planningFind a Tender · planning Update

Soft Market Test - HR & Payroll Solution

BuyerBristol City Council

Statusplanning

DeadlineNot published

ValueValue not published

Published28 May 2026

What is being bought

Bristol City Council is conducting a soft market test to explore the range of systems available for a HR and Payroll Solution.

Delivery location

UKK11, GB

Lot details

Lot 1

No lot description published.

Statusplanning

Contract periodFrom 1 Nov 2027 to 1 Nov 2035

What is included

Item	Category	Quantity
1	Software package and information systems	Not published

Comparable-procurement analytics

Benchmarked against retained Find a Tender procedures with CPV division 48. The category anchor is Software package and information systems (48000000); this is a deliberately broad market comparator. The comparison is shown at several levels rather than pretending one company or region is always the best benchmark.

Comparison set	Procedures	Reported bids per procedure	Named award suppliers	Price evidence
Market: CPV division 48	6,311	1 median · 8.8 average (2,308 of 6,311 with a bid count)	1.7 average (2,693 of 6,311 with named award suppliers)	Not published
Same buyer	8	Not published	Not published	Not published
Delivery region: UKK11	25	1 median · 2.5 average (8 of 25 with a bid count)	1 average (12 of 25 with named award suppliers)	Not published

“Reported bids” is an official aggregate, sometimes reported per lot; it is the closest available competition measure. “Named award suppliers” are winners, not all applicants.

Price-outcome signal

Not enough comparable procedures currently publish both a GBP tender value and a usable lowest-valid-bid value to calculate a responsible price-reduction benchmark. Tenderline deliberately does not infer a saving from named award suppliers or from missing award values.

Procurement strategy & market signals

Framework agreementNot published

Dynamic purchasing systemNot published

Competitive procurementNot published

Recurring requirementNot published

Procurement method rationaleNot published

Rationale classificationsNot published

Special regimeNot published

Covered byNot published

Submission policyNot published

Selection criteriaNot published

Risk detailsNot published

Planning & early market engagement

BudgetValue not published

No-engagement rationaleNot published

Planning documents1

Planning milestones1

Milestone	Type	Due	Status
This Soft Market Test will be conducted through the Pro-Contract e-Tendering system. To access the documents required to express an interest please use the following link https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=3ef22e3f-9d5a-f111-813c-005056b64545	engagement	18 Jun 2026	scheduled

Related procurements

No linked framework, prior procurement or reprocurement published.

Documents & submission route

Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender planning · marketEngagementNotice

Source data inventory

Diagnostic view. “Not published” means this current release does not provide a value.

OCID	ocds-h6vhtk-06a7e8
Latest release ID	050432-2026
Latest release timestamp	Thu May 28 2026 14:29:10 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Source	find-a-tender
Official notice URL	Not published
Tender status	planning
Procurement method	Not published
Procurement method details	Not published
Main procurement category	goods
Above threshold	Yes
Legal basis	2023/54
Tender period: start	Not published
Tender period: end	Not published
Expression of interest deadline	Not published
Enquiry deadline	Not published
Award period: start	Not published
Award period: end	Not published
Submission method details	Not published
Submission languages	Not published
Electronic catalogue policy	Not published
Total tender value	Not published
Tender lots in source	1
Tender items in source	1
Tender documents in source	0
Awards in latest release	0
Contracts in latest release	0
Parties in latest release	1

Notice history

Date	Event	Reference
28 May 2026	planningUpdate	050432-2026
28 May 2026	planning	050424-2026

All source data

Unmodified official OCDS data retained by Tenderline for this procurement process.

Complete current OCDS release JSON

{
  "id": "050432-2026",
  "tag": [
    "planningUpdate"
  ],
  "date": "2026-05-28T15:29:10+01:00",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06a7e8",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-PPON-PWXH-3837-PDTD",
    "name": "Bristol City Council"
  },
  "tender": {
    "id": "DN817545",
    "lots": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "status": "planning",
        "hasRenewal": true,
        "contractPeriod": {
          "endDate": "2035-11-01T23:59:59Z",
          "startDate": "2027-11-01T00:00:00Z",
          "maxExtentDate": "2037-11-01T23:59:59Z"
        }
      }
    ],
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "relatedLot": "1",
        "deliveryAddresses": [
          {
            "region": "UKK11",
            "country": "GB",
            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
          }
        ],
        "additionalClassifications": [
          {
            "id": "48000000",
            "scheme": "CPV",
            "description": "Software package and information systems"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "title": "Soft Market Test - HR & Payroll Solution",
    "status": "planning",
    "amendments": [
      {
        "id": "050432-2026",
        "description": "Wording change in scope"
      }
    ],
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "2023/54",
      "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents",
      "scheme": "UKPGA"
    },
    "description": "Bristol City Council is conducting a soft market test to explore the range of systems available for a  HR and Payroll Solution.",
    "communication": {
      "futureNoticeDate": "2027-02-01T23:59:59Z"
    },
    "aboveThreshold": true,
    "mainProcurementCategory": "goods"
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-PPON-PWXH-3837-PDTD",
      "name": "Bristol City Council",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKK11",
        "country": "GB",
        "locality": "Bristol",
        "postalCode": "BS1 5TR",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "City Hall, College Green"
      },
      "details": {
        "url": "http://www.bristol.gov.uk",
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
            "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "id": "PWXH-3837-PDTD",
        "scheme": "GB-PPON"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "procurement.support@bristol.gov.uk"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "planning": {
    "documents": [
      {
        "id": "050432-2026",
        "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/050432-2026",
        "format": "text/html",
        "noticeType": "UK2",
        "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
        "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
        "datePublished": "2026-05-28T15:29:10+01:00"
      }
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "id": "engagement",
        "type": "engagement",
        "status": "scheduled",
        "dueDate": "2026-06-18T23:59:59+01:00",
        "description": "This Soft Market Test will be conducted through the Pro-Contract e-Tendering system. To access the documents required to express an interest please use the following link https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=3ef22e3f-9d5a-f111-813c-005056b64545"
      }
    ]
  },
  "initiationType": "tender"
}

Complete JSON history (2 releases)

28 May 2026 · 050432-2026 · planningUpdate

{
  "id": "050432-2026",
  "tag": [
    "planningUpdate"
  ],
  "date": "2026-05-28T15:29:10+01:00",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06a7e8",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-PPON-PWXH-3837-PDTD",
    "name": "Bristol City Council"
  },
  "tender": {
    "id": "DN817545",
    "lots": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "status": "planning",
        "hasRenewal": true,
        "contractPeriod": {
          "endDate": "2035-11-01T23:59:59Z",
          "startDate": "2027-11-01T00:00:00Z",
          "maxExtentDate": "2037-11-01T23:59:59Z"
        }
      }
    ],
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "relatedLot": "1",
        "deliveryAddresses": [
          {
            "region": "UKK11",
            "country": "GB",
            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
          }
        ],
        "additionalClassifications": [
          {
            "id": "48000000",
            "scheme": "CPV",
            "description": "Software package and information systems"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "title": "Soft Market Test - HR & Payroll Solution",
    "status": "planning",
    "amendments": [
      {
        "id": "050432-2026",
        "description": "Wording change in scope"
      }
    ],
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "2023/54",
      "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents",
      "scheme": "UKPGA"
    },
    "description": "Bristol City Council is conducting a soft market test to explore the range of systems available for a  HR and Payroll Solution.",
    "communication": {
      "futureNoticeDate": "2027-02-01T23:59:59Z"
    },
    "aboveThreshold": true,
    "mainProcurementCategory": "goods"
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-PPON-PWXH-3837-PDTD",
      "name": "Bristol City Council",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKK11",
        "country": "GB",
        "locality": "Bristol",
        "postalCode": "BS1 5TR",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "City Hall, College Green"
      },
      "details": {
        "url": "http://www.bristol.gov.uk",
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
            "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "id": "PWXH-3837-PDTD",
        "scheme": "GB-PPON"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "procurement.support@bristol.gov.uk"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "planning": {
    "documents": [
      {
        "id": "050432-2026",
        "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/050432-2026",
        "format": "text/html",
        "noticeType": "UK2",
        "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
        "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
        "datePublished": "2026-05-28T15:29:10+01:00"
      }
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "id": "engagement",
        "type": "engagement",
        "status": "scheduled",
        "dueDate": "2026-06-18T23:59:59+01:00",
        "description": "This Soft Market Test will be conducted through the Pro-Contract e-Tendering system. To access the documents required to express an interest please use the following link https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=3ef22e3f-9d5a-f111-813c-005056b64545"
      }
    ]
  },
  "initiationType": "tender"
}

28 May 2026 · 050424-2026 · planning

{
  "id": "050424-2026",
  "tag": [
    "planning"
  ],
  "date": "2026-05-28T15:20:42+01:00",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06a7e8",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-PPON-PWXH-3837-PDTD",
    "name": "Bristol City Council"
  },
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      {
        "id": "1",
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        }
      }
    ],
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "1",
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        "deliveryAddresses": [
          {
            "region": "UKK11",
            "country": "GB",
            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
          }
        ],
        "additionalClassifications": [
          {
            "id": "48000000",
            "scheme": "CPV",
            "description": "Software package and information systems"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "title": "Soft Market Test - HR & Payroll Solution",
    "status": "planning",
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "2023/54",
      "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents",
      "scheme": "UKPGA"
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    "description": "Bristol City Council is conducting a soft market test to explore the range of systems available to support our HR and Payroll Solution.",
    "communication": {
      "futureNoticeDate": "2027-02-01T23:59:59Z"
    },
    "aboveThreshold": true,
    "mainProcurementCategory": "goods"
  },
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        "locality": "Bristol",
        "postalCode": "BS1 5TR",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "City Hall, College Green"
      },
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        "noticeType": "UK2",
        "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
        "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
        "datePublished": "2026-05-28T15:20:42+01:00"
      }
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "id": "engagement",
        "type": "engagement",
        "status": "scheduled",
        "dueDate": "2026-06-18T23:59:59+01:00",
        "description": "This Soft Market Test will be conducted through the Pro-Contract e-Tendering system. To access the documents required to express an interest please use the following link https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=3ef22e3f-9d5a-f111-813c-005056b64545"
      }
    ]
  },
  "initiationType": "tender"
}