St. Bartholomew’s CE MAT recognised that their existing system for management information was holding them back. They needed a solution that would modernise processes, support staff and give confidence in compliance. To achieve this, they used Education Buying’s MIS, FMS & Budgeting DPS, which gave them access to leading suppliers through a fully compliant and efficient route to market.
The Trust had clear priorities for the procurement process and the system it would deliver:
Compliance and Governance
The Trust needed a procurement route that fully complied with Public Contracts Regulations. Ensuring transparency, fairness, and auditability was essential to protect the Trust and demonstrate best practice.
Value for Money
Budgets were tight, so the new system had to demonstrate clear financial value. This meant striking the right balance between upfront cost, ongoing support, and long-term system benefits.
Improved Functionality and Usability
Staff were struggling with outdated systems. The Trust wanted a modern MIS that could simplify reporting, improve data management, and provide intuitive tools that would reduce administration time.
Strong Implementation and Support
Smooth transition was key. The Trust wanted a supplier who could handle data migration, training, and gearing-up support without disruption, as well as deliver responsive service and maintenance throughout the contract term.
Social Value Contribution
As part of their wider responsibilities, the Trust also wanted to consider social value — ensuring the chosen supplier demonstrated commitments that aligned with community and sustainability goals.
Outdated and Inefficient Systems
The Trust’s legacy MIS struggled to keep up with the growing needs of their schools. Staff were facing manual workarounds, data duplication and slow reporting that hindered decision-making.
Balancing Cost with Quality
Budget pressures meant affordability was critical. However, the Trust also needed assurance that any new system would deliver robust quality, flexibility, and long-term support — not just a short-term saving.
Limited Internal Capacity
Running a procurement of this scale requires significant time and expertise. The Trust’s internal team had limited capacity to manage documentation, clarify supplier queries, and ensure every step complied with procurement regulations.
A Compliant and Transparent Route
The procurement was run under Education Buying’s MIS, FMS & Budgeting DPS, giving the Trust access to a compliant, pre-approved pool of suppliers. Using Delta eSourcing ensured a fully auditable trail of documents, clarifications and submissions.
Balanced Evaluation Framework
A 50:50 cost-to-quality weighting ensured the Trust could balance affordability with system performance. Quality scoring covered areas such as implementation, data migration, reporting, support, and future-proofing. This gave bidders the chance to demonstrate both value and capability.
Structured Timetable and Support
The process was managed against a clear timetable, from tender release in April 2025 to evaluation in June and award in July. Education Buying facilitated clarifications, moderated evaluations, and supplier demonstrations to give the Trust a thorough basis for decision-making.
Independent Procurement Expertise
Education Buying provided impartial advice throughout, acting as the procurement specialist while the Trust remained in control of decision-making. This meant the Trust had expert guidance without the administrative burden.
Focus on Future-Proofing and Social Value
Suppliers were assessed on their technology roadmaps and social value commitments, ensuring the chosen solution would both evolve with the Trust and contribute to wider community goals.
After the evaluation process, Bromcom ranked first overall, securing the highest combined score for quality and value. As a result, the Trust awarded Bromcom a three-year contract, with the option to extend for a further two years. The contract was set to commence on 1st January 2026.
By using Education Buying’s Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), the Trust completed a fully compliant procurement process in line with PCR 2015 requirements. The process was transparent, robust, and fair, giving the Trust confidence that all regulatory obligations were met while maintaining clear audit trails throughout.
The procurement also delivered best value for money. The appointed supplier offered a strong balance of competitive pricing and high-quality service, achieving the highest combined scores across both cost and quality criteria. This ensured the Trust did not have to compromise on service standards to protect its budget.
In addition, the Trust benefited from significant efficiency gains. Education Buying’s support reduced the administrative burden on internal teams, saving valuable staff time and resources that could be redirected towards core priorities.
Finally, the Trust selected a supplier well positioned for the future, with a clear technology roadmap and robust ongoing support. This provided reassurance that the solution would remain resilient, adaptable, and capable of meeting the Trust’s evolving needs over the life of the contract.
Chris Dryer
Director of Finance & Operations
