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EA Integrated Financial Management Information System Inc. HR/Payroll (Formerly the iFS Project / now known as the EA One Project)

Education Authority NI

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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27 Aug 2026 at 15:58

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Education Authority requires a fully integrated financial management information system covering finance, human resources and payroll. The service includes financial accounting and reporting, HR management and payroll requirements for the Education Authority and the Department of Education, including the Department’s teachers’ payrolls. It is classified as system and support services. The requirement concerns the continued operation and support of the existing EA One system, formerly known as the iFS Project. The buyer is the Education Authority, based at 40 Academy Street, Belfast. The service is a critical, highly customised business system intended to provide continuity while the Education Authority develops a replacement through its EnAble Programme.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to Fujitsu Services Limited. It used a limited award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition, relying on Regulation 72(1)(b) for additional services by the original contractor where changing supplier would create economic or technical difficulties and significant inconvenience. The awarded contract value is £55,401,666 GBP. The original contract was signed on 30 November 2015. The modification adds £15 million, described as 50% of the original published value, to fund the full five-year extension option. The contract is due to expire on 31 March 2032. The single lot includes options for five additional one-year periods, making 15 years in total.

This award indicates sustained demand from the Education Authority for large-scale, integrated public-sector finance, HR and payroll technology, including complex teachers’ payroll processing. A credible future competitor would need to demonstrate the ability to deliver and support a mission-critical enterprise system, integrate financial accounting, reporting, HR and payroll functions, and manage substantial customer-specific customisation. Experience maintaining continuity in a live public service environment would be important, alongside strong technical capability in system interoperability, data management, security, service support and performance against contractual KPIs. Suppliers should also be able to manage transition planning and replacement-system programmes, since the buyer is undertaking a long-term transformation while relying on the existing solution.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

EA Integrated Financial Management Information System Inc. HR/Payroll (Formerly the iFS Project / now known as the EA One Project)

Notice Description

Provision of a fully integrated Finance and HR/Payroll system for the Education Authority

Lot Information

Lot 1

The contract is for an integrated Financial Management Information system and HR/Payroll (including DE's Teachers' payrolls) to meet the Financial Accounting and Reporting requirements and the HR management and Payroll requirements of the Education Authority and the Department of Eduction Additional information: This modification is required to increase the overall contract value by PS15m (i.e. 50% of the original published contract value). This value will cover the continued service provision for the full and remaining 5 year contract extension option that is already built into the contract. The contract would then expire on 31 March 2032. Replacing the current EA One system will require a significant lead in time to manage its design, procurement, implementation and for the replacement solution to become business as usual. The EA has commenced work through the EnAble Programme to replace the current system with current timelines working towards an implementation timeline of 2032. The current solution continues to perform and deliver within the KPI's of the contract and is sustainable for the foreseeable future up to March 2032. The 5 year extension term delivers the most financially prudent solution which establishes upfront a 5 year term and minimises financial risk. The extension provides continuity of service and certainty for EA during a period where significant resource and focus will be on the programme of work to replace and transition to the new solution.

Options: The initial contract duration for the iFS Contract will be for a period of ten (10) years. The contract includes an option to extend the contract for five (5) further periods of one (1) year (15 years in total).

Procurement Information

Regulation 72(1)(b) applies to this particular contract modification. The Regulations states: 72.- (1) Contracts and framework agreements may be modified without a new procurement procedure in accordance with this Part in any of the following cases: - (b) for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor that have become necessary and were not included in the initial procurement, where a change of contractor- (i) cannot be made for economic or technical reasons such as requirements of interchangeability or interoperability with existing equipment, services or installations procured under the initial procurement, or (ii) would cause significant inconvenience or substantial duplication of costs for the contracting authority, provided that any increase in price does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract; This modification is for additional contract value to be added to the overall contract value to cover the full extension period of 5 years. The contracted services with Fujitsu will continue as is for that period. A change of contractor to deliver these critical services and manage the system would cause significant inconvenience. The system provided by Fujitsu has been significantly customised and for economic and technical reasons a change of contractor would cause significant inconvenience to EA. To manage and procure the replacement of such a critical solution will take a considerable period of time. That process has commenced under the EnAble Programme. This 5 year contract extension should provide sufficient time to manage this transformational programme.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06edef
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081908-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

72250000 - System and support services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£55,401,666 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Education Authority NI
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BELFAST
Postcode
BT1 2NQ
Postcode Area
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN06 Belfast
Delivery Location
TLN Northern Ireland
Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Duncairn
Westminster Constituency
Belfast North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Fujitsu Services Ltd

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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