Notice Information
-
Notice Title
E-Tendering Portal
-
Notice Description
Manchester City Council is conducting a Preliminary Market Engagement exercise to assess the capabilities of the e-Tendering solutions marketplace. The Council is seeking a digital platform to manage the full tender and quotes lifecycle, from planning and publishing notices to bid evaluation and contract award. This exercise will help the Council gather insights in advance of a potential future procurement. Please note that this is not a call for competition, and the Council reserves the right not to proceed to procurement. Please note start and end dates of any future contract are only illustrative at this present time. The solution must: * Be compliant with UK procurement regulations. * Support transparency, auditability, and accessibility. * Integrate with internal systems and external systems (e.g., Find a Tender, Contracts Finder). * Offer user-friendly interfaces for both buyers and suppliers. * Support the full range of public procurement options available to contracting authorities, including functionality for: - Quotes exercises for low-value procurements - Open procedure procurements - Competitive flexible procedure procurements, with flexibility for the stages involved - Frameworks, open frameworks, dynamic markets - Direct Awards - Provider Selection Regime procurements (Direct Award A, Direct Award B, Direct Award C, Most Suitable Provider, Competitive processes) - Legacy arrangements under Public Contracts Regulations (e.g. call-offs under a framework agreement let under Public Contracts Regulations 2015 The purpose of this engagement is to: * Understand the current capabilities of e-Tendering solutions. * Assess how suppliers meet the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 and Provider Selection Regime and related regulations. * Explore innovations and best practices in digital tendering. * Inform the development of a potential specification and procurement strategy. Key Features of Interest Suppliers are encouraged to describe or demonstrate their capabilities in the following areas. These features reflect the Council's priorities for a modern, compliant, and user-friendly e-Tendering solution: 1. Tender Lifecycle Management * Ability to manage the full procurement process from project planning, market engagement, and tender publication through to evaluation, award, and contract initiation. * Support for multiple procurement routes (open, restricted, competitive dialogue, etc.). * Workflow automation and task tracking for procurement teams. 2. Supplier Portal * Secure, self-service portal for suppliers to register, view opportunities, download documents, submit clarifications, and upload responses. * Support for supplier onboarding, profile management, and alerts for new opportunities. * Multi-language support and mobile-friendly access. 3. Notice Publication * Automated generation and publication of notices to Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, and other relevant platforms. * Templates and validation tools to ensure notices meet regulatory requirements. * Scheduling and version control for notice updates. 4. Evaluation Tools * Configurable scoring matrices, weighted criteria, and moderation workflows. * Role-based access for evaluators and audit trails of all scoring activity. * Support for qualitative and quantitative evaluation, including consensus scoring. 5. Accessibility & Compliance * Full compliance with WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards. * GDPR-compliant data handling and user consent management. * Alignment with the Procurement Act 2023, including transparency and auditability features. 6. Integration * APIs or connectors for integration with internal systems such as: - Finance and ERP systems (e.g., Oracle, SAP, Civica). - Contract management platforms. - Document management systems (e.g., SharePoint). - Single sign-on (SSO) and user provisioning via Active Directory or similar. 7. Reporting & Dashboards * Real-time dashboards for procurement activity, supplier engagement, and compliance tracking. * Customisable reports for internal and external stakeholders. * Exportable data for audit, FOI, and performance monitoring purposes.
-
Planning Information
Interested suppliers are invited to participate by completing a short questionnaire. This will be used for information-gathering purposes only and will help the Council understand current market offerings and innovations. How to Participate • Please complete the Preliminary Market Engagement Questionnaire using the following Microsoft Forms link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Xn3OsM2B-0eU9ydsYmt7CcZ7kRSyjvhOnZQe3JibPo1UOU9KMUdSTkEyTEZWQlZSOU5JWVVaS1hPRC4u • If you have any questions or would like to provide additional information, please contact: procurement@manchester.gov.uk Suppliers may also indicate their interest in providing a demonstration of their solution. If the Council decides to proceed with demonstrations, interested suppliers will be contacted with further details.
Notice Details
-
Notice Details
- Open Contracting ID
-
ocds-h6vhtk-055e18
- Publication Source
-
Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- Current Stage
-
Planning
- All Stages
-
Planning
- Notice Type
-
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
- Procurement Type
-
Framework
- Procurement Category
-
Services
- Procurement Method
-
Not Specified
- Procurement Method Details
-
Not specified
- Tender Suitability
-
Not specified
- Awardee Scale
-
Not specified
-
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
-
48 - Software package and information systems
72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- CPV Codes
-
48000000 - Software package and information systems
72200000 - Software programming and consultancy services
-
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
-
Not specified
- Lots Value
-
Not specified
- Awards Value
-
Not specified
- Contracts Value
-
Not specified
-
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
-
14 Jul 20252 months ago
- Submission Deadline
-
Not specified
- Future Notice Date
-
31 Mar 20266 months to go
- Award Date
-
Not specified
- Contract Period
-
28 Feb 2027 - 28 Feb 2030 3-4 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
- Contact Name
-
Not specified
- Contact Email
-
procurement@manchester.gov.uk
- Contact Phone
-
Not specified
- Locality
-
MANCHESTER
- Postcode
-
M60 2LA
- Post Town
-
Manchester
- Country
-
England
- Major Region (ITL 1)
-
TLD North West (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
-
TLD3 Greater Manchester
- Small Region (ITL 3)
-
TLD33 Manchester
- Delivery Location
-
TLD33 Manchester
- Local Authority
-
Manchester
- Electoral Ward
-
Piccadilly
- Westminster Constituency
-
Manchester Central
Buyer Location
Further Information
-
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039452-2025
14th July 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
-
-
Notice URLs
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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-055e18-2025-07-14T08:06:20+01:00",
"date": "2025-07-14T08:06:20+01:00",
"ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-055e18",
"initiationType": "tender",
"parties": [
{
"id": "GB-PPON-PLNV-8798-LDMP",
"name": "Manchester City Council",
"identifier": {
"scheme": "GB-PPON",
"id": "PLNV-8798-LDMP"
},
"address": {
"streetAddress": "Town Hall Extension",
"locality": "Manchester",
"postalCode": "M60 2LA",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"region": "UKD33"
},
"contactPoint": {
"email": "procurement@manchester.gov.uk"
},
"roles": [
"buyer"
],
"details": {
"classifications": [
{
"scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
"id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
"description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
}
]
}
}
],
"buyer": {
"id": "GB-PPON-PLNV-8798-LDMP",
"name": "Manchester City Council"
},
"planning": {
"milestones": [
{
"id": "engagement",
"type": "engagement",
"description": "Interested suppliers are invited to participate by completing a short questionnaire. This will be used for information-gathering purposes only and will help the Council understand current market offerings and innovations. How to Participate * Please complete the Preliminary Market Engagement Questionnaire using the following Microsoft Forms link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Xn3OsM2B-0eU9ydsYmt7CcZ7kRSyjvhOnZQe3JibPo1UOU9KMUdSTkEyTEZWQlZSOU5JWVVaS1hPRC4u * If you have any questions or would like to provide additional information, please contact: procurement@manchester.gov.uk Suppliers may also indicate their interest in providing a demonstration of their solution. If the Council decides to proceed with demonstrations, interested suppliers will be contacted with further details.",
"dueDate": "2026-03-31T23:59:59+01:00",
"status": "scheduled"
}
],
"documents": [
{
"id": "039452-2025",
"documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
"noticeType": "UK2",
"description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039452-2025",
"datePublished": "2025-07-14T08:06:20+01:00",
"format": "text/html"
}
]
},
"tender": {
"id": "ocds-h6vhtk-055e18",
"legalBasis": {
"id": "2023/54",
"scheme": "UKPGA",
"uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
},
"title": "E-Tendering Portal",
"description": "Manchester City Council is conducting a Preliminary Market Engagement exercise to assess the capabilities of the e-Tendering solutions marketplace. The Council is seeking a digital platform to manage the full tender and quotes lifecycle, from planning and publishing notices to bid evaluation and contract award. This exercise will help the Council gather insights in advance of a potential future procurement. Please note that this is not a call for competition, and the Council reserves the right not to proceed to procurement. Please note start and end dates of any future contract are only illustrative at this present time. The solution must: * Be compliant with UK procurement regulations. * Support transparency, auditability, and accessibility. * Integrate with internal systems and external systems (e.g., Find a Tender, Contracts Finder). * Offer user-friendly interfaces for both buyers and suppliers. * Support the full range of public procurement options available to contracting authorities, including functionality for: - Quotes exercises for low-value procurements - Open procedure procurements - Competitive flexible procedure procurements, with flexibility for the stages involved - Frameworks, open frameworks, dynamic markets - Direct Awards - Provider Selection Regime procurements (Direct Award A, Direct Award B, Direct Award C, Most Suitable Provider, Competitive processes) - Legacy arrangements under Public Contracts Regulations (e.g. call-offs under a framework agreement let under Public Contracts Regulations 2015 The purpose of this engagement is to: * Understand the current capabilities of e-Tendering solutions. * Assess how suppliers meet the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 and Provider Selection Regime and related regulations. * Explore innovations and best practices in digital tendering. * Inform the development of a potential specification and procurement strategy. Key Features of Interest Suppliers are encouraged to describe or demonstrate their capabilities in the following areas. These features reflect the Council's priorities for a modern, compliant, and user-friendly e-Tendering solution: 1. Tender Lifecycle Management * Ability to manage the full procurement process from project planning, market engagement, and tender publication through to evaluation, award, and contract initiation. * Support for multiple procurement routes (open, restricted, competitive dialogue, etc.). * Workflow automation and task tracking for procurement teams. 2. Supplier Portal * Secure, self-service portal for suppliers to register, view opportunities, download documents, submit clarifications, and upload responses. * Support for supplier onboarding, profile management, and alerts for new opportunities. * Multi-language support and mobile-friendly access. 3. Notice Publication * Automated generation and publication of notices to Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, and other relevant platforms. * Templates and validation tools to ensure notices meet regulatory requirements. * Scheduling and version control for notice updates. 4. Evaluation Tools * Configurable scoring matrices, weighted criteria, and moderation workflows. * Role-based access for evaluators and audit trails of all scoring activity. * Support for qualitative and quantitative evaluation, including consensus scoring. 5. Accessibility & Compliance * Full compliance with WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards. * GDPR-compliant data handling and user consent management. * Alignment with the Procurement Act 2023, including transparency and auditability features. 6. Integration * APIs or connectors for integration with internal systems such as: - Finance and ERP systems (e.g., Oracle, SAP, Civica). - Contract management platforms. - Document management systems (e.g., SharePoint). - Single sign-on (SSO) and user provisioning via Active Directory or similar. 7. Reporting & Dashboards * Real-time dashboards for procurement activity, supplier engagement, and compliance tracking. * Customisable reports for internal and external stakeholders. * Exportable data for audit, FOI, and performance monitoring purposes.",
"items": [
{
"id": "1",
"additionalClassifications": [
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "48000000",
"description": "Software package and information systems"
},
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "72200000",
"description": "Software programming and consultancy services"
}
],
"deliveryAddresses": [
{
"region": "UKD33",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
}
],
"relatedLot": "1"
}
],
"mainProcurementCategory": "services",
"aboveThreshold": false,
"lots": [
{
"id": "1",
"contractPeriod": {
"startDate": "2027-02-28T00:00:00Z",
"endDate": "2030-02-28T23:59:59Z"
},
"status": "planning"
}
],
"status": "planning"
},
"language": "en"
}