Planning

Wakefield Council Equal Pay Audit

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WAKEFIELD

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

02 Jun 2026 at 15:27

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

02 Jun 2026 at 14:38

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Council of the City of Wakefield is in the planning stage of procuring a comprehensive Equal Pay Audit (EPA), which aims to evaluate pay outcomes and ensure fair pay practices in alignment with the Equality Act 2010 and EHRC guidelines. The procurement falls under the services category, specifically auditing services, and is valued at £60,000. The market engagement phase is active, seeking supplier insights to refine requirements and inform the procurement strategy. Interested parties are encouraged to participate by completing a questionnaire available on the YORtender site, with a deadline of 16 June 2026. The contract is scheduled to begin on 1 September 2026 and conclude on 1 September 2027, and it aligns with region UKE in the United Kingdom.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in auditing services, particularly those experienced with equal pay analyses and compliance with the Equality Act. It is well-suited for SMEs and VCSEs, fostering business growth through a strategic partnership with a public sector organisation. With an emphasis on diagnostic reviews and assurance-focused outputs, businesses can showcase their expertise in employment law, pay analytics, and consultancy, thereby positioning themselves as key contributors to Wakefield Council’s commitment to equality and organisational excellence.

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How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Wakefield Council Equal Pay Audit

Notice Description

Wakefield Council invites responses from qualified suppliers to deliver a comprehensive Equal Pay Audit (EPA) in line with the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) five-step equal pay audit framework. The audit will assess pay outcomes for equal work, identify and explain any unjustified disparities, and test whether pay systems are fair and free from bias. The EPA will also consider intersectional pay outcomes where data quality allows and produce clear, evidence-based outputs to support governance, workforce engagement and external scrutiny. The review will be diagnostic and assurance-focused, informing proportionate future action rather than redesigning pay arrangements

Planning Information

We are currently exploring options for the future provision of an Equal Pay Audit and are seeking input from suppliers to help us better understand market capabilities, refine our requirements, and inform our procurement strategy. To support this process, we have prepared a questionnaire. If your organisation is able to provide these services, we kindly ask that you complete the questionnaire in full. A Market Engagement questionnaire is available to view and complete on the Mercell YORtender site https://uk.eu-supply.com/login.asp?B=UK, reference number: 100111028. The Market Engagement will close on 16/06/2026 at 12:00

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06abb7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/052048-2026
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

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

CPV Codes

79212000 - Auditing services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£60,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Jun 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
16 Jun 20262 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Aug 2026 - 1 Sep 2027 1-2 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
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WAKEFIELD
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WAKEFIELD
Postcode
WF1 2HQ
Post Town
Wakefield
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE4 West Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE45 Wakefield
Delivery Location
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Local Authority
Wakefield
Electoral Ward
Wakefield North
Westminster Constituency
Wakefield and Rothwell

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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