The user manual for BCU says this:

HP BIOS Configuration Utility (BCU) is a free utility that enables you to do the following:
● Read available BIOS settings and their values from a supported desktop, workstation, or notebook
computer
● Set or reset Setup Password on a supported desktop, workstation, or notebook computer
● Replicate BIOS settings across multiple client computers

I'm wondering how you get rid of intel ME and still have the computer work, possibly by modifying the BIOS file with a hex editor. No way BCU would let you disable...