✓Tender information last checkedLast checked 12 Oct 2026, 13:03.
Opportunity overview
Spencer Academies Trust is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced provider to deliver a fully managed payroll service for the Trust and its academies. The contract will include the processing of monthly payroll for all employees, statutory deductions and payments, HMRC submissions, year-end processing, pension administration including Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), reporting, compliance support, and access to employee and manager self-service facilities.
The successful provider will be required to deliver an accurate, secure and compliant payroll service for approximately 3,000 employees across the Trust, ensuring adherence to all relevant employment, payroll, tax and pension legislation. The service will include ongoing support, system maintenance, legislative updates, management reporting and transition services as required.
Classification
CPV79211110 — Payroll management services
Lots
Lot 1Value not stated
Documents and notices
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗
Published notice details
Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.
Spencer Academies Trust is undertaking preliminary market engagement in advance of commencing a Competitive Flexible Procedure for the procurement of Payroll and Associated Services.
The purpose of this engagement is to inform the final specification, procurement strategy, evaluation methodology and contract requirements. Interested suppliers are invited to review the information provided and submit comments, observations and clarification questions to assist the Trust in refining its requirements.
Expressions of interest and clarification questions should be submitted by email via the Trust's tendering address no later than 15 October 2026. - Tenders@spencertrust.org.uk
Following completion of the preliminary market engagement, the Trust intends to publish a Tender Notice on 16 October 2026. The proposed procurement will include:
A participation stage, with up to five suppliers shortlisted.
An invitation to tender stage for shortlisted suppliers.
A further shortlisting exercise to identify up to two suppliers.
Supplier demonstrations and presentations.
Award of a single contract to the supplier submitting the Most Advantageous Tender.
No supplier will receive any advantage through participation in this engagement process, and all relevant information arising from the engagement will be made available to all bidders as part of the procurement process.
Due
16 Oct 2026, 00:59
Status
scheduled
Documents
Entry 1
Id
095999-2026
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.
1 VERSION
1
095999-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
PROCURAAXIS ANALYSIS
ProcuraAxis Analysis
Our approved analysis of the opportunity appears below the official tender information.
ANALYSIS PREVIEW
Opportunity intelligence at a glance
Early-stage market engagement for a fully managed payroll service covering Spencer Academies Trust and its academies. The anticipated service covers monthly payroll, statutory deductions and payments, HMRC submissions, year-end processing, TPS and LGPS pension administration, reporting, compliance support, self-service facilities, system maintenance, legislative updates and transition support for approximately 3,000 employees.
Who this may suit
Potential fit for experienced UK managed payroll providers able to support academy-trust payroll, HMRC compliance, Teachers' Pension Scheme and Local Government Pension Scheme administration. This is a planned procurement; bidding is not stated to be open.
Key points identified
Supplier capabilitySuitably qualified and experienced provider of fully managed payroll services.Evidence: "seeking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced provider to deliver a fully managed payroll service"
Payroll scopeProcess monthly payroll for all employees, including statutory deductions and payments, HMRC submissions and year-end processing.Evidence: "processing of monthly payroll for all employees, statutory deductions and payments, HMRC submissions, year-end processing"
Pension administrationAdminister Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) pensions.Evidence: "pension administration including Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)"
96% approved-analysis confidence9 supplier criteria identified3 risks or unknowns
ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.
Early-stage market engagement for a fully managed payroll service covering Spencer Academies Trust and its academies. The anticipated service covers monthly payroll, statutory deductions and payments, HMRC submissions, year-end processing, TPS and LGPS pension administration, reporting, compliance support, self-service facilities, system maintenance, legislative updates and transition support for approximately 3,000 employees.
Who this may suit
Potential fit for experienced UK managed payroll providers able to support academy-trust payroll, HMRC compliance, Teachers' Pension Scheme and Local Government Pension Scheme administration. This is a planned procurement; bidding is not stated to be open.
Key deliverables
Monthly employee payroll processing
Statutory deductions, payments and HMRC submissions
Year-end payroll processing
TPS and LGPS pension administration
Management reporting, compliance support and legislative updates
Employee and manager self-service facilities
System maintenance and transition services
SUPPLIER REQUIREMENTS
9 criteria identified
Supplier capability
97% confidence
Suitably qualified and experienced provider of fully managed payroll services.
View supporting evidence
"seeking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced provider to deliver a fully managed payroll service"
Payroll scope
99% confidence
Process monthly payroll for all employees, including statutory deductions and payments, HMRC submissions and year-end processing.
View supporting evidence
"processing of monthly payroll for all employees, statutory deductions and payments, HMRC submissions, year-end processing"
Pension administration
99% confidence
Administer Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) pensions.
View supporting evidence
"pension administration including Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)"
Service quality and compliance
99% confidence
Deliver an accurate, secure and compliant payroll service adhering to relevant employment, payroll, tax and pension legislation.
View supporting evidence
"deliver an accurate, secure and compliant payroll service... ensuring adherence to all relevant employment, payroll, tax and pension legislation"
Support and technology
98% confidence
Provide reporting, compliance support, employee and manager self-service, system maintenance and legislative updates.
View supporting evidence
"reporting, compliance support, and access to employee and manager self-service facilities"; "ongoing support, system maintenance, legislative updates, management reporting"
Transition
94% confidence
Provide transition services as required.
View supporting evidence
"transition services as required"
Supplier eligibility criteria
98% confidence
Unknown; no selection, exclusion, financial standing or insurance requirements are stated.
View supporting evidence
The supplied planning notice data contains no eligibility criteria.
SME suitability
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
"suitable_for_sme": null
VCSE suitability
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
"suitable_for_vcse": null
COMMERCIAL AND DELIVERY
Contract intelligence
Commercial
Indicative maximum value
92% confidence
Up to £1,116,000 GBP.
View supporting evidence
"value_max": 1116000; "currency": "GBP"
Contract term
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No contract start or end date is supplied.
Pricing and payment terms
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No pricing schedule or payment terms are supplied.
Delivery
Service scale
98% confidence
Approximately 3,000 employees across the Trust.
View supporting evidence
"approximately 3,000 employees across the Trust"
Delivery geography
90% confidence
UKF region, United Kingdom; the buyer is located in Nottingham (NG9 6RZ).
One planning-stage lot is listed, but no lot title, description, value or deadline is provided.
View supporting evidence
Lot "1" has "status": "planning" and null title, description, value and submission deadline.
RISKS AND UNKNOWNS
Points requiring attention
Early-stage procurement
99% confidence
This is a preliminary market engagement notice, not a confirmed open tender. Final scope, route, timetable, submission process and contract terms are unknown.
View supporting evidence
"display_status": "upcoming"; notice type: "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender"; procurement method and submission deadline are null.
Commercial uncertainty
98% confidence
The supplied data gives a maximum value but no contract duration, pricing model, payment terms or lot-level value.
View supporting evidence
"value_max": 1116000; contract dates are null; lot value is null.
Incomplete lot detail
99% confidence
The single listed lot has no title or description, so no more specific lot attribution can be made.
View supporting evidence
Lot "1" has null title and description.
ProcuraAxis analysis supplements, but does not replace, the original notice and tender documents. Always verify eligibility, deadlines and commercial terms with the issuing authority.
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