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2026 ATS & HRIS

OAK NATIONAL ACADEMY LIMITED

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

06 Oct 2026 at 13:48

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Oak National Academy is considering replacing BeApplied, its current applicant tracking system (ATS), and may procure a linked human resources information system (HRIS) at the same time. The immediate need is an ATS to maintain recruitment services; whether an HRIS will be included, procured separately or addressed later has not been decided. The working ATS requirements cover structured and blind sifting, independent reviewer scoring, keeping diversity monitoring data separate from hiring decisions, accessible candidate and staff journeys, recruitment administration, reporting and record exports. Oak also wants to explore HRIS requirements and transferring new-starter information between systems. The services are for Oak National Academy in the United Kingdom. Suppliers can offer an ATS, an HRIS, an integrated platform or either system with a reliable integration to the other.

This is a planning-stage procurement: Oak is gathering market input and has not issued an invitation to tender or settled the scope, route or contract value. Oak expects supplier demonstrations or discussions during October 2026, and asks for written responses by 20 October 2026. It currently expects to publish an ATS tender in late October or mid-November 2026, subject to review after engagement. The planned contract period is 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030. Suppliers are asked for separate indicative three-year costs for ATS and HRIS, including implementation, migration, integrations, licences, support and optional modules; these figures are for planning and will not be scored. The engagement will not be scored, is not required to bid later and confers no advantage in a future competition.

The market engagement is relevant to suppliers of established ATS or HRIS products, integrated ATS-HRIS platforms, and suppliers able to provide either system with reliable integration to the other. Suppliers offering only one system can contribute, and Oak may use separate ATS and HRIS demonstration scenarios. Oak is testing its developing needs, implementation timescales and how the systems should be packaged; it welcomes different approaches to meeting the intended outcomes. Suppliers should be prepared to explain whether their products are established or need development, provide separate indicative cost breakdowns for the systems and discuss their availability for demonstrations. The work suits providers with recruitment-platform capability spanning accessible user journeys, structured or blind candidate assessment, reviewer scoring, data separation, recruitment administration and reporting, as well as HR information and new-starter data transfer where relevant. These are working needs, not final tender requirements or evaluation criteria.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

2026 ATS & HRIS

Notice Description

Oak National Academy is exploring the replacement of BeApplied, its current Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which is expected to become unavailable at the end of March 2027. Oak is also considering whether to procure a linked HR information system (HRIS) at the same time, procure the systems as separate lots, or address its HRIS needs through a later procurement. The immediate priority is an ATS that can be implemented in time to maintain recruitment services. Oak is undertaking this engagement to understand the market, test its developing requirements, assess realistic implementation times and decide how best to package the ATS and HRIS requirements. No decision has yet been made to include an HRIS in the resulting tender. Oak invites input from suppliers of ATS products, HRIS products, integrated ATS and HRIS platforms, and suppliers able to deliver either system with a reliable integration to the other. Suppliers do not need to offer both systems to participate. Oak's current ATS needs are described in the accompanying working requirements guide. They include structured and blind sifting, independent reviewer scoring, separation of diversity monitoring data from hiring decisions, accessible candidate and staff journeys, recruitment administration, reporting and export of records. Oak also wishes to explore HRIS needs and the transfer of new-starter information between systems. These are working needs, not final tender requirements or evaluation criteria. Oak welcomes different ways of achieving the outcomes. Suppliers are invited to respond by 20th October 2026 by email to procurement@thenational.academy. Please state: Whether you offer an ATS, an HRIS, or both, and whether each is an established product or requires development. Indicative three-year costs for the ATS and HRIS separately, including implementation, migration, integrations, licences, support and optional modules. These figures are for planning and will not be scored. Availability for demonstrations to our team Oak expects to hold live demonstrations or discussions during October 2026 with potential suppliers. It may use separate ATS and HRIS scenarios so suppliers offering only one system can participate meaningfully. All interested suppliers may submit written input regardless of whether they receive a live session. The engagement will not be scored or used to select a preferred supplier. Participation is not required to bid for any subsequent contract and gives no supplier an advantage in that competition. Oak will record the engagement and make information relevant to preparing a bid available to the wider market, while protecting genuinely confidential supplier information. Oak currently expects to publish an ATS tender in late October/mid November 2026, but the timing, scope, procurement route and contract value will be reviewed following this engagement. This notice is not an invitation to tender and does not commit Oak to any particular procurement or award.

Planning Information

Oak expects to hold live demonstrations or discussions during October 2026 with potential suppliers. It may use separate ATS and HRIS scenarios so suppliers offering only one system can participate meaningfully. All interested suppliers may submit written input regardless of whether they receive a live session. The engagement will not be scored or used to select a preferred supplier. Participation is not required to bid for any subsequent contract and gives no supplier an advantage in that competition. Oak will record the engagement and make information relevant to preparing a bid available to the wider market, while protecting genuinely confidential supplier information. Suppliers are invited to respond by 20th October 2026 by email to procurement@thenational.academy. Please state: Whether you offer an ATS, an HRIS, or both, and whether each is an established product or requires development. Indicative three-year costs for the ATS and HRIS separately, including implementation, migration, integrations, licences, support and optional modules. These figures are for planning and will not be scored. Availability for demonstrations to our team

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0781b1
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094277-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

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

CPV Codes

72212450 - Time accounting or human resources software development services

79600000 - Recruitment services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Oct 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 1 Apr 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
OAK NATIONAL ACADEMY LIMITED
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
M3 3AA
Postcode Area
Manchester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD33 Manchester
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Manchester
Electoral Ward
Deansgate
Westminster Constituency
Manchester Central

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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