Pre-Market Engagement: Online Payment System, £5.16M, Deadline 8 May 2026
Summary
The Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI) has published a pre-market engagement notice under the Procurement Act 2023 seeking supplier views on an Online Payment System. The estimated contract value is £5.16M (including VAT) over 8 years (January 2027 to December 2032, with potential extension to December 2034). Suppliers must complete a questionnaire on eTendersNI by 3pm on 8 May 2026. This is a scoping exercise only and does not constitute a formal procurement process.
What changed
EANI published a preliminary market engagement notice inviting software and IT suppliers to provide feedback on potential approaches for an Online Payment System via questionnaire on eTendersNI (ID: EANI-5236). The engagement deadline is 8 May 2026 at 3pm. Participation is voluntary and will not advantage or disadvantage suppliers in any future tender.
Suppliers interested in the potential £5.16M contract should submit questionnaire responses by the deadline. The notice specifies this is purely a scoping exercise and does not form part of formal procurement. SMEs and VCSEs are particularly encouraged to participate. EANI will use gathered information for internal business planning only.
Archived snapshot
Apr 17, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Planning
Pre-Market Engagement Online Payments
- the Education Authority UK2: Preliminary market engagement notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types
Notice identifier: 2026/S 000-035395
Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0685c1
Published 17 April 2026, 5:15pm
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Contents
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Scope
Reference
EDIS-25-003
Description
The Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI), in preparation for a procurement
process, wish to engage with the market to seek supplier views and feedback on potential
approaches for an Online Payment System.
Suppliers who wish to participate in the pre market engagement exercise should complete
the pre-market engagement questionnaire on eTendersNI under the CfT CA Unique ID
EANI-5236.
Further information including the questionnaire can be downloaded from the CfT
Documents section of the project on eTendersNI. Suppliers also have the opportunity to
submit queries regarding the project via the eTendersNI messaging function.
The questionnaire must be completed and submitted no later than 3 pm 08th May 2026.
There are no documents to be completed other than the questionnaire.
Any information gathered through this market consultation exercise will inform internal
business planning and any possible subsequent procurement process and will NOT be
appraised in any future tender evaluation exercise. Please note that participation or
nonparticipation in this preliminary market consultation exercise shall not prevent any
supplier from participating in any potential procurement process, nor is it intended that any information supplied shall place any supplier at an advantage or disadvantage in any
forthcoming procurement process.
For the avoidance of doubt, this is the scoping phase of the project and is not part of a
formal procurement process.
Commercial tool
Establishes a dynamic market
Total value (estimated)
- £4,300,000 excluding VAT
- £5,160,000 including VAT Below the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2032
- Possible extension to 31 December 2034
- 8 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
Software package and information systems
Support services of personal computers
IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
Engagement
Engagement deadline
8 May 2026
Engagement process description
The Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI), in preparation for a procurement
process, wish to engage with the market to seek supplier views and feedback on potential
approaches for an Online Payment System.
Suppliers who wish to participate in the pre market engagement exercise should complete
the pre-market engagement questionnaire on eTendersNI under the CfT CA Unique ID
EANI-5236.
Further information including the questionnaire can be downloaded from the CfT
Documents section of the project on eTendersNI. Suppliers also have the opportunity to
submit queries regarding the project via the eTendersNI messaging function.
The questionnaire must be completed and submitted no later than 3 pm 08th May 2026
There are no documents to be completed other than the questionnaire.
Any information gathered through this market consultation exercise will inform internal
business planning and any possible subsequent procurement process and will NOT be
appraised in any future tender evaluation exercise. Please note that participation or
nonparticipation in this preliminary market consultation exercise shall not prevent any
supplier from participating in any potential procurement process, nor is it intended that any information supplied shall place any supplier at an advantage or disadvantage in any
forthcoming procurement process.
For the avoidance of doubt, this is the scoping phase of the project and is not part of a
formal procurement process.
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Contracting authority
the Education Authority
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PPHJ-6982-JPXY 40 Academy Street
Belfast
BT1 2NQ
United Kingdom
Email: EdiS.procurement@eani.org.uk
Website: http://www.eani.org.uk
Region: UKN06 - Belfast
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
Devolved regulations that apply: Northern Ireland
Named provisions
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