Official UK procurement notice
Pensions Administration Operational Support Service Framework
Authority: Norfolk County Council (Local council)·On behalf of: Cheshire west and Chester Borough Council
What is being bought5 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionNorfolk County Council on its own behalf and on behalf of the Pension Funds listed below wish to let a Multi-Provider Framework Agreement for the provision of specialist operational support for pension administration services primarily in the support of The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
- Cheshire West and Chester Council (as Administering Authority of the Cheshire Pension Fund)
- Essex County Council (as Administering Authority of the Essex Pension Fund)
- Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (as Administering Authority of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund)
- City of Wolverhampton Council (as Administering Authority of the West Midlands Pension Fund)
This framework may also be used by:
- Any LGPS administering authorities as defined in the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/2356) (as amended) including the Firefighters' Pension Scheme and Police Pension Schemes and any of their participating employing authorities, or in relation to the LGPS in Scotland, any administering authority and any of their scheme employers as defined in the Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (SSI 2018/141) (as amended),
- NILGOSC in Northern Ireland and employing authorities as defined in the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (SRNI 2014/188) (as amended),
- The Board of the Pension Protection Fund.
- Local Government Association (LGA)
- Any other administering authority or scheme manager of a public-sector pension scheme or any public-sector body that requires pensions related services, and
- Any LGPS Fund(s) or groups of funds, or any bodies, organisations or companies established by them for the purpose of operating on a collective basis.
This Framework will be split into Lots.
Contracts awarded under the framework may have a maximum total duration of 5 years.
No contract awarded from the framework will be permitted to extend beyond 10th January 2036.
CPV: Pension services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Framework period
- 4 yrs from 11 Jan 2027
- Buyer regions
- UK
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- 1% of call-off value
Who may buy through it
Any LGPS administering authorities as defined in the LGPS Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/2356) (as amended) including the Firefighters' Pension Scheme and Police Pension Scheme and any of their participating employing authorities, or in relation to the LGPS in Scotland, any administering authority and any of their scheme employers as defined in the Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (SSI 2018/141) (as amended),
NILGOSC in Northern Ireland and employing authorities as defined in the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (SRNI 2014/188) (as amended)
Local Government Association
The Board of the Pension Protection Fund
Any other administering authority or scheme manager of a public sector pension scheme or any public-sector body that requires pensions related services
Any LGPS Fund(s) or groups of funds, or any bodies, organisations or companies established by them for the purpose of operating on a collective basis
Published description of the framework
For information on how prices are determined and selection processes for the award of contracts, please see the ITT documents at in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Home ↗.
Lots and requirements (5)Procurement structure
5 lots · all with a published value · same evaluation weights on every lotEvery one of these 3 lots carries the same published figure, £20,000,000: it is the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each lot's own budget, and no share per lot is published. The cards below say ceiling above rather than repeat it.
Lot #1Pensions Administration Operational ServicesPublished value£40,000,000
Provision of operational administration services across a range of Pension Administration work areas, including but not limited to:
Data interrogation and rectification, to include the following aspects:
- Data exploration and analysis of member data sets, providing detailed outcome reports and identification of issues and gaps and required resolution activities
- Undertake rectification and remedial data cleansing activities e.g. support with McCloud projects, employer transfer, Pensions, Administration System implementation support
- Support Funds with data readiness and data quality assessments to determine for annual regulatory activities and for bespoke recalculation projects e.g. Valuation, McCloud, Pension Dashboards, Annual Benefit Statements etc.
Temporary/Ad-hoc general Pensions Administration support including but not limited to:
- Pensioner payroll services
- Benefit calculations and member processing
- Interim staffing support e.g. Pensions Manager
- Employer led LGPS consolidation
- Member transfer exercises
- Production of member Annual Benefit Statements
Lot #2Provision of Specialist Pensions Communications and Engagement ServicesPublished value£30,000,000
Provide specialist support to design, develop and deliver effective pensions related multi-channel communications and engagement strategies including but not limited to;
- Successful targeted education and engagement programs for members and other stakeholders
- Brand redesign, development and advice
- Measuring the effectiveness and success of engagement, service delivery, user experience and outcomes and recommendations on change and improvement.
- Written and digital content and design advice and delivery including use of appropriate language (e.g. Plain English)
- Compliance with accessibility requirements and standards including translation, neurodiversity and equality support
- Public relations and Stakeholder management to support with pensions specific communications in response to events e.g. cyber related issues, government announcements, LGR etc.
Lot #3Business Change and Transformationceiling above
Support for business change and transformation including, but not limited to:
- Support with large scale pension administration transformation processes e.g. shared services
- Pensions Administration project delivery including those arising from legal judgements and legislative changes e.g. support with McCloud projects, employer transfer, Pensions Administration System implementation support.
- Design advice and delivery of business change management frameworks
- Review and design of pensions administration procedural policies / documents / strategies and recommendations on change and improvement and advising on best practice.
Lot #4Independent Assurance, Risk and Internal Controlsceiling above
Independent assurance, risk and internal controls including, but not limited to:
- Pensions specific internal audit and assurance services e.g. member or employer engagement review, pensions counter fraud
- Third line assurance review, check and challenge
- Best practice advice
Lot #5Enabling Pension Technology Servicesceiling above
Technology services including, but not limited to:
- Development of bespoke calculation tools
- Development of artificial intelligence and automation tooling e.g. robotics to assist with general pensions administration processing
- Reporting and Business Intelligence tools and strategies
- Advice and development of strategies around use of Artificial intelligence within pensions administration e.g. automated decision making
- Technology to support verification and secure form of communications with non-member stakeholders e.g. power of attorney, personal representatives.
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).
Published award criteria (1)
- Quality
- “Pensions Administration Operational Support Service Framework” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Any LGPS administering authorities as defined in the LGPS Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/2356) (as amended) including the Firefighters' Pension Scheme and Police Pension Scheme and any of their participating employing authorities, or in relation to the LGPS in Scotland, any administering authority and any of their scheme employers as defined in the Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (SSI 2018/141) (as amended), NILGOSC in Northern Ireland and employing authorities as defined in the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (SRNI 2014/188) (as amended) Local Government Association The Board of the Pension Protection Fund Any other administering authority or scheme manager of a public sector pension scheme or any public-sector body that requires pensions related services Any LGPS Fund(s) or groups of funds, or any bodies, organisations or companies established by them for the purpose of operating on a collective basis
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 15 Apr 2026, 13:47 BST
- Last source update
- 19 Aug 2026, 17:00 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 23 Nov 2026
- Authority reference
NCCT43384- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-079210- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06830bFind a Tender
- Risks
Norfolk County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation. On 25 March 2026 the government announced that it supports 3 unitary councils for the whole of Norfolk with implementation planned for April 2028. As a result of this the following may apply:
(i) the framework may be transferred, assigned or novated to any successor authority(ies) to the council, or to any joint body incorporating or formed by any such successor and/or to any Mayoral Strategic Authority; and/or
(ii) the council or a successor authority or joint body may order services on behalf of other local authorities serving any area within Norfolk's current geographical boundaries.
Further information on the proposals for Norfolk can be found at www.norfolk.gov.uk/article/67898/Local-… ↗
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 30 Sept 2026, 14:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 9 Sept 2026, 14:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- call-off levy · 1% of call-off value
This procurement will be managed electronically via the Councils e-procurement system. To participate in this procurement, applicants must first be registered on the system at in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc ↗. Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Buyer… ↗. Once registered you will be able to see the procurement project under the tenders section and express an interest to view the documentation and access any clarifications. If you encounter any difficulties whilst using the system you can contact the In-tend support team by phoning +44 8442728810 or e-mailing support@in-tend.co.uk.
Timeline
15 Apr 2026 → 11 Jan 2027 · 8 dates- Planning notice published194 days ago15 Apr 2026, 13:47 BST
- Market engagement168 days ago11 May 2026, 23:59 BST
For more information and to register your interest in the market engagement, please visit In-Tend in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Home ↗
- Next notice expected111 days ago7 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published68 days ago19 Aug 2026, 17:00 BST
- Clarification questions by47 days ago9 Sept 2026, 14:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends26 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown30 Sept 2026, 14:00 BST
- Today27 Oct 2026
- Award decision expected byin 27 days23 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 75 days11 Jan 2027
Notice history
8 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 15 Apr 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published15 Apr 2026, 13:47 BSTUK2
- Planned procurement notice published17 Apr 2026, 15:45 BSTUK3
- Status changed to planned17 Apr 2026, 15:45 BST
- Procurement method changed17 Apr 2026, 15:45 BST
- Deadline published: 1 Sept 2026, 11:00 BST17 Apr 2026, 15:45 BST
- Tender notice published19 Aug 2026, 17:00 BSTUK4
- Status changed to active19 Aug 2026, 17:00 BST
- Deadline moved to 30 Sept 2026, 14:00 BST19 Aug 2026, 17:00 BST+29 days · was 1 Sept 2026, 11:00 BST
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
6 public bodies on the noticeOther public bodies
- Cheshire west and Chester Borough CouncilBeneficiary authority
- Cheshire West and Chester Council (as Administering Authority of the Cheshire Pension Fund)Procuring entitySpecification writing and assessing tenders
- City of Wolverhampton Council (as Administering Authority of the West Midlands Pension Fund)Procuring entitySpecification writing and assessing tenders
- Essex County Council (as Administering Authority of the Essex Pension Fund)Procuring entitySpecification writing and assessing tenders
- Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (as Administering Authority of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund)Procuring entitySpecification writing and assessing tenders
Official documents & specifications (8)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications
- Bidding documents and specifications All tender documents will be posted electronically via In-Tend https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Home To register your interest for the market engagement please visit the above mentioned address.
- Bidding documents and specifications
- Bidding documents and specifications
- Bidding documents and specifications
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender