central government)·On behalf of: PHP LAW LLP

ServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Published estimate£450,000≈ £113k / year · £540,000 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 30 Mar 2026awarded 7 May 2026
Awarded to Juniper Education Services Ltd
Contract term 4 yrsends 31 Aug 2030 · up to 31 Aug 2032 with extensions · starts 1 Sept 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Trust required a fully integrated HR and Payroll platform operating from a single, authoritative dataset. The solution must enable compliant payroll and workforce administration in accordance with relevant legislation, HMRC requirements, Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) regulations, statutory employment obligations, and sector best practice. It must also provide the transparency, reporting capability, and internal controls necessary to support efficient Trust-wide operations. The Trust was seeking a platform that provides operational flexibility, allowing payroll processing to be delivered either in-house or via a managed service within the same system environment. The Trust may transition between these delivery models during the contract term and therefore required a solution that enables this without system replacement or material disruption.

  • The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 31 Aug 2032, 23:59 BST.

CPV: Payroll management services · Personnel and payroll services · Software package and information systems · Time accounting or human resources software package

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 4 yrsSMEPublished value£450,000
Contract period: 1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2030 (4 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2032 with extensionsValue: £450,000 exc. VAT · £540,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: South WestEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: To enable schools who join the Trust to be added to the Contract and for additional modules or services to be included that relate to HR&Payroll · 4 Year Term with the option of 2 further 1 year extensions.
Pre-qualification & selection criteria (PQQ)2
  • Economic & financial standing

    Financial Capacity Assessment: Bidders must demonstrate that their financial position is sufficiently robust to support both the implementation and ongoing delivery of the Finance System. Bidders must provide their audited financial statements for the previous two financial years. Where audited accounts are not available, bidders should provide certified accounts or equivalent financial information. Bidders should disclose any known events that may materially impact their financial position during the contract term (for example, planned sale, refinancing, or restructuring). Minimum Turnover Requirement The bidder’s annual turnover must be at least two times the estimated annual contract value. Net Asset Position Bidders must demonstrate a positive net asset position in their most recent financial statements Liquidity and Access to Financial Resources Bidders must demonstrate access to adequate financial resources to support ongoing business operations and contractual commitments. Revenue Model Stability Bidders must describe their revenue model, including the proportion of income that is recurring, contractually committed, or otherwise predictable. The Trust will assess the economic and financial standing of bidders to ensure that the successful supplier has the financial capacity and resilience required to deliver the contract for its full duration. The Trust is seeking a financially resilient supplier capable of sustaining long-term service delivery. The assessment is designed to ensure resilience rather than favour organisations of a particular size. The assessment will be conducted in accordance with the principles of proportionality, transparency, and equal treatment. Insurance requirements - can commit to obtain, prior to the award of the contract, the levels of insurance cover indicated below a. Employer’s (Compulsory) Liability Insurance* = £5m b. Public Liability Insurance = £5m c. Professional Indemnity Insurance = £1m d. Product Liability Insurance = £1m e. Cyber and Data Protection Insurance = £1m

  • Technical & professional ability

    Relevant experience and contract examples Please provide details of up to three contracts to meet conditions of participation relating to technical ability set out in the relevant notice or procurement documents, in any combination from either the public or private sectors (which may include samples of grant-funded work). The examples must be from the past three years. To constitute a pass, the minimum of two contract examples provided shall be relevant to the complexity of the requirement, with a sufficient level of detail that provides confidence in the Tenderer’s established past experience in similar and relevant projects/contracts. Organisational Standards Please provide details of the organisational standards and certifications your organisation holds that are relevant to the delivery of this contract, including (but not limited to) Quality Management and Information Security standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 27001, or equivalent internationally recognised certifications. You must confirm that the scope of these certifications explicitly covers the services proposed within this procurement. Where equivalent standards are offered, please explain how they meet or exceed the requirements of the specified ISO standards. Bidders must submit the following evidence:

    • Copies of current certification issued by an accredited certification body.
    • A copy of the certification scope statement demonstrating that the services being procured fall within the accredited scope.
    • Confirmation of certification validity dates.
    • Details of any non-conformities identified during the most recent audit and the corrective actions taken.

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Quality: 65%Price: 35%
Published sub-criteria (11)
  • Implementation & Transition Delivery: 4%
  • Quality of People & Support Team: 5%
  • Quality of Managed Payroll Service Provision: 5%
  • Customer Retention & Client Success: 4%
  • Service Support Model & Responsiveness: 2%
  • Contract Management & Strategic Partnership: 1.5%
  • Service Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement: 1.5%
  • Innovation, Product Roadmap & Future Fit: 1%
  • Complaint Resolution & Escalation: 1%
  • Software Functionaility: 40%
  • Price: 35%
Published award criteria (11)
  • Implementation & Transition Delivery
  • Quality of People & Support Team
  • Quality of Managed Payroll Service Provision
  • Customer Retention & Client Success
  • Service Support Model & Responsiveness
  • Contract Management & Strategic Partnership
  • Service Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement
  • Innovation, Product Roadmap & Future Fit
  • Complaint Resolution & Escalation
  • Software Functionaility
  • Price
Conditions of participation2
  • Economic & financial standing

    Financial Capacity Assessment: Bidders must demonstrate that their financial position is sufficiently robust to support both the implementation and ongoing delivery of the Finance System. Bidders must provide their audited financial statements for the previous two financial years. Where audited accounts are not available, bidders should provide certified accounts or equivalent financial information. Bidders should disclose any known events that may materially impact their financial position during the contract term (for example, planned sale, refinancing, or restructuring). Minimum Turnover Requirement The bidder’s annual turnover must be at least two times the estimated annual contract value. Net Asset Position Bidders must demonstrate a positive net asset position in their most recent financial statements Liquidity and Access to Financial Resources Bidders must demonstrate access to adequate financial resources to support ongoing business operations and contractual commitments. Revenue Model Stability Bidders must describe their revenue model, including the proportion of income that is recurring, contractually committed, or otherwise predictable. The Trust will assess the economic and financial standing of bidders to ensure that the successful supplier has the financial capacity and resilience required to deliver the contract for its full duration. The Trust is seeking a financially resilient supplier capable of sustaining long-term service delivery. The assessment is desig…

  • Technical & professional ability

    Relevant experience and contract examples Please provide details of up to three contracts to meet conditions of participation relating to technical ability set out in the relevant notice or procurement documents, in any combination from either the public or private sectors (which may include samples of grant-funded work). The examples must be from the past three years. To constitute a pass, the minimum of two contract examples provided shall be relevant to the complexity of the requirement, with a sufficient level of detail that provides confidence in the Tenderer’s established past experience in similar and relevant projects/contracts. Organisational Standards Please provide details of the organisational standards and certifications your organisation holds that are relevant to the delivery of this contract, including (but not limited to) Quality Management and Information Security standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 27001, or equivalent internationally recognised certifications. You must confirm that the scope of these certifications explicitly covers the services proposed within this procurement. Where equivalent standards are offered, please explain how they meet or exceed the requirements of the specified ISO standards. Bidders must submit the following evidence:

    • Copies of current certification issued by an accredited certification body.
    • A copy of the certification scope statement demonstrating that the services being procured fall within the accredited scope.
    • Confir…
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 35 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3.5 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Yes · next expected 31 Aug 2032
First published
22 Jan 2026, 10:50 GMT
Last source update
26 May 2026, 08:47 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 29 May 2026
Authority reference
ACE01.75
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-016036
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Payroll management servicesPersonnel and payroll servicesSoftware package and information systemsTime accounting or human resources software package
Delivery area
South West (UKK)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-060bed Find a Tender
Contract terms summary

The Trust requires the following payment profile: a. Implementation Costs

  • 25% invoiced upon Contract Signature
  • 25% invoiced upon completion of the build
  • 25% following completion of testing
  • 25% following go live plus 1 month b. Table B All Inclusive Cost
  • Monthly invoice in arrears Where it has been identified, and agreed, that adjustments are required (in respect of service credits, additional works, errors or omissions), these will be taken account of within the next invoice.
Review and risk notes
Risks
  1. Data Accuracy & Input Risk: Inconsistent or late inputs from academies can cause payroll errors. 2. Integration & Systems Compatibility Risks: Unclear or evolving integration requirements may disrupt operations. 3. Implementation & Transition Risks: Complex migrations, legacy data, and tight timelines can cause failures. 4. Compliance & Legislative Risk: High risk of non‑compliance with LGPS, TPS, HMRC, and sector requirements. 5. Governance & Approval‑Chain Risk: Multi‑level approvals may delay payroll runs. 6. Service Reliability & Business Continuity: Outages or poor resilience may cause missed pay dates. 7. Vendor Performance, Capacity & Resourcing Risks: Under‑resourcing can slow turnaround and increase errors. 8. Query Management & Support Risk: Insufficient helpdesk responsiveness impacts accuracy and staff satisfaction. 9. Contractual & Liability Risks: Liability caps may be insufficient for high‑impact payroll errors. 10. Scalability & Expansion Risks: Onboarding new schools can be delayed or inaccurate. 11. Cultural, Process & Change Management Risk: Low adoption and inconsistent processes increase error likelihood. 12. Trust Control & Visibility Risk: Reduced visibility or audit access undermines governance.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: EU-Supply (CTM) · Who buys & how to bid on EU-Supply
Public notice page · account needed to bidElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · 5–10 minutes
Submission deadline
30 Mar 2026, 12:00 BST
Clarification deadline
30 Mar 2026, 12:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

22 Jan 2026 → 1 Sept 2026 · 11 dates
  1. Planning notice published272 days ago
    22 Jan 2026, 10:50 GMT
  2. Next notice expected250 days ago
    13 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
  3. Market engagement250 days ago
    13 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT

    uk.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_… ↗ This pre-market engagement is intended to inform the Trust’s detailed specification and procurement strategy, and the Trust welcomes dialogue with interested suppliers to help shape a future tender that delivers a robust, education-focused HR and payroll solution. Suppliers will be offered a 1-hour slot on the 11th or 12th of February for a brief meeting/demo focussed on specific areas of enquiry which will be provided in advance. If you wish to book in a slot, please message the request through the tendering portal EU Supply with your email address with your preferred date and time for the 11th or 12th February. Slots will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. Once all slots are booked out we will have to respectfully decline any further requests. However all information from these meetings will be shared within the tender pack, where it has been deemed as not commercially sensitive.

  4. Tender notice published240 days ago
    23 Feb 2026, 12:28 GMT
  5. Clarification questions by205 days ago
    30 Mar 2026, 12:00 BST
  6. Submission deadline205 days ago
    30 Mar 2026, 12:00 BST
  7. Assessment summaries sent167 days ago
    8 May 2026, 00:00 BST
  8. Standstill ends155 days ago
    19 May 2026, 23:59 BST
  9. Latest notice published148 days ago
    26 May 2026, 08:47 BST
  10. Award decision expected by145 days ago
    29 May 2026, 23:59 BST
  11. Contract starts51 days ago
    1 Sept 2026

Notice history

10 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 22 Jan 2026
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    22 Jan 2026, 10:50 GMT
    UK2
  2. Tender notice published
    23 Feb 2026, 12:28 GMT
    UK4
  3. Status changed to active
    23 Feb 2026, 12:28 GMT
  4. Procurement method changed
    23 Feb 2026, 12:28 GMT
  5. Deadline published: 30 Mar 2026, 12:00 BST
    23 Feb 2026, 12:28 GMT
  6. Contract award notice published
    8 May 2026, 13:07 BST
    UK6
  7. Status changed to complete
    8 May 2026, 13:07 BST
  8. Buyer details updated
    8 May 2026, 13:07 BST
  9. Contract signature expected
    22 May 2026, 23:59 BST
    scheduled
  10. Contract details notice published
    26 May 2026, 08:47 BST
    UK7
Routine re-releases (4)
  • 2026-01: 1 release · 22 Jan 2026

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £450,0001 award exc. VAT
Bids received 52 from SMEs
Contracts signed 1latest 22 May 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Juniper Education Services LtdSME1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2030 · up to 31 Aug 2032Extensions: 4 Year Term with the option of 2 further 1 year extensions. · Options: The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid. To enable schools who join the Trust to be added to the Contract and for additional modules or services to be included that relate to HR and Payroll£450,0007 May 2026Awarded

Contracts

  • ACE - Provision of Integrated HR and Payroll System · Juniper Education Services LtdSME

    Signed
    22 May 2026
    Value
    £450,000
    Period
    1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2030 · up to 31 Aug 2032 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    4 Year Term with the option of 2 further 1 year extensions.
    Options
    The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid. To enable schools who join the Trust to be added to the Contract and for additional modules or services to be included that relate to HR and Payroll
    8 agreed KPIs: Payroll accuracy rate · Right-first-time processing rate · Pre-payroll error rate …
    • Payroll accuracy rate, 99.9% to 100%
    • Right-first-time processing rate, 99.9% to 100%
    • Pre-payroll error rate, 0.1% or fewer errors identified before payroll is finalised.
    • Post-payroll error rate, 0% to 0.1% or fewer errors identified after payroll is processed.
    • Post-payroll reconciliation completion, 100% of payroll runs subject to reconciliation.
    • Client-reported payroll errors, Fewer than 1 substantiated payroll accuracy issue per pay cycle
    • Accuracy reporting compliance, 100% of payroll periods supported by documented accuracy reporting.
    • Service performance trend review, Monthly review of payroll accuracy metrics, error trends and corrective actions.

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
5final-stage tenders · 7 at stage one20—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

3 public bodies on the notice

Academies for Character & Excellence

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PYNM-4868-XBBN Pathfields, Totnes, South West, TQ9 5TZContact name, email, phone

Consortium members and other public bodies

  • PHP LAW LLPProcess contact pointProcuring entityProcurement ConsultantGB-COH: OC429243GB-PPON: PPRM-9434-VNYQ Totnes, South WestContact email
  • THE ACADEMIES FOR CHARACTER AND EXCELLENCEContracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central governmentGB-COH: 10098444GB-PPON: PYNM-4868-XBBN Totnes, South WestContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • JUNIPER EDUCATION SERVICES LIMITEDAwarded supplierGB-COH: 12004688GB-PPON: PXGY-3233-CHRT Boundary House, 4 County Place, Chelmsford, East of England, CM2 0REContact email

Official documents & specifications (4)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure