Official UK procurement notice
Integrated HR & Payroll system
Authority: Truro & Penwith College (Education)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionTruro and Penwith College is a large, further education provider in Cornwall. The College has three main campuses in Truro, Penzance and Bodmin. The College provides education services to circa 9,000 learners with a workforce of 1200 staff. The current HR and Payroll platform is an on-premise system that has been in place for many years, but no longer meets the needs of the College.
The primary objective of this procurement for Truro & Penwith College is to select a single contractor to supply and implement a modern, modular, and cost-effective HR and Payroll system. The first phase of the project will focus on the seamless and low-impact migration of the core Payroll, Pensions, and HR functions, with a requirement for this phase to be completed by Q3-2026.
Following successful implementation, the College must have the opportunity to call off extended functionality including such functions as:
Recruitment, Onboarding, Performance Management, HR Case Management, and Learning & Development. These will be elective modules, implemented according to the College's own timetable.
Fully detailed ITT documents will be a made available to suppliers immediately following evaluation of the PSQ. This is expected to be early January, 2026, with intent to award by the end of March 2026. A full process timeline will be issued with the ITT document pack.
Documents issued with this Notice
- Requirement Outline Brief
- Payroll Use Case Scenario
- HR Use Case Scenario
- PME Q&A Transcript
- Procurement Specific Questionnaire
Instructions for Participation:
Stage 1 Documents including the PSQ form, can be obtained by registering as a supplier on the In-tend Shared Portal and by expressing an interest in this Project. Link below to access the portal:
- How the procedure runs: This procurement will be structured in two key phases – Supplier selection (PSQ), which is published with this notice. This will be followed by the issue of the full tender document pack to qualifying suppliers following the completion of Stage 1. Stage 1 – Supplier Selection (PSQ): Applicants who wish to participate will need to pre-qualify and must complete the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) published alongside this notice. The PSQ sets out the information required by the authority in order to assess the suitability of applicants to perform the contract. The PSQ Stage will be evaluated as Pass or Fail. Applicants will need to Pass the PSQ Stage in order to participate further. The deadline for PSQ clarifications is December 16th, 2025 and the return deadline for the PSQ is January 2nd, 2026. Stage 2 – Full tender submission and evaluation (Anticipated issue date: January, 2026): Following the PSQ stage, qualifying suppliers will be invited to submit a fully costed tender proposal. The authority will furnish invited suppliers with a full and detailed tender pack. Evaluation will be carried out in three phases: Stage 2a - Following the submission deadline, the authority will evaluate and score bidders written proposals, responses to the specification matrix and proposed draft contract terms against quality-based criteria specific to this section. Cost will not be scored at this stage. The College envisages inviting between 3-5 of the highest scoring bids (based only on quality) to participate in the next evaluation phase, The College reserves the right to lower or increase this number dependent on the quality of the bids received. Stage 2b – The selected high scoring bidders from phase 2a will be invited to attend a presentation and demonstration session. Suppliers will be asked to outline how their proposal meets the requirements set out by the College and facilitate demonstrations based on scenarios pre-scripted the College. Supplier presentations and demonstration sessions will be scored against set criteria for these sessions. Costs will also be evaluated and compared at this stage but not scored. Following second phase evaluations, 1:1 feed-back sessions will be held with each supplier where their proposals and scores will be discussed along with proposed costs relative to other bids. Suppliers will be given constructive feedback aimed at optimizing their proposals prior to the final phase. Stage 2c – BAFO – Following feedback sessions, suppliers will be invited to submit best and final offers, which should include any final adjustments to their solution proposal or terms in addition to costs. After the BAFO deadline, each proposal will then be re-scored against the pre-set criteria for each phase and an award decision will be made based on the highest overall score.
CPV: Software package and information systems · Time accounting or human resources software package
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£300,000
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
- Simple description: Assessment/Award Criteria Stage 1 – PSQ: The PSQ will be evaluated as Pass or Fail, criteria and scoring is detailed in the PSQ document accompanying this Notice Stage 2 – Full tender submission and evaluation: Following the PSQ stage, qualifying suppliers will be invited to submit a fully costed tender proposal. The authority will furnish invited suppliers with a full and detailed tender pack. Fully detailed assessment criteria and scoring will be provided at Stage 2. Evaluation will be carried out progressively in three phases, with each phase having specific criteria as detailed below: Stage 2a: • Written Tender Response - Score & weighting TBC • Responses from Specification Matrix - Score & weighting TBC • Alignment with Contractual requirements - Score & weighting TBC The College envisages inviting between 3-5 of the highest scoring bids (based only on quality) to participate in the next evaluation phase, The College reserves the right to lower or increase this number dependent on the quality of the bids received. Stage 2b: • Supplier presentation of proposed solution - Score & weighting TBC • Supplier product demonstration - Score & weighting TBC Scores from this phase are taken forward to the BAFO stage. Stage 2c (BAFO): • Implementation costs - Score & weighting TBC • Call Off Costs - Score & weighting TBC • Ad-Hoc consultancy costs - Score & weighting TBC • Total contract Lifetime cost - Score & weighting TBC This will include a review of Scores from 2a and 2b if the proposal is changed in BAFO prior to full scoring of each bid prior to final award decision.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Cancelled
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 31 Oct 2025, 14:38 GMT
- Last source update
- 28 Jan 2026, 17:10 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 31 Mar 2026
- Authority reference
HR-Payroll-ITT- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-080776- Latest notice
- Procurement termination notice (UK12)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d825Find a Tender- Contract terms summary
To be confirmed in the Tender Document Pack at Stage 2.
- How it runs
This procurement will be structured in two key phases – Supplier selection (PSQ), which is published with this notice. This will be followed by the issue of the full tender document pack to qualifying suppliers following the completion of Stage 1.
Stage 1 – Supplier Selection (PSQ):
Applicants who wish to participate will need to pre-qualify and must complete the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) published alongside this notice.
The PSQ sets out the information required by the authority in order to assess the suitability of applicants to perform the contract. The PSQ Stage will be evaluated as Pass or Fail. Applicants will need to Pass the PSQ Stage in order to participate further.
The deadline for PSQ clarifications is December 16th, 2025 and the return deadline for the PSQ is January 2nd, 2026.
Stage 2 – Full tender submission and evaluation (Anticipated issue date: January, 2026):
Following the PSQ stage, qualifying suppliers will be invited to submit a fully costed tender proposal. The authority will furnish invited suppliers with a full and detailed tender pack. Evaluation will be carried out in three phases:
Stage 2a - Following the submission deadline, the authority will evaluate and score bidders written proposals, responses to the specification matrix and proposed draft contract terms against quality-based criteria specific to this section. Cost will not be scored at this stage. The College envisages inviting between 3-5 of the highest scoring bids (based only on quality) to participate in the next evaluation phase, The College reserves the right to lower or increase this number dependent on the quality of the bids received.
Stage 2b – The selected high scoring bidders from phase 2a will be invited to attend a presentation and demonstration session. Suppliers will be asked to outline how their proposal meets the requirements set out by the College and facilitate demonstrations based on scenarios pre-scripted the College. Supplier presentations and demonstration sessions will be scored against set criteria for these sessions. Costs will also be evaluated and compared at this stage but not scored. Following second phase evaluations, 1:1 feed-back sessions will be held with each supplier where their proposals and scores will be discussed along with proposed costs relative to other bids. Suppliers will be given constructive feedback aimed at optimizing their proposals prior to the final phase.
Stage 2c – BAFO – Following feedback sessions, suppliers will be invited to submit best and final offers, which should include any final adjustments to their solution proposal or terms in addition to costs. After the BAFO deadline, each proposal will then be re-scored against the pre-set criteria for each phase and an award decision will be made based on the highest overall score.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 2 Jan 2026, 13:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 16 Dec 2025, 17:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
To be returned via the In-tend Shared Portal. in-tendhost.co.uk/intendsharedservices… ↗
Timeline
31 Oct 2025 → 1 Jun 2026 · 9 dates- Planning notice published361 days ago31 Oct 2025, 14:38 GMT
- Market engagement346 days ago14 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
The PME process is as detailed below.
- Expressions of Interest (EOI)
- Submit EOI via portal link: in-tendhost.co.uk/intendsharedservices… ↗ by Friday 14 November 2025 at 16:00 hours.
- Include:
◦ Legal entity name and company number.
◦ Nominated contact person.
◦ Valid corporate email address for Microsoft Teams invite.
- Single Supplier Q&A Event
- One live online Q&A session for all interested suppliers via Microsoft Teams on Thursday 20 November 2025 1030–1200 hours UK time
- Session will cover POB content, CFP stage design and supplier Q&A.
- All questions and answers will be logged and shared with all engaged suppliers after the event.
3 Bilateral Communications
- No one-to-one meetings planned or envisaged.
- Submit Q&A clarification requests via portal link:in-tendhost.co.uk/intendsharedservices… ↗ by Monday 10 November 2025 at 16:00 hours.
- Answers and any clarifications will be shared with all engaged suppliers.
- Tender notice published323 days ago8 Dec 2025, 16:26 GMT
- Clarification questions by315 days ago16 Dec 2025, 17:00 GMT
- Next notice expected299 days ago31 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Submission deadline298 days ago2 Jan 2026, 13:00 GMT
- Latest notice published272 days ago28 Jan 2026, 17:10 GMT
- Award decision expected by209 days ago31 Mar 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts148 days ago1 Jun 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
8 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 31 Oct 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published31 Oct 2025, 14:38 GMTUK2
- Tender notice published8 Dec 2025, 16:26 GMTUK4
- Published value published: £300,0008 Dec 2025, 16:26 GMT
- Status changed to active8 Dec 2025, 16:26 GMT
- Procurement method changed8 Dec 2025, 16:26 GMT
- Deadline published: 2 Jan 2026, 13:00 GMT8 Dec 2025, 16:26 GMT
- Procurement termination notice published28 Jan 2026, 17:10 GMTUK12
- Status changed to complete28 Jan 2026, 17:10 GMT
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| supplier not published | — | 28 Jan 2026 | CancelledThe College has determined that the current competitive procedure poses an unacceptable risk to business continuity and the fulfilment of statutory obligations. Following a detailed review of the implementation timeline, it has been concluded that the current procedure cannot facilitate a contract award early enough to allow for a safe transition and parallel-running period ahead of fixed decommissioning dates for the existing system. Specifically, operational resource constraints (such as seasonal 'blackout' periods for key departments) further reduce the viable window for system workshops and User Acceptance Testing (UAT). Consequently, to ensure the timely and accurate delivery of critical services, the Authority will terminate this procedure and instead fulfil the requirement via a Direct Award under a recognized Framework Agreement. This route will accelerate project commencement and provide the necessary contingency buffer to ensure a compliant and risk-mitigated transition. |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (4)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications Documents (free of charge) are available from the In-tend Shared portal. To participate in this Tender you must firstly register as a Supplier (free of charge) and then Express an Interest in this Tender Project.
Notices published for this procedure
- Procurement termination notice Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender