Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
the Education Authority
40 Academy Street
Belfast
BT1 2NQ
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Buyer's address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
EA Integrated Financial Management Information System Inc. HR/Payroll (Formerly the iFS Project / now known as the EA One Project)
Reference number
40622
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72250000 - System and support services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Provision of a fully integrated Finance and HR/Payroll system for the Education Authority
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £40,401,666
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The contract is for an integrated Financial Management Information system and HR/Payroll (including DE's Teachers' payrolls) to meet the Financial Accounting and Reporting requirements and the HR management and Payroll requirements of the Education Authority and the Department of Education.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Best Technical Score / Weighting: 100
Price - Weighting: 0
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The initial contract duration for the iFS Contract will be for a period of ten (10) years. The contract will include an option to extend the contract for five (5) further periods of one (1) year (15 years in total).
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
This VEAT is to inform the market of the proposal to modify this contract to enable the addition and introduction an integrated Punchout solution to the iFS system. The introduction of this solution will involve the addition of £213,000.00 to the Overall Contract Value (this value is for all envisaged costs for the delivery and operation of the Punchout solution up to 31/03/2027).. . The revised overall contract value will then be £40,401,666.00.. . The introduction of the module will aid EA to comply with its legal requirements as detailed below: . - The Procurement Act 2024 (section68(2)) requires that 100% undisputed invoices are paid within 30 days. EA currently has a Prompt Payment target to pay invoices within 30 days, and achievement of this is dependent on having an efficient way of raising orders. Punchout will support ordering accuracy, leading to less credit notes and payment delays due to difficulties in invoice matching.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
The legislation governing the Contract Modification is the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015) and Regulation 72 (Modification of contracts during . their term).
For this particular contract modification EA could rely on Reg 72(1)(e).
Regulation 72(1)(e) states; The changes are “not substantial’, and further defines “not substantial” as under Regulation 72(8) of the PCRs as:
(a) the modification does not render the contract materially different in character;
(b) the modification does not introduce any conditions which, had they been part of the initial procurement, would have (i) allowed for admission of other candidates than those initially selected; (ii) allowed for the acceptance of a tender other than that originally accepted; or (iii) attracted additional participants in the procurement procedure;
(c) the modification does not change the economic balance of the contract in favour of the contractor;
(d) the modification does not extend the scope of the contract considerably; and
(e) the modification does not replace the contractor that the contract was initially awarded to.
The introduction of the e-Invoicing module to this contract does not:
(f) render the contract materially different in character – (this is an integral module to most modern Finance and Payment systems);
(g) it doesn’t introduce any new conditions that would have allowed for the admission of other candidates, or, allowed for the acceptance of another tender, or, attracted additional participants in the original procurement procedure;
(h) the modification value of £213,000.00 represents a very small percentage increase (i.e. 0.7%) to the original contract value;
(i) the scope of the modification does not extend the scope of the contract considerably (it is a fairly small piece of functionality that is being added to the overall solution); and
(j) the modification does not replace the contractor that the contract was initially awarded to (the contract remains with Fujitsu).
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2025/S 000-052127
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
40622
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
30 November 2015
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Fujitsu Services Limited
Bracknell
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £40,401,666
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not currently have any such bodies with responsibilities for appea/mediation procedures
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom