Planning

BACS BUREAU SERVICE

WEST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

02 Apr 2025 at 08:47

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

02 Apr 2025 at 08:44

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

02 Apr 2025 at 08:42

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

31 Mar 2025 at 14:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

West Northamptonshire Council, along with North Northamptonshire Council, Milton Keynes City Council, and Cambridgeshire County Council, is in the planning stage of procuring a BACS Bureau Service. This service is within the financial and insurance services industry category and is intended to support the shared services arrangement of these councils. The procurement is currently at the engagement stage, with market responses due by Wednesday, 9th April 2025. The councils are exploring indicative costs and supplier capabilities to inform a business case, with the potential contract period spanning from 3rd November 2025 to 2nd November 2029.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in BACS Bureau Services, particularly those that are BACS approved and have experience with high volumes of transactions. Companies capable of providing seamless BACS submission and processing, ensuring compliance with audit requirements, managing incidents, and offering detailed reporting and integration capabilities stand to benefit. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with relevant expertise are especially encouraged to participate in this preliminary market engagement phase. This could lead to future procurement opportunities should the business case proceed.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Start Free Trial Book a Demo
All Features Pricing

Notice Information

Notice Title

BACS BUREAU SERVICE

Notice Description

NOTICE OF INTEREST: BACS BUREAU SERVICE Who we are We, as a shared services arrangement of four councils (West Northants, North Northants, Milton Keynes City and Cambridgeshire County), are seeking to gather insights from the BACS Bureau Service market. Please note that we are only assessing the market to gain indicative costs to inform the production of a Business Case. We are not undertaking a procurement exercise at this stage. What we are looking for We are currently seeking to understand indicative supplier pricing for a BACS Bureau Service, to potentially outsource our shared service bureau function currently managed in-house. A. Scope of BACS Bureau Number of clients: 12 Number of Service User Number (SUN): 65 Types of BACs transactions: Direct Debit (80% of total transactions) and Direct Credit (20% of total transactions) Indicative annual transactional volumes: 6 million transactions Indicative annual transactional value: 6 billion GBP B. High level BACS Bureau provision requirements 1. BACS Submission & Processing Act as a BACS Approved Bureau provider Ensure seamless, accurate processing of BACS files without manual intervention. Handle direct submission to BACS under provider's own BUN. 2. Compliance Ensure full compliance with Tier A BACS audit requirements. Provide documentation and support for regulatory inspections. Maintain a secure environment for BACS processing in line with industry standards. 3. Incident Management & Support Offer support for file submission failures and urgent incidents. Maintain SLAs for troubleshooting and resolution of processing issues. 4. Reporting Provide status reports, logs, and audit trails for each submission. Allow access to processing activity logs via API or dashboard. Send email alerts or notifications informing us of processing outcomes. Support BACS report downloads (ideally with advanced distribution capabilities, e.g. per SUN, per Org), unless users are required to retrieve them directly. 5. File Transfer & Integration Accept BACS files via secure transfer (i.e. SFTP, API/Web Services). Ensure seamless API or UI-based extraction of processing activity logs

Planning Information

How responses should be sent We invite you to provide information on your service offerings, price ranges, and experience in delivering BACS Bureau services for customers of similar size and sector. Insights into value-added services are also welcome. Please submit your response via the Microsoft Form below by close of business Wednesday, April 9th, 2025: https://forms.office.com/e/JYSGNtqM3g Please note that participation and responses to this advertisement does not guarantee inclusion in future procurement activities.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04fac5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012412-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

CPV Codes

66000000 - Financial and insurance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Apr 202510 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
9 Apr 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
3 Nov 2025 - 2 Nov 2029 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
WEST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL
Additional Buyers

CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL

MILTON KEYNES CITY COUNCIL

NORTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL

Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
corporateprocurement@milton-keynes.gov.uk, procurement@cambridge.gov.uk, procurement@northnorthants.gov.uk, procurement@westnorthants.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
NORTHAMPTON
Postcode
NN1 1ED
Post Town
Northampton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH42 Cambridgeshire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Cambridge
Electoral Ward
Market
Westminster Constituency
Cambridge

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-04fac5-2025-04-02T09:47:45+01:00",
    "date": "2025-04-02T09:47:45+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-04fac5",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PGDV-8944-CMBP",
            "name": "West Northamptonshire Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PGDV-8944-CMBP"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Angel Street",
                "locality": "Northampton",
                "postalCode": "NN1 1ED",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKF24"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "procurement@westnorthants.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PQCM-5634-HGCN",
            "name": "North Northamptonshire Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PQCM-5634-HGCN"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "The Corby Cube, George Street",
                "locality": "Corby",
                "postalCode": "NN17 1QG",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKF25"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "procurement@northnorthants.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PLDZ-6131-PWZH",
            "name": "Milton Keynes City Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PLDZ-6131-PWZH"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Civic Offices, 1 Saxon Gate East",
                "locality": "Milton Keynes",
                "postalCode": "MK9 3EJ",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKJ12"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "corporateprocurement@milton-keynes.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PCBT-6819-NDPJ",
            "name": "Cambridge City Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PCBT-6819-NDPJ"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "The Guildhall",
                "locality": "Cambridge",
                "postalCode": "CB2 1BY",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKH12"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "procurement@cambridge.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PGDV-8944-CMBP",
        "name": "West Northamptonshire Council"
    },
    "planning": {
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "engagement",
                "type": "engagement",
                "description": "How responses should be sent We invite you to provide information on your service offerings, price ranges, and experience in delivering BACS Bureau services for customers of similar size and sector. Insights into value-added services are also welcome. Please submit your response via the Microsoft Form below by close of business Wednesday, April 9th, 2025: https://forms.office.com/e/JYSGNtqM3g Please note that participation and responses to this advertisement does not guarantee inclusion in future procurement activities.",
                "dueDate": "2025-04-09T23:59:59+01:00",
                "status": "scheduled"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "012053-2025",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012053-2025",
                "datePublished": "2025-03-31T15:30:07+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            },
            {
                "id": "012408-2025",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012408-2025",
                "datePublished": "2025-04-02T09:42:15+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            },
            {
                "id": "012409-2025",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012409-2025",
                "datePublished": "2025-04-02T09:44:48+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            },
            {
                "id": "012412-2025",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012412-2025",
                "datePublished": "2025-04-02T09:47:45+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-04fac5",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "BACS BUREAU SERVICE",
        "description": "NOTICE OF INTEREST: BACS BUREAU SERVICE Who we are We, as a shared services arrangement of four councils (West Northants, North Northants, Milton Keynes City and Cambridgeshire County), are seeking to gather insights from the BACS Bureau Service market. Please note that we are only assessing the market to gain indicative costs to inform the production of a Business Case. We are not undertaking a procurement exercise at this stage. What we are looking for We are currently seeking to understand indicative supplier pricing for a BACS Bureau Service, to potentially outsource our shared service bureau function currently managed in-house. A. Scope of BACS Bureau Number of clients: 12 Number of Service User Number (SUN): 65 Types of BACs transactions: Direct Debit (80% of total transactions) and Direct Credit (20% of total transactions) Indicative annual transactional volumes: 6 million transactions Indicative annual transactional value: 6 billion GBP B. High level BACS Bureau provision requirements 1. BACS Submission & Processing Act as a BACS Approved Bureau provider Ensure seamless, accurate processing of BACS files without manual intervention. Handle direct submission to BACS under provider's own BUN. 2. Compliance Ensure full compliance with Tier A BACS audit requirements. Provide documentation and support for regulatory inspections. Maintain a secure environment for BACS processing in line with industry standards. 3. Incident Management & Support Offer support for file submission failures and urgent incidents. Maintain SLAs for troubleshooting and resolution of processing issues. 4. Reporting Provide status reports, logs, and audit trails for each submission. Allow access to processing activity logs via API or dashboard. Send email alerts or notifications informing us of processing outcomes. Support BACS report downloads (ideally with advanced distribution capabilities, e.g. per SUN, per Org), unless users are required to retrieve them directly. 5. File Transfer & Integration Accept BACS files via secure transfer (i.e. SFTP, API/Web Services). Ensure seamless API or UI-based extraction of processing activity logs",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "66000000",
                        "description": "Financial and insurance services"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "suitability": {
                    "sme": true
                },
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2025-11-03T00:00:00Z",
                    "endDate": "2029-11-02T23:59:59Z"
                },
                "status": "planning"
            }
        ],
        "status": "planning"
    },
    "language": "en"
}