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003325 - Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) for a Pensions Administration System

Durham County Council

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

07 Oct 2026 at 09:58

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

30 Sep 2026 at 09:24

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

15 Sep 2026 at 16:48

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Durham County Council’s Pension Fund is exploring a modern, secure, integrated pensions administration system for the Local Government Pension Scheme. The software would support pension services for scheme members and participating employers, including administration, member and employer engagement, automation, data quality and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements. The council is seeking a solution suited to the Fund’s administration needs, rather than a general-purpose software package. The work is associated with County Durham. The system is intended to help the Fund deliver its pension services and improve how members and employers interact with those services.

This is at the planning stage: Durham County Council is undertaking preliminary market engagement to inform its future procurement strategy and shape detailed requirements. It is not an invitation to tender. The council’s stated expectation was for interested providers to submit written responses by Friday 9 October 2026 at 4pm, following extensions to the engagement period. The estimated procurement value is £1.6 million excluding VAT (£1.92 million including VAT). The anticipated contract period runs from 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2032, with a possible extension through to 31 March 2036. The process is identified as one lot. No evaluation basis or procurement procedure is set out at this stage.

The engagement is relevant to suppliers of pensions administration platforms with experience in the Local Government Pension Scheme. The Fund is seeking information on available system capabilities, implementation approaches, innovation, product roadmaps and experience in the LGPS sector. Suppliers should be able to explain how their solutions can support secure, integrated administration; improve member and employer engagement; increase automation; strengthen data quality; and maintain compliance with changing legislative and regulatory requirements. This favours providers able to address both the technology and the practical delivery of pension administration services for scheme members and participating employers. The engagement offers an opportunity to inform the Fund’s future requirements; it is preparatory market engagement, not a current bid competition.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

003325 - Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) for a Pensions Administration System

Notice Description

Durham County Council Pension Fund (the Fund) is exploring the market for a modern, secure and fully integrated Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) administration solution to support the delivery of pension services to members and participating employers. The Fund is seeking to understand the capabilities currently available within the market and how technology can support the administration of the LGPS, improve member and employer engagement, increase automation, enhance data quality and ensure ongoing compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements. This Preliminary Market Engagement exercise is intended to inform the Fund's future procurement strategy and help shape detailed requirements for any subsequent procurement exercise. Suppliers are invited to provide information on their solutions, implementation approaches, innovation, product roadmaps and experience within the LGPS sector. Interested providers can access the written response questions, free of charge, by registering on the Open Portal at www.open-uk.org The deadline for completed responses is Friday 2nd October 2026 at 12 noon.

Planning Information

Interested providers can access the written response questions, free of charge, by registering on the Open Portal at www.open-uk.org Deadline for written submissions, via the Open Portal, is Wednesday 9th October 2026 at 4pm.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06fa8a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094535-2026
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
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems

CPV Codes

48100000 - Industry specific software package

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,600,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Oct 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2028 - 31 Mar 2032 4-5 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
Durham County Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
DURHAM
Postcode
DH1 5WB
Postcode Area
Durham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC41 Durham
Delivery Location
TLC14 Durham
Local Authority
County Durham
Electoral Ward
Framwellgate & Newton Hall
Westminster Constituency
City of Durham

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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