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Tove Learning Trust Financial Software

TOVE LEARNING TRUST

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

24 Aug 2026 at 10:33

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Tove Learning Trust plans to replace its core financial management software for its central team and community of academies, following an internal review involving 15 schools. The requirement is for a resilient, cloud-hosted finance platform that supports multiple school entities and is straightforward for finance teams, headteachers and budget holders to use. The system will cover purchasing, requisitions, approvals, purchase orders, goods receiving, budget checks, invoicing, payments, accounting and reporting. Required functionality includes transaction drill-down, in-system analysis, OCR invoice processing, automated document dispatch, supplier approval indicators and AI-assisted contract analysis. Accounting requirements include ledgers, budgeting, cashflow, forecasting, bank reconciliation, management accounts and secure supplier and customer records. Delivery covers Tove Learning Trust’s participating academies across England.

This procurement is at the planning stage and is currently preliminary market engagement, not an invitation to tender or a call for competition. Tove Learning Trust expects a future contract to run either from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030 or from 1 September 2027 to 31 August 2030, with a possible renewal extending the latter period to 31 August 2032. Suppliers are asked to submit an expression of interest by 15 September 2026, explaining how their product meets the stated requirements. The Trust intends to arrange online or in-person demonstrations during September and October 2026, selecting suppliers for limited demonstration slots according to how closely their responses match its priorities. No contract value or award criteria are set out.

The engagement will suit established financial software providers and ERP vendors with proven cloud platforms for multi-entity education or academy environments. Strong candidates will be able to demonstrate high availability, responsive performance, desktop access and useful mobile compatibility, alongside configurable user roles and permissions. The system should support paperless, tiered approvals, automated emails, OCR and AI document parsing, detailed purchase and sales ledgers, and comprehensive school accounting and reporting. Suppliers with dynamic integration to IMP for budgeting, forecasting and integrated curriculum financial planning will be well placed; an embedded or directly linked ICFP module is an alternative requirement. The Trust also wants direct help-desk access for schools and central oversight of support performance. This is preparation for a potential future competition, not a bid opportunity now.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Tove Learning Trust Financial Software

Notice Description

Preliminary Market Engagement: Financial Management System Issued by: Tove Learning Trust (TLT) Target Audience: Financial Software Providers and ERP Vendors 1. Overview and Purpose Tove Learning Trust is looking to upgrade its core finance software across our central team and our growing community of academies. We are running this pre-market engagement exercise to let prospective suppliers know what we need from a system and to see what solutions are currently available in the market. We need a modern, resilient, cloud-hosted platform that can handle multiple school entities seamlessly. The system must make life easier for our staff by cutting down on repetitive administrative tasks, while providing clear, straightforward financial tools for both our core finance teams and non-specialist staff like Headteachers and budget holders. This Preliminary Market Engagement exercise is issued for information gathering purposes only. It does not constitute a call for competition, invitation to tender, or any commitment by Tove Learning Trust to commence a procurement process. Participation in this exercise will not confer any advantage or disadvantage in any future procurement. Contract Dates (estimated) 01/04/2027 to 31/03/2030 OR 01/09/2027 to 31/08/2030 Main procurement category Goods/Services Engagement Deadline 15/09/2026 Engagement Process Description Interested suppliers are invited to submit an expression of interest via email to procurement@tovelearning.org.uk no later than 15th September 2026. Please outline within your expression of interest how you believe your product can deliver on the requirements detailed below. We intend to open a booking calendar for suppliers to hold online or in person demonstrations to key stakeholders during September/October 2026 (dates to be confirmed). These slots will be limited and we will select suppliers for demonstration based on how well their expression of interest matches our key requirements. 2. Core System Requirements Following an internal review across 15 of our schools, our finance staff, School Business Managers, and leaders highlighted several essential operational priorities. Any prospective solution must comfortably meet these standards: 2a System Stability and Performance Reliability: System downtime disrupts day-to-day operations meaning we require an exceptionally stable platform with minimal downtime. Fast Loading Times: The software needs to be highly responsive. Slow page loading and lagging click transitions create frustration and impact on productivity. Accessibility: The platform must be fully cloud-based. As well as desktop use, it would be beneficial if it was also compatible with mobile devices so users can easily manage tasks and complete approvals remotely. 2b Data Visibility and Navigation Easy Transaction Drill-Down: Finance staff should be able to click through transactions naturally-moving from a supplier record straight to relevant invoices, purchase orders, and audit histories without navigating away. In-System Analysis: Staff need to view and drill down into detailed transactional data directly within the system interface, rather than having to export data to external spreadsheets just to read it. 2c Purchasing, Automation, and Approvals Integrated Purchasing Portal: We require a user-friendly, school-level portal that handles the entire procurement cycle: requisitioning, multi-level approval workflows, purchase ordering, goods receiving, and budget checks. Paperless Approvals: The system should automatically email approvers with direct links for simple approvals.A configurable tiered approval process should be built into the software as standard. Automated Document Dispatch: The software must automatically email purchase orders, invoices, and payment remittances directly to suppliers and internal stakeholders. Invoice Scanning (OCR): To save time and reduce manual entry errors, the system should scan uploaded PDF invoices and automatically populate the transaction details. Preferred Supplier Indicators: A simple visual indicator is needed to show school-based users which suppliers have already been vetted and approved by the central Trust procurement team. Other Document Scanning and Parsing: contract reading capabilities with AI identification of contract terms including renewals, terminations and indexation. 3. Core Accounting and Reporting Modules The chosen software must include robust, established modules for standard school accounting operations. These must be thoroughly developed and uniformly capable across the board: Cost Centre and Budget Holder Reporting Trial Balance and Ledger Code Reporting Aged Debtor and Aged Creditor Reports Bank Reconciliation (ideally with direct bank feeds or straightforward file imports) Budgeting, Cashflow, and Forecasting Management Tools Supplier and Customer Master Files with secure bank detail audit logs Full Management Accounts direct from the system 4. Specific Operational Feedback and Integration Needs Based on hands-on experience, our finance teams have highlighted a few critical operational expectations: 4a Parity Between Purchase and Sales Ledgers Many school finance systems focus heavily on the Purchase Ledger while providing a basic, limited Sales Ledger. Consistent capability and reporting depth on both sides would be highly beneficial. 4b IMP Software Integration The Trust uses IMP for budget planning and forecasting and integrated curriculum financial planning. We are particularly interested in hearing from suppliers whose financial systems can either integrate dynamically and effectively with our existing IMP environment to keep our data consistent and prevent double-entry OR demonstrate an embedded or directly linked Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning (ICFP) module built into the platform that can pull real-time finance and staffing data to run multi-year strategic scenarios natively. 4c Security Roles To match our internal organisational structure, the system must allow us to set up specific user roles and permissions. 4d Direct Support When technical issues arise, school-based users need to be able to raise their own tickets directly with the software provider's help desk without having to route these through the central Trust finance team. The Central Team should have access or reporting capabilities related to these tickets in order to oversee the KPIs of the contract. 5. Next Steps for Interested Suppliers Interested suppliers are invited to submit an expression of interest via email to procurement@tovelearning.org.uk no later than 15th September 2026. Please outline within your expression of interest how you believe your product can deliver on the requirements detailed

Planning Information

Preliminary Market Engagement: Financial Management System Issued by: Tove Learning Trust (TLT) Target Audience: Financial Software Providers and ERP Vendors 1. Overview and Purpose Tove Learning Trust is looking to upgrade its core finance software across our central team and our growing community of academies. We are running this pre-market engagement exercise to let prospective suppliers know what we need from a system and to see what solutions are currently available in the market. We need a modern, resilient, cloud-hosted platform that can handle multiple school entities seamlessly. The system must make life easier for our staff by cutting down on repetitive administrative tasks, while providing clear, straightforward financial tools for both our core finance teams and non-specialist staff like Headteachers and budget holders. This Preliminary Market Engagement exercise is issued for information gathering purposes only. It does not constitute a call for competition, invitation to tender, or any commitment by Tove Learning Trust to commence a procurement process. Participation in this exercise will not confer any advantage or disadvantage in any future procurement. Contract Dates (estimated) 01/04/2027 to 31/03/2030 OR 01/09/2027 to 31/08/2030 Main procurement category Goods/Services Engagement Deadline 15/09/2026 Engagement Process Description Interested suppliers are invited to submit an expression of interest via email to procurement@tovelearning.org.uk no later than 15th September 2026. Please outline within your expression of interest how you believe your product can deliver on the requirements detailed below. We intend to open a booking calendar for suppliers to hold online or in person demonstrations to key stakeholders during September/October 2026 (dates to be confirmed). These slots will be limited and we will select suppliers for demonstration based on how well their expression of interest matches our key requirements. 2. Core System Requirements Following an internal review across 15 of our schools, our finance staff, School Business Managers, and leaders highlighted several essential operational priorities. Any prospective solution must comfortably meet these standards: 2a System Stability and Performance Reliability: System downtime disrupts day-to-day operations meaning we require an exceptionally stable platform with minimal downtime. Fast Loading Times: The software needs to be highly responsive. Slow page loading and lagging click transitions create frustration and impact on productivity. Accessibility: The platform must be fully cloud-based. As well as desktop use, it would be beneficial if it was also compatible with mobile devices so users can easily manage tasks and complete approvals remotely. 2b Data Visibility and Navigation Easy Transaction Drill-Down: Finance staff should be able to click through transactions naturally-moving from a supplier record straight to relevant invoices, purchase orders, and audit histories without navigating away. In-System Analysis: Staff need to view and drill down into detailed transactional data directly within the system interface, rather than having to export data to external spreadsheets just to read it. 2c Purchasing, Automation, and Approvals Integrated Purchasing Portal: We require a user-friendly, school-level portal that handles the entire procurement cycle: requisitioning, multi-level approval workflows, purchase ordering, goods receiving, and budget checks. Paperless Approvals: The system should automatically email approvers with direct links for simple approvals.A configurable tiered approval process should be built into the software as standard. Automated Document Dispatch: The software must automatically email purchase orders, invoices, and payment remittances directly to suppliers and internal stakeholders. Invoice Scanning (OCR): To save time and reduce manual entry errors, the system should scan uploaded PDF invoices and automatically populate the transaction details. Preferred Supplier Indicators: A simple visual indicator is needed to show school-based users which suppliers have already been vetted and approved by the central Trust procurement team. Other Document Scanning and Parsing: contract reading capabilities with AI identification of contract terms including renewals, terminations and indexation. 3. Core Accounting and Reporting Modules The chosen software must include robust, established modules for standard school accounting operations. These must be thoroughly developed and uniformly capable across the board: Cost Centre and Budget Holder Reporting Trial Balance and Ledger Code Reporting Aged Debtor and Aged Creditor Reports Bank Reconciliation (ideally with direct bank feeds or straightforward file imports) Budgeting, Cashflow, and Forecasting Management Tools Supplier and Customer Master Files with secure bank detail audit logs Full Management Accounts direct from the system 4. Specific Operational Feedback and Integration Needs Based on hands-on experience, our finance teams have highlighted a few critical operational expectations: 4a Parity Between Purchase and Sales Ledgers Many school finance systems focus heavily on the Purchase Ledger while providing a basic, limited Sales Ledger. Consistent capability and reporting depth on both sides would be highly beneficial. 4b IMP Software Integration The Trust uses IMP for budget planning and forecasting and integrated curriculum financial planning. We are particularly interested in hearing from suppliers whose financial systems can either integrate dynamically and effectively with our existing IMP environment to keep our data consistent and prevent double-entry OR demonstrate an embedded or directly linked Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning (ICFP) module built into the platform that can pull real-time finance and staffing data to run multi-year strategic scenarios natively. 4c Security Roles To match our internal organisational structure, the system must allow us to set up specific user roles and permissions. 4d Direct Support When technical issues arise, school-based users need to be able to raise their own tickets directly with the software provider's help desk without having to route these through the central Trust finance team. The Central Team should have access or reporting capabilities related to these tickets in order to oversee the KPIs of the contract. 5. Next Steps for Interested Suppliers Interested suppliers are invited to submit an expression of interest via email to procurement@tovelearning.org.uk no later than 15th September 2026. Please outline within your expression of interest how you believe your product can deliver on the requirements detailed

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06ea37
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080202-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
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

CPV Codes

48440000 - Financial analysis and accounting software package

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Aug 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
15 Sep 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Sep 2027 - 31 Aug 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
TOVE 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
ROADE
Postcode
NN7 2LP
Postcode Area
Northampton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF24 West Northamptonshire
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
West Northamptonshire
Electoral Ward
Hackleton & Roade
Westminster Constituency
South Northamptonshire

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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