Provision of a Financial Management System and Associated Solutions

1. Introduction

Caerphilly County Borough Council (“the Council”) is undertaking pre‑market engagement (PME) in advance of a future procurement exercise for the replacement of its Financial Management System , with the current system contract due to expire in 2028.

The purpose of this engagement is to:

• understand the range of solutions available within the market
• gather insight into delivery models and implementation approaches
• inform the Council’s future procurement strategy and requirements

This notice is issued for information and engagement purposes only and does not constitute a call for competition.

2. Background

The Council currently operates a financial management system that supports its core financial management functions. As part of its wider digital transformation programme, the Council is exploring options for the replacement of this system with the aim of implementing a modern, cloud‑based solution that offers improved functionality, enhanced integration, and a better user experience.

In parallel, the Council is reviewing its corporate asset management systems, including both property and financial asset registers. As such, the Council is interested in solutions that can support or integrate with these requirements.

3. Scope of Requirement (Indicative)

At this stage, the Council is exploring solutions which may include:

Financial Management System (Required)

General Ledger

Accounts Payable and Receivable

Budgeting and Forecasting

Fixed Asset Accounting (including lease accounting / IFRS16)

Financial reporting and analytics

Reporting

Standard financial reports

Self-service reporting

Dashboards for budget managers

Management information

Statutory reporting

Integration and Technical Requirements (Required)

Cloud-hosted (SaaS) solution

Open integration capabilities (APIs)

Secure and scalable architecture

Ability to integrate with existing Council systems ie HR and payroll, Procurement, Income, Estate Management

Asset Management – Financial Elements (Required)

Financial asset register

Asset lifecycle, depreciation, valuations and disposals

Lease accounting and compliance reporting

Integration with asset/property datasets

Property / Estate Management (Optional)

The Council is exploring whether suppliers can provide or integrate with:

• property and estate management systems
• land, buildings and lease management
• linking operational and financial asset data

This is an optional, modular requirement.

Purchase-to-Pay (Optional)

The Council is also exploring the potential inclusion of a Purchase‑to‑Pay (P2P) solution, including:

• requisitioning and approvals
• purchase orders
• invoice processing (including automation)
• supplier management

This requirement is also optional and subject to market feedback.

4. Objectives

The Council is seeking a solution that:

• Improves efficiency through automation and streamlined processes
• Enhances financial reporting, forecasting and decision-making
• Improved management information and analytics.
• Ensures compliance with accounting standards (e.g. IFRS16, CIPFA)
• Provides a modern, user-friendly interface
• Enables integration across corporate systems
• Future-proofs the Council’s digital architecture

5. Supplier Engagement

The Council is inviting suppliers to provide written responses to the below questions and may invite selected suppliers to further engagement sessions (e.g. presentations or demonstrations).

6. Supplier Questions (Brief Response Requested)

• Solution & Delivery Model

Please briefly describe your solution and whether it is:

a fully integrated ERP solution; or

a modular / best-of-breed approach

What delivery models do you typically implement within local authorities?

• Core Finance

How does your solution support core finance functions (GL, AP/AR, budgeting, forecasting, reporting)?

How is compliance with IFRS16 and public sector accounting requirements managed?

• Asset Management

Does your solution include asset management functionality or integrate with third‑party systems?

How does your solution support financial asset registers and lease accounting?

• Optional Modules

Can your solution provide or integrate with property / estate management systems?

Can Purchase‑to‑Pay functionality be delivered as:

part of an integrated solution; or

a standalone module?

• Implementation

What are typical implementation timescales for:

Financial Management systems

fully integrated solutions

What are the key risks in implementation and how are these typically managed?

• Commercial Model

Please summarise your pricing approach (e.g. licensing, implementation, support).

What are the key cost drivers for your solution?

• General Feedback

What approach would you recommend for this requirement:

single supplier (ERP)

multi-supplier / modular solution

Are there any key considerations or risks the Council should be aware of at this stage?

Following the closure of the engagement period, the Council intends to hold short engagement sessions with interested suppliers. Sessions may be conducted either via Microsoft Teams or in person and will provide an opportunity for suppliers to discuss their solutions and share market insight relevant to the Council's requirements.

7. Next Steps (Indicative)

Closing date for supplier responses: 03 August 2026

Supplier engagement sessions: 03 - 14 August 2026

Procurement commencement: anticipated October/November 2026

Implementation: anticipated March 2027-January 2028

Go Live: February 2028