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Provision of Corporate and Professional Services to Big Life Schools Multi Academy Trust

Big Life Schools

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

18 Sep 2026 at 16:04

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

08 Sep 2026 at 12:28

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Big Life Schools is seeking one strategic partner to provide an integrated suite of corporate and professional services for its multi-academy trust. The scope covers financial management and accounting, payroll for around 200 staff, human resources, staff training and development, legal advice, managed ICT, estates and facilities management, communications and marketing, governance support, and procurement services. The purpose is to support school leaders, improve operational efficiency, and maintain safe, compliant and sustainable operations. Services include financial planning, pensions and tax administration, cyber security, statutory estates compliance, recruitment, governance clerking, supplier management and regulatory advice. Delivery is for the Trust’s schools and nursery in Greater Manchester.

The process has reached tender: Big Life Schools invited offers through a single-stage open procedure, with no shortlisting stage. There is one lot, and tenders are submitted electronically through the Delta eSourcing portal by 12 noon on 7 October 2026; enquiries close at 5pm on 28 September 2026. The contract is due to run from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2030, with an option to extend by up to two 12-month periods, to 31 December 2032. Its estimated value is £545,000 excluding VAT and £654,000 including VAT; the corrected estimated annual value is £109,000. Award is expected by 4 November 2026. Evaluation is cost 70%, quality and technical method statements 20%, and social value and innovation 10%. Economic and technical participation requirements apply.

This opportunity suits a multi-disciplinary professional services provider able to act as a single accountable partner, or a suitably structured consortium covering the full range of requirements. Competitors need capability across academy or education-sector finance, payroll, HR, employment and other legal services, training, ICT infrastructure and cyber security, estates compliance, communications, governance and procurement. Relevant operational capacity includes supporting around 200 payroll staff, managing approximately 20,000 financial transactions a year, and providing reliable services across two schools and a nursery. Suppliers should be able to provide strategic advice alongside day-to-day delivery, service-level management, performance reporting, continuous improvement and innovation. Regulated advisers are required for the legal service, while experience with Sage 200, pensions administration, safeguarding, cyber security, health and safety, statutory filings and Procurement Act compliance is relevant. The procurement is identified as suitable for SMEs.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of Corporate and Professional Services to Big Life Schools Multi Academy Trust

Notice Description

The Trust is seeking a single strategic partner to deliver an integrated suite of corporate and professional services that enable school leaders to focus on educational outcomes while ensuring the Trust operates efficiently, safely, compliantly and sustainably. The successful supplier will provide integrated professional support services that are reliable, compliant, responsive and strategically aligned to the Trust's objectives, through a single accountable management structure combining strategic advice, operational delivery, performance management, continuous improvement and innovation. The Services comprise the following ten service areas, described in full in the Specification: Financial Services- Operational and transactional financial management, management accounts, 5-year planning, VAT/ONS returns and audit liaison (Sage 200; circa 20,000 transactions per year). Payroll Services - Payroll processing and system for circa 200 staff (pay date 15th), RTI/HMRC, Teachers' Pension and Local Government Pension Scheme administration. Human Resources Services - Operational HR, recruitment, employee relations, policy development, TUPE advice and the staff wellbeing offer. Staff Training & Development - Mandatory and wider training (safeguarding, cyber, H&S and more), CPD support and maintenance of Trust accreditations. Legal Services (incl. employment) - Operational and strategic legal support on contracts, employment and H&S matters, from suitably regulated advisers. Managed ICT Services- Secure, resilient network, servers, connectivity, filtering, cyber security, helpdesk, backup and device management across both schools and the nursery. Estates Management Services - Strategic and operational facilities and estates management, statutory compliance, estates/asset/carbon strategy and H&S support. Communications, Marketing & PR - Brand and reputation management, media and PR, website and social media, prospectus and admissions materials, internal communications. Governance Support Services - Company secretarial and governance support, clerking and minutes (Convene), statutory filings and governance advice. Managed Procurement Services - Procurement advice, tendering and quotations, contracts register, supplier management and Procurement Act 2023 compliance. The full Specification, including service-level agreements, key performance indicators and technical standards for each area, is available to download via the Delta eSourcing website. This procurement is being conducted under the Open Procedure pursuant to section 20(2)(a) of the Act -- a single-stage procedure with no restriction on who may submit a tender and no separate shortlisting stage. All compliant tenders received by the deadline will be assessed against the Conditions of Participation, the exclusion grounds and the award criteria in this ITT, and the Contract will be awarded to the Most Advantageous Tender under section 19 of the Act. The deadline for the submission of tenders via the Delta eSourcing portal is 12noon 7 October 2026

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Commencing 1 January 2027 for an initial term of 36 months, with the option to extend for up to 2 x 12 months

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f470
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088854-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

70 - Real estate services

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

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

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

66171000 - Financial consultancy services

70330000 - Property management services of real estate on a fee or contract basis

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

72600000 - Computer support and consultancy services

79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

79100000 - Legal services

79200000 - Accounting, auditing and fiscal services

79211110 - Payroll management services

79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

79411000 - General management consultancy services

79412000 - Financial management consultancy services

79413000 - Marketing management consultancy services

79414000 - Human resources management consultancy services

79416000 - Public relations services

79418000 - Procurement consultancy services

79631000 - Personnel and payroll services

79993000 - Building and facilities management services

80500000 - Training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£545,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£545,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
18 Sep 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
7 Oct 20263 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Jan 2027 - 31 Dec 2030 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
Big Life Schools
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MANCHESTER
Postcode
M16 9AB
Postcode Area
Manchester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD34 Greater Manchester South West
Delivery Location
TLD33 Manchester
Local Authority
Trafford
Electoral Ward
Old Trafford
Westminster Constituency
Stretford and Urmston

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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