Closing soon5 days left · express interest by 11:59pm, Tuesday 17 November 2026

Payroll Services for Spencer Academies Trust

The Spencer Academies Trust · Local or regional public body

In brief

The Spencer Academies Trust is looking for suppliers for accountancy work (UK-wide).

The estimated value is £1,100,000 excluding VAT.

The contract runs for 4 years, up to 6 years with extensions, starting 1 February 2027.

The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.

This is the first stage: register your interest by 11:59pm, Tuesday 17 November 2026, and shortlisted suppliers are invited to bid.

Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.

Can I win this?

Key dates

Questions by: 11:59pm, Tuesday 10 November 2026
Express interest by: 11:59pm, Tuesday 17 November 2026

This is the first stage. You register interest now, and shortlisted suppliers are invited to bid later.

How bids are scored

Service Delivery Model 15% · Payroll System & Functionality 15% · Mobilisation & Transition 10% · TPS & LGPS Administration 10% · Education and MAT Experience 10% · Information Security & GDPR 10% · Reporting & Continuous Improvement 10% · Social Value 5% · Cost 15%

Quality matters most. You can win without being the cheapest.

Competition

Usually high: a median of 6 bids per contract for accountancy contracts across the UK (from 235 awards in the last 12 months).

Tender documents

Tender documents · Word
Tender documents · spreadsheet
Tender documents · Word

What the notice says

Spencer Academies Trust is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced provider for the delivery of fully managed payroll services. The contract will support approximately 2,900 employees across 27 academies and the Trust's central services team. Services are required to include, but are not limited to, payroll processing, pension administration, statutory deductions and submissions, year-end processing, payroll reporting, employee self-service functionality, management information, regulatory compliance, and customer support. The successful provider will be expected to support the education sector requirements of the Trust, including administration of Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) arrangements, integration with Trust systems, implementation and mobilisation services, data migration, and ongoing service delivery. The contract will be awarded for an initial term of three years with options to extend for up to a further two years in annual increments. The procurement is being conducted using a Competitive Flexible Procedure in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. Suppliers will first complete a Supplier Participation Questionnaire, following which shortlisted suppliers will be invited to submit a tender.

Should I bid?

Tick what applies to you. Nothing is saved.

Can you prepare a good bid in 5 days?That is tight, especially for a first bid with this buyer.
Is a contract of about £1,100,000 a size you can deliver?Buyers often check that your turnover is comfortably larger than the yearly contract value.
Can you deliver in locations across the UK?Check the delivery locations in the tender documents.
Are you registered on the Central Digital Platform?You need to be registered to take part under the Procurement Act 2023.
The buyer says this suits small businesses.A good sign if you are an SME, but check the requirements.

How to bid

Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.
Send clarification questions before 11:59pm, Tuesday 10 November 2026.
Register your interest before 11:59pm, Tuesday 17 November 2026. Shortlisted suppliers are then invited to bid.

Timeline

12 October 2026Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 095999-2026
30 October 2026Tender notice · UK4, notice 102992-2026

About the buyer

The Spencer Academies TrustLast 12 months

Procurements

Awards

All tenders and awards from The Spencer Academies Trust

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From notice 095999-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 12 October 2026, last updated 30 October 2026. We last checked for changes on 30 October 2026.