Find a TenderPast planning noticePreliminary market engagement notice
Published 11 Aug 2025, 15:17 BST

Official UK procurement notice

T1121 - Card Acquiring Services 2025

Official notice

Authority: University of Essex (Education)

ServicesAbove thresholdSME suitable
Planned pipeline value£3,500,000pipeline notice, not a live tender
Tender notice expected 1 Sept 2025from the planned procurement notice
Contract term 3 yrsends 9 Aug 2029 · up to 9 Aug 2031 with extensions · starts 10 Aug 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

This pre market engagement is to scope potential suppliers interest for the provision of Merchant Services for processing, authorisation and settlement of the University’s debit and credit transactions via all payment channels including customer present (Chip and PIN/contactless payments (including mobile wallets such as apple pay, google pay), customer not present (Mail Order / Telephone Order) and online (e-commerce).

The University is seeking to develop efficient and cost-effective merchant service arrangements which will be capable of meeting future market and technological changes, and which will meet, and often exceed, user expectations. It is looking for a relationship with an organisation which it can be confident will fulfil all the University’s current and future requirements.

It is important that any potential acquiring partner can add value through an effective dedicated corporate support team backed up by a proactive education sector specialist Relationship Manager.

The following legal entities are involved in this tender:

University of Essex

University of Essex Campus Services Limited

This tender is for all merchant services activity for the University and its subsidiaries across all acceptance methods.

CPV: Financial transaction processing and clearing-house services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1PlannedRenewal 3 yrsSME
Contract period: 10 Aug 2026 – 9 Aug 2029 (3 yrs) · up to 9 Aug 2031 with extensions
Delivery: East of EnglandEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: Extension options published

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Past planning notice
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
11 Aug 2025, 15:17 BST
Last source update
11 Aug 2025, 15:17 BST
Authority reference
T1121
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-047706
Latest notice
Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
Classification (CPV)
Financial transaction processing and clearing-house services
Delivery area
East of England (UKH3)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-058550 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
—

Timeline

11 Aug 2025 → 10 Aug 2026 · 4 dates
  1. Planning notice published
    11 Aug 2025, 15:17 BST
  2. Market engagement
    29 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST

    This pre market engagement is to scope interest from suppliers for the provision of Merchant Services for processing, authorisation and settlement of the University’s debit and credit transactions via all payment channels including customer present (Chip and PIN/contactless payments (including mobile wallets such as apple pay, google pay), customer not present (Mail Order / Telephone Order) and online (e-commerce).

    Please register your interest and provide some brief information in the first instance.

    Please also feel free to ask questions/provide feedback on the draft specification.

    The plan is to run a competitive flexible procedure procurement process for this requirement, with the next stage including a tender notice and a PSQ stage.

    Further information will be provided as the procurement process progresses.

  3. Tender notice expected
    1 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
  4. Contract starts79 days ago
    10 Aug 2026, 00:00 BST

Notice history

1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    11 Aug 2025, 15:17 BST
    UK2

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Pipeline notice
Awards (0)
No award published
Contracts (0)
No contract published
Bid statistics
No aggregate bid statistics published

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

University of Essex

Contracting authorityPublic undertaking GB-PPON: PQBL-6931-JNGJ Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, East of England, CO4 3SQContact email

Official documents & specifications (1)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure