Planning

HCC - 10/25 - Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) for the Hybrid Mail Procurement Project

HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

22 Oct 2025 at 13:22

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

22 Oct 2025 at 12:58

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Hertfordshire County Council is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process aimed at modernising its Hybrid Mail system. This process, titled "HCC - 10/25 - Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) for the Hybrid Mail Procurement Project," is of interest to businesses specialising in electronic mail services and mailing services. The engagement process invites input from potential suppliers to inform the procurement approach, although it is not a formal procurement process. Located in Stevenage, within the UK region UKH23, Hertfordshire County Council, a sub-central government authority, has set a deadline for interested organisations to submit their Supplier Questionnaire by 19 November 2025. The Council plans for the contract period to commence on 1 March 2026, with a possibility of renewal extending up to 30 April 2033.

This opportunity presents a valuable avenue for businesses specialising in flexible and secure electronic and hybrid mailing solutions. Organisations that offer scalable and compliant systems, which align with GDPR and other legal standards, will find this tender particularly suitable. The procurement is open to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), broadening the spectrum of eligible competitors. Engaging in this initial market engagement phase can enable businesses to align their offerings with Hertfordshire County Council’s evolving communication needs, providing a strategic opportunity to expand their presence and capabilities within the public sector.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

HCC - 10/25 - Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) for the Hybrid Mail Procurement Project

Notice Description

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is a large user of postal services. It uses printed communications and physical letters to communicate with residents / individuals / businesses within the county and produced approximately 545,000 mail items in 2024/25 necessitating the need for a flexible and forward-thinking approach with the HCC postal system. The current Hybrid Mail system used by HCC enables the electronic submission of documents for remote printing, enveloping, and posting. In the current year approximately 50% of our outbound mail has been sent via our Hybrid Mail system. The current system was adopted in 2020 and is widely utilised across HCC Services and teams, supporting essential communications such as general mailings, invoices, legal notices, and reminders, and aligns with GDPR and legal compliance standards. The current contract has reached the end of its initial 5-year term, and we have extended the maintenance contract. Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) seeks to procure a modern, flexible, and scalable Hybrid Mail solution to support its evolving communication needs. The system must enable secure, efficient, and compliant electronic submission of documents for remote printing, enveloping, and posting. Please refer to the PME document for full details. The Council is carrying out PME in relation to this project. The Council will consider the feedback received to help inform the Council's options, requirements and further decision making. For the avoidance of doubt, this stage of the project is not part of a formal procurement process and the Council is not committing, at this stage, to carrying out such a process. Participation or non-participation in the PME shall not prevent any supplier participating in a potential future procurement, nor is it intended that any information supplied as part of the PME shall place any supplier at an advantage in a potential procurement process. Please make sure that you have submitted your Supplier Questionnaire following the instructions within the PME documentation and e-tendering system. The Council will not be held accountable for any errors made by an organisation in submitting their Supplier Questionnaire. Please note: The below contract start and end dates may be subject to change

Planning Information

To access the PME documentation please visit the Council's e-tendering system Supply Hertfordshire, run by Intend at https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire and follow the on-screen guidance. To participate in this PME, organisations must return their completed Supplier Questionnaire (Appendix A of the PME Document), together with any supporting documents, through the Correspondence area of the project on Supply Hertfordshire by the return deadline of 12.00 Noon on 19 November 2025, as per the PME documentation and e-tendering system. Supplier Questionnaires received after the deadline may not be reviewed at the Council's sole discretion. Please make sure that you have submitted your Supplier Questionnaire following the instructions within the PME documentation and e-tendering system. The Council will not be held accountable for any errors made by an organisation in submitting their Supplier Questionnaire. If you are experiencing problems with the Supply Hertfordshire website, In-Tend offer a help section which includes a dedicated UK support desk which can be contacted via email: support@in-tend.co.uk or Telephone: +44 1144070065 for any website/technical questions, Monday to Friday, 8:30-17:00. Participation in the PME will be at each organisation's own cost. No expense in responding to this PME will be reimbursed by the Council.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d1a3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/067512-2025
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

48 - Software package and information systems

64 - Postal and telecommunications services

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

48223000 - Electronic mail software package

64216120 - Electronic mail services

72412000 - Electronic mail service provider

79571000 - Mailing services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Oct 20254 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
19 Nov 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Mar 2026 - 30 Apr 2031 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
HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
strategic.procurement@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
STEVENAGE
Postcode
SG1 2FQ
Post Town
Stevenage
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH26 North and East Hertfordshire
Delivery Location
TLH23 Hertfordshire CC
Local Authority
Stevenage
Electoral Ward
Symonds Green
Westminster Constituency
Stevenage

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. 

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