Official UK procurement notice
Payroll Software and Managed BACS Service
Authority: THOMAS DEACON EDUCATION TRUST (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe contracting authority is seeking to procure a payroll software solution and associated managed BACS service to support the in-house delivery of payroll across a multi-academy trust.
The requirement includes the provision, implementation, configuration, support and maintenance of a payroll system suitable for a multi-site education environment. The system must support monthly payroll processing, statutory payroll requirements, pension scheme administration requirements, payroll reporting, finance reporting outputs, employee and manager self-service functionality where required, and secure handling of payroll data.
The requirement also includes a managed BACS service for payroll-related payments, together with appropriate controls, reporting, support and service continuity arrangements.
The supplier will be required to support implementation, data migration, testing, parallel running, go-live and post-go-live transition support. The Trust will retain responsibility for operating an in-house payroll function.
The contract is intended to cover the contracting authority's current payroll requirements and reasonably anticipated future requirements, including potential growth in employee numbers or sites during the contract term.
The initial contract term is three years, with the option to extend as set out in the procurement documents.
Full details of the specification, implementation requirements, service levels, evaluation criteria, pricing requirements and contract terms are set out in the tender documents.
- Not divided into lots: The contracting authority has considered whether the procurement could be divided into lots. Whilst it would be technically possible to separate elements such as payroll software provision, implementation services and the managed BACS service, the authority has determined that a single lot approach is appropriate. The services are highly interdependent and form part of a critical operational function. Splitting the requirement would introduce additional integration complexity, increase delivery and operational risk, and create ambiguity in supplier accountability, particularly in relation to payroll processing accuracy, payment execution and issue resolution. A single supplier model ensures clear end-to-end responsibility across system provision, payroll processing support and BACS service delivery. This is necessary to maintain service continuity, minimise risk during implementation and transition, and ensure effective management of a business-critical payroll function. The contracting authority has concluded that dividing the procurement into lots would not deliver value for money or reduce risk, and may adversely impact service quality and accountability.
CPV: Financial transaction processing and clearing-house services · Software implementation services · Software supply services · Software support services · Time accounting or human resources software package
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£227,500
- Economic & financial standing
Bidders must have the legal and financial capacity to perform the contract. The contracting authority may assess financial standing, legal status, relevant capability and experience as part of the procurement process.
Bidders may be required to provide appropriate evidence where requested, including company information, confirmation of legal status, financial information, and evidence of capability to deliver comparable payroll software and associated services.
Any requirements will be applied proportionately, having regard to the nature, value and complexity of the contract. The contracting authority will not require insurance to be in place before contract award or require audited accounts where a supplier is not otherwise required to produce them.
- Technical & professional ability
Bidders must have the technical ability and operational capability to deliver, implement, support and maintain a payroll software solution and associated managed BACS service of the type and scale described in the procurement documents.
Bidders must be able to demonstrate appropriate capability in payroll software implementation, data migration, statutory payroll compliance, pensions-related payroll functionality, reporting, integration, secure data handling, BACS/payment processing and ongoing support.
Equivalent experience, standards, systems or methods will be accepted where they demonstrate the bidder's ability to deliver the requirement.
Any assessment of technical ability will be applied proportionately, having regard to the nature, value and complexity of the contract.
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Quality: 80%
- Commercial: 20%
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality
- Commercial
- Economic & financial standing
Bidders must have the legal and financial capacity to perform the contract. The contracting authority may assess financial standing, legal status, relevant capability and experience as part of the procurement process.
Bidders may be required to provide appropriate evidence where requested, including company information, confirmation of legal status, financial information, and evidence of capability to deliver comparable payroll software and associated services.
Any requirements will be applied proportionately, having regard to the nature, value and complexity of the contract. The contracting authority will not require insurance to be in place before contract award or require audited accounts where a supplier is not otherwise required to produce them.
- Technical & professional ability
Bidders must have the technical ability and operational capability to deliver, implement, support and maintain a payroll software solution and associated managed BACS service of the type and scale described in the procurement documents.
Bidders must be able to demonstrate appropriate capability in payroll software implementation, data migration, statutory payroll compliance, pensions-related payroll functionality, reporting, integration, secure data handling, BACS/payment processing and ongoing support.
Equivalent experience, standards, systems or methods will be accepted where they demonstrate the bidder's ability to deliver the requirement.
Any assessment of technical ability will be applied proportionately, having regard to the nature, value and complexity of the contract.
- Price carries 20 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2 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
- Cancelled
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 27 Apr 2026, 14:24 BST
- Last source update
- 24 Jun 2026, 09:59 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 29 Jun 2026
- Authority reference
TDET-PAYROLL-2026- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-038088- Latest notice
- Procurement termination notice (UK12)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area in notice
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-068bbfFind a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 29 May 2026, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 11 May 2026, 23:59 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Tenders must be submitted electronically by email to:
The subject line must clearly state:
"ITT Submission - Payroll Software and BACS Services - [Supplier Name]"
Suppliers must submit:
Specification response template (Excel)
Pricing submission (Excel)
Supporting documentation (PDF or Word)
Submissions must be received in full by the stated deadline. Late submissions may not be considered.
Suppliers are responsible for ensuring that their submission is successfully delivered.
Timeline
27 Apr 2026 → 1 Nov 2026 · 6 dates- Tender notice published176 days ago27 Apr 2026, 14:24 BST
- Clarification questions by161 days ago11 May 2026, 23:59 BST
- Submission deadline144 days ago29 May 2026, 12:00 BST
- Latest notice published118 days ago24 Jun 2026, 09:59 BST
- Award decision expected by112 days ago29 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
- Today20 Oct 2026
- Contract startsin 12 days1 Nov 2026
Notice history
4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 27 Apr 2026- Tender notice published27 Apr 2026, 14:24 BSTUK4
- Tender notice published28 Apr 2026, 10:14 BSTUK4
- Procurement termination notice published24 Jun 2026, 09:59 BSTUK12
- Status changed to complete24 Jun 2026, 09:59 BST
Published amendments (1)
The Trust has issued a revised version of the Invitation to Tender. The evaluation weightings have been amended to better reflect the relative importance of cost and quality. The Commercial weighting has increased from 8% to 20%, with corresponding adjustments to other criteria. The updated evaluation criteria are set out in Section 4.2 of the revised ITT. Suppliers should ensure they base their r…
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| supplier not published | — | 23 Jun 2026 | CancelledFollowing publication of the tender notice, the contracting authority has decided not to award a contract and to terminate this procurement. The developing merger arrangements mean that the contracting authority needs to reconsider the payroll requirement, including whether any future requirement should be specified on a different basis. As a result, the authority is no longer able to proceed in accordance with the published procurement timetable. |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (7)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
Notices published for this procedure
- Procurement termination notice Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender