Planning

Finance HR System

WALSALL HOUSING GROUP LIMITED

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

20 Aug 2025 at 12:28

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Walsall Housing Group Limited is in the planning stage of the procurement process for a Finance HR System, which falls under the services industry category. The procurement process is happening in the United Kingdom, specifically in the UKG region. This initiative is designed to enhance the management of the organisation’s finance and human resources operations, with seamless integration to existing systems. An initial online supplier briefing session is scheduled for Monday, 15th September 2025, from 09:30 to 10:30, with a deadline for expression of interest on 8th September 2025. The overall contract will commence on October 1st, 2026, and span a decade with renewal options.

This procurement process presents significant opportunities for companies specialising in financial and HR software packages, particularly those offering innovative and integrated solutions. It is well-suited for businesses with a proven track record in software-related services, especially for the housing sector or similar industries. Small and medium enterprises, as well as voluntary, community, and social enterprises, are encouraged to participate, as the project is designed to accommodate diverse business capabilities. Furthermore, the project highlights a potential contract value of up to £7.5 million gross, allowing successful bidders to contribute meaningfully to their business growth by establishing long-term relationships with a key player in the public sector housing market.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Finance HR System

Notice 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)

Planning Information

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.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-058b4c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/050175-2025
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, VCSE
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

48440000 - Financial analysis and accounting software package

48450000 - Time accounting or human resources software package

72260000 - Software-related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£6,250,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Aug 20253 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
8 Sep 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Sep 2026 - 30 Sep 2036 Over 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
WALSALL HOUSING GROUP LIMITED
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
procurement@whgrp.co.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
WALSALL
Postcode
WS1 1AB
Post Town
Walsall
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG3 West Midlands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG38 Walsall
Delivery Location
TLG West Midlands (England)
Local Authority
Walsall
Electoral Ward
St Matthew's
Westminster Constituency
Walsall and Bloxwich

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-058b4c-2025-08-20T13:28:02+01:00",
    "date": "2025-08-20T13:28:02+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-058b4c",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-COH-04015633",
            "name": "WALSALL HOUSING GROUP LIMITED",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-COH",
                "id": "04015633"
            },
            "additionalIdentifiers": [
                {
                    "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                    "id": "PYHD-5721-XWDQ"
                }
            ],
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "100 Hatherton Street",
                "locality": "Walsall",
                "postalCode": "WS1 1AB",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKG38"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "Procurement@whgrp.co.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-COH-04015633",
        "name": "WALSALL HOUSING GROUP LIMITED"
    },
    "planning": {
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "engagement",
                "type": "engagement",
                "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.",
                "dueDate": "2025-09-08T23:59:59+01:00",
                "status": "scheduled"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "050175-2025",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/050175-2025",
                "datePublished": "2025-08-20T13:28:02+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "DN787705",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "Finance HR System",
        "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)",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "48440000",
                        "description": "Financial analysis and accounting software package"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "48450000",
                        "description": "Time accounting or human resources software package"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "72260000",
                        "description": "Software-related services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKG",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "value": {
            "amountGross": 7500000,
            "amount": 6250000,
            "currency": "GBP"
        },
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "aboveThreshold": true,
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "suitability": {
                    "sme": true,
                    "vcse": true
                },
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2026-10-01T00:00:00+01:00",
                    "endDate": "2036-09-30T23:59:59+01:00",
                    "maxExtentDate": "2041-09-30T23:59:59Z"
                },
                "hasRenewal": true,
                "status": "planning"
            }
        ],
        "status": "planning"
    },
    "language": "en"
}