Scope
Reference
VMAT01.41
Description
This tender opportunity has been issued by The Harbour Schools Partnership ("the Trust") and Suppliers are invited to tender for the provision of a HR & Payroll Sofware ("the Service"). Full details of all contract requirements are given in Document 2. Specification of Requirement. The Trust is seeking an integrated HR & Payroll software solution that will manage all aspects of payroll, provide a centralised, efficient and compliant HR system, pension (TPS/LGPS) returns, reporting and meet all end of year (EOY) requirements. The Supplier will provide a flexible service, with a full breadth of support, staffed with suitably experienced personnel and have adequate resource in place to fulfil service requirements.
Total value (estimated)
- £750,000 excluding VAT
- £900,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 10 April 2026 to 9 April 2030
- Possible extension to 9 April 2034
- 8 years
Description of possible extension:
Option of 1 two year extension and a further 2 one years extensions (4+2+1+1)
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
To include: -additional optional HR and/or Payroll Modules and Additional Services. -ability to include additional schools to the payroll and HR system should additional schools join the Trust.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 48190000 - Educational software package
- 48450000 - Time accounting or human resources software package
- 79631000 - Personnel and payroll services
Contract locations
- UKK - South West (England)
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
A financial appraisal will be based upon a credit check Insurance a. Employer's (Compulsory) Liability Insurance = £5m b. Public Liability Insurance = £10m c.Professional Indemnity = £1m d. Cyber Insurance = £1m
Technical ability conditions of participation
Provide upto 3 relevant previous contract examples. To constitute a pass, the contract examples provided shall be relevant to the requirement, with a sufficient level of detail that provides confidence in the Tenderer's established past experience in similar and relevant projects/contracts. The contracts must be within the education sector and similar complexity. Tenderers confirm they have or be committed to have in place at point of contract signature: 1) Be supported by ISO27001 or Cyber Essentials (or equivalent) accreditation. 2) Accredited with the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP),Payroll Assurance Scheme or equivalent.
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
6 March 2026, 12:00am
Tender submission deadline
6 March 2026, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
9 April 2026
Recurring procurement
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 1 September 2033
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Technical | Quality | 30% |
| Table B Fully Annual Inclusive Service Cost | Cost | 30% |
| Table A Implementation Cost | Cost | 10% |
| Payroll calculations, variances and controls | Quality | 3% |
| LGPS & TPS requirements | Quality | 3% |
| Implementation Methodology | Quality | 3% |
| Account Management | Quality | 3.0% |
| Integrated HR - Payroll function | Quality | 2% |
| Integrated with Trust Systems | Quality | 2% |
| Trust Wide workflows and approvals | Quality | 1.5% |
| Workflow automation and notifications | Quality | 1.5% |
| Standard and custom reporting | Quality | 1.5% |
| Trust reporting and dashboards | Quality | 1.5% |
| Data migration and parallel runs | Quality | 1.5% |
| User support and training | Quality | 1.5% |
| Helpdesk and technical support | Quality | 1% |
| Additional Services / Future Developments | Quality | 1% |
| Client Satisfaction | Quality | 1% |
| Quality Assurance - KPIs | Quality | 1% |
| Evidence of Value-add Proposition | Quality | 1% |
Other information
Payment terms
The Supplier shall submit invoices and associated documentation by email and in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the contract. Invoicing will be annual. Costs of providing new schools to the Trust will be based upon Table C of the pricing document. The Trust requires the following payment profile: a. Table A Implementation Costs i. 25% invoiced upon Contract Signature ii. 25% invoiced upon completion of the build iii. 25% following completion of testing iv. 25% following go live plus 1 month b. Table B All Inclusive Cost i. Annual invoice received the end of the month after Go Live. ii. The invoice will be in line with quote provided within Table B. c. Additional Costs i. Charged as costs are incurred throughout the life of the contract. d. Optional Add-Ons i. Additional Functionality Annual Cost - Charged annually in advance. e. All pricing is fixed for the contract duration including extensions, subject to CPI inflation which can be applied each year on the anniversary of Contract Commencement.
Description of risks to contract performance
Data Security & Confidentiality Outsourcing introduces vulnerabilities in handling sensitive employee data (payroll, medical records). Breaches or mismanagement of data by the provider could expose the Trust to GDPR liabilities. Operational Risks Poor integration between HR and payroll systems can cause duplication, errors, and delays in pay runs. Lack of robust validation controls may lead to inaccurate data entry and compliance failures. Vendor Performance Risks Service gaps or delays in resolving critical payroll issues can disrupt staff payments and erode trust. Limited oversight and dependency on the provider for system updates and maintenance. Integration Failures Poor HR-Payroll integration leads to manual work, errors, and compliance penalties. Education-Specific Compliance Challenges PAYE and HMRC real-time reporting. Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) compliance. Auto-enrolment and minimum wage adherence for term-time staff.
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Justification for not publishing a preliminary market engagement notice
The Trust initially considered procuring the new HR & Payroll Contract through the G‑Cloud Framework due to the requirement for a new system to be operational by 1 July 2026. During preparation for a potential Framework‑based tender, the Trust engaged with several suppliers to understand available solutions and implementation timescales. However, it was subsequently determined that the Framework route would not fully meet the Trust's requirements. As a result, the Trust elected to restart the process and conduct this Procurement using the Open Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023. In line with the Act and as stated within the Tender Notice, formal Pre‑Market Engagement was not undertaken for this tender. Nevertheless, the Trust has ensured that insights and information gathered during earlier supplier engagement activities have been incorporated into the Specification of Requirements to support the development of a comprehensive and accurate tender pack.
Contracting authority
The Harbour Schools Partnership
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PRGD-8784-WHQT
Woodwater Academy, Woodwater Lane
Exeter
EX2 5AW
United Kingdom
Contact name: Tash Brown
Email: tash.brown@thsp.org.uk
Region: UKK43 - Devon CC
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government
Other organisation
These organisations are carrying out the procurement, or part of it, on behalf of the contracting authorities.
PHP Law LLP
Summary of their role in this procurement: Tender Process Support
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PPRM-9434-VNYQ
Unit 3 The Brutus Centre Station Road Totnes
Totnes
TQ9 5RW
United Kingdom
Contact name: Claire Jones
Email: claire.jone@phplaw.co.uk
Region: UKK43 - Devon CC