Tender

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Invitation to submit a proposal for human resources information system (HRIS) and fully managed payroll service

VANGUARD LEARNING TRUST

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

24 Aug 2026 at 09:23

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Vanguard Learning Trust is procuring a cloud-based human resources information system combined with a fully managed payroll and pensions service for around 615 employees across six schools and the Trust’s central team. The service will provide a single employee-data record, absence and attendance management, time and expenses, organisational structures, employee and manager self-service, people analytics, workforce reporting and strategic oversight. The provider will operate payroll and pensions, including submissions to HMRC, pension providers and other statutory bodies, and host the solution securely in the UK with GDPR compliance. Applicant tracking, onboarding, performance management and case management are desirable future additions rather than initial requirements. Delivery covers the Trust’s schools and central operations across England. This is a personnel and payroll services contract.

The procurement has reached tender: the Trust invited offers through a below-threshold open competition. It is a single-lot requirement with an estimated gross value of £200,000. The contract is scheduled to run from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2031, with a possible extension to 31 March 2032. Bidders’ questions were due by 4 September 2026 at 12:00, and tender submissions were due by 14 September 2026 at 12:00. Submissions had to be made by post rather than electronically. Suppliers must complete the requirements response and commercial proposal, provide a high-level deployment plan and customer-support service-level agreement, and shortlisted providers must complete a data protection impact assessment. Essential requirements must all be met for shortlisting. Responses are scored from 0 to 4 and weighted according to the procurement documents.

This opportunity suits established HR technology providers, payroll bureaux and specialist partnerships able to deliver both software and operational payroll and pension administration. Competitors need demonstrable capability in UK employment, pensions and HMRC compliance, accurate and timely payroll processing, statutory submissions and customer support for Trust leaders, managers and school staff. The solution must support secure UK hosting, GDPR compliance, employee and manager self-service, workforce analytics, absence processes, expenses and additional-hours approvals. Suppliers should be able to integrate reliable reporting across multiple schools while maintaining a single source of employee data. Strong implementation planning is important, as bidders must show how their solution can be deployed. Providers should also be prepared to evidence security arrangements, respond fully to essential and non-standard requirements, and supply a clear service-level agreement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Invitation to submit a proposal for human resources information system (HRIS) and fully managed payroll service

Notice Description

Vanguard Learning Trust invites qualified suppliers to tender for the provision of a cloud-based human resources information system (HRIS) and a fully managed payroll service to support approximately 615 employees across 6 schools and a central Trust team. The solution must deliver secure, efficient HR and payroll processes, ensure statutory compliance with UK employment, pensions and HMRC regulations, and provide high-quality support to both Trust leaders and school-based staff. Objectives The Trust aims to procure a combined HRIS and payroll solution that: Provides a single source of truth for employee data across all schools and the Trust's central team. Reduces administrative workloads and manual processing. Ensures accurate, timely payroll with all third-party submissions completed by the provider, including HMRC, pension providers, and statutory bodies. Supports workforce planning, reporting, and strategic oversight at Trust level. Offers excellent employee and manager self-service. Ensures data security, GDPR compliance, and UK-based hosting. Scope of software and services The software will include: General HR system of record (SoR) Absence and attendance management functionality, which will link to occupational sickness scheme requirements Time and expenses (the functionality for employees to log additional hours and expenses, which would only be approved at managerial level) Organisation structure Employee Self Service Manager Self Service People Analytics A fully managed payroll and pension service The Trust would not be procuring the functionality below in the first instance but may consider doing at a later date. These are, therefore, 'desirable' rather than 'essential': Integrated applicant tracking and onboarding functionality Performance management and appraisal functionality Case management functionality The service provision will include: Fully managed payroll services Fully managed pensions services Solution hosting Requirements Our requirements (functional and non-functional) have been listed and are provided in an Excel sheet along with this document. Supplier Responses Suppliers are requested to complete the supplier response columns within the requirements document and to provide a commercial proposal using the template in the attached sheet. Additionally, please provide a high level project plan to demonstrate the timescales that your solution could be deployed in and a copy of your customer support service-level agreement (SLA). Finally, short-listed providers will be required to complete the Trust's data protection impact assessment (DPIA).

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The Trust could decide to extend a contract if any of the following circumstances apply: Undergoing onboarding of new academies or restructuring. Significant operational or technical disruption is caused. Transfer of supplier does not provide value for money. Emergency unforeseen circumstances.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06ea20
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080155-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79631000 - Personnel and payroll services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£200,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£200,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Aug 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
14 Sep 20263 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
VANGUARD LEARNING TRUST
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
RUISLIP
Postcode
HA4 9PQ
Postcode Area
Harrow
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI7 Outer London - West and North West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI74 Harrow and Hillingdon
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Hillingdon
Electoral Ward
South Ruislip
Westminster Constituency
Uxbridge and South Ruislip

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...