Scope
Reference
DN787705
Description
whg is seeking to engage with suppliers to explore the market for Finance HR System/s.
whg relies on its Finance and HR system not just for accounting, but as a strategic tool to manage its operations, comply with regulations, and deliver value for money.
whg is looking for a modern system with an intuitive user interface, in an ideal world the finance and HR system will come hosted on the same platform to provide a consistent look and feel across its back office and self-service functions. whg will procure the finance and HR systems separately where there is a strong business case however seamless integration must be demonstrated.
Integration with Microsoft packages including Power BI should come as standard. Systems must demonstrate a range of flexible API's which will allows data and transactions to be interfaced in and out of both systems.
Once implemented whg should be self-sufficient and able to manage the system without recourse to the supplier.
Please see below for the requirements.
Core Financial Management:
General ledger with multi-dimensional coding (e.g., expenses code, cost centre, project, activity/scheme) Interface with external systems (e.g. housing managements and payroll bureau).
Source to Payment (Accounts Payable AP) with supplier and contract management, purchase order processing, commitment accounting, AI integration for document management of AP invoices batch payments, integration with bacs systems and supplier spend analysis.
Sales to Cash (Accounts receivable) with customer invoicing, debt management and credit control
Cash and bank management, including bank reconciliations, multiple bank accounts and seamless integration to banking systems
Fixed asset management including depreciation, component accounting and asset lifecycle tracking
Budgeting and forecasting (both annual and rolling forecasts)
VAT (VAT groups, Partial Exemption Special Methodology)
CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) processing
Multi-company and intercompany accounting (for groups with multiple entities)
Expenses systems linked to the AP module
Project and Development Accounting:
Scheme and development cost tracking
Capital project management with spend profiles and commitments
Grant and funding tracking (Homes England, etc.)
Links to development appraisal tools
Housing-Specific Requirements:
Integration with housing management systems (e.g., MIS Active H)
Rent and Service charge accounting and recharges
Componentisation of assets
Compliance with SORP and FRS 102
Reporting and Business Intelligence:
Custom report builder (ad-hoc reporting)
Standard reports (financial analysis, management accounts, statutory reporting, board reporting)
Real-time dashboards for budget holders and executives
Export capabilities to Excel, PDF, and other formats
Integration to Power BI and Teams
KPI and regulatory reporting (e.g., RSH requirements, Credit Rating Agency, Covenant Compliance)
Regulatory Compliance:
Compliance with FRS 102 and the Housing SORP
VAT accounting (including partial exemption, reverse charge for CIS)
Core HR System Requirement:
Resource Register
Organisational Structure and Position Register
Standard HR workflows (e.g. starter, change, leaver, other)
Self-managed system administration (e.g. organisational structure, create/edit reports, changes to tables/labels)
Absence Management, including sick pay calculations and bulk annual leave adjustments
Document Management (e.g. contracts, letters, payslips)
Integration to third party payroll and other third-party systems (e.g. ATS, reward platform, absence management software)
Data reporting, with capabilities for historic/change analysis and audit trail reporting
Automated notification capabilities (to system users, managers and employees)
Flexible access levels with self-service capabilities for employees
Automated data retention and deletion tools, including automated or semi-automated Subject Access Request tools
Bulk change capabilities (e.g. pay review, organisational changes)
General Requirements:
Cloud and Hosting:
Cloud-based or hybrid architecture (preferred for scalability and resilience)
UK-based data centres with robust disaster recovery and back-up systems
Regular updates and minimal downtime (SaaS model ideal)
User Experience and Access:
Intuitive user interface with role-based dashboards
Mobile-accessible for remote or hybrid working
Self-service tools for budget holders and non-finance users
Security and Access Control:
User-level permissions and audit trail
Two-factor authentication OR single sign on
GDPR compliance with data access control and retention policies
Audit and Risk Management:
Full audit trail of transactions and user activity
Definable Segregation of duties (e.g., invoice entry vs approval vs payment)
Definable Workflow approvals for purchases, journals, and budget changes
User defined Alerting to provide alerts where the reporting conditions are triggered
Vendor Support and Community:
Strong user community and active vendor roadmap
Training and onboarding support
Proven track record in the housing or similar sectors
Implementation Considerations:
Clear implementation plan with milestones and stakeholder engagement
Data migration support, including chart of accounts redesign if needed
Project management from vendor or third-party consultants
Ongoing support (e.g., helpdesk, account manager, user forums)
Total value (estimated)
- £6,250,000 excluding VAT
- £7,500,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2036
- Possible extension to 30 September 2041
- 15 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 48440000 - Financial analysis and accounting software package
- 48450000 - Time accounting or human resources software package
- 72260000 - Software-related services
Contract locations
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
Engagement
Engagement deadline
8 September 2025
Engagement process description
Interested suppliers are invited to participate in this market engagement exercise to consider the outline requirements. They are not to be considered exhaustive or restrictive and we want to understand from this preliminary market engagement exercise of the scope of services we have identified.
There will be an initial supplier briefing session held online by Teams on Monday 15th September 09:30-10:30.
Following this, a questionnaire shall be issued to interested suppliers to further understand the scope and supply market capacity and capability.
To participate, please register your interest by submitting an 'Expression of Interest (EOI)' form available on Pro-Contract Housing Procurement Portal (https://procontract.due-north.com/) project DN787705. All expressions of interest must be submitted through the Pro-Contract Housing Procurement Portal via message function against project DN787705.
Please complete and upload the document attached to the portal 'EOI - Finance HR System' by no later than 12.00 noon (GMT) on 08 September 2025.
Should you experience any technical difficulties in using the Pro-Contract system, please contact the supplier support helpline on 03300050352.
whg is committed to fair, transparent, and competitive procurement in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. This notice does not constitute a commitment to procure but is intended to inform the development of our procurement strategy and shape our procurement process.
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Contracting authority
WALSALL HOUSING GROUP LIMITED
- Companies House: 04015633
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PYHD-5721-XWDQ
100 Hatherton Street
Walsall
WS1 1AB
United Kingdom
Email: Procurement@whgrp.co.uk
Region: UKG38 - Walsall
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government