ME bios sync - get redirection features state error

I see this error during the boot process of my Precision 5520. It is displayed along with the Dell logo before the laptop starts booting the OS (Windows 10 Pro).

"ME bios sync - get redirection features state error"

I purchased the laptop refurbished and it has done it since I first powered it on. When I got it the BIOS version was 1.7.1. The error has persisted through each subsequent version (now running 1.11.0).

It seems to be purely cosmetic. The laptop boots and runs Windows fine. I wonder if the boot process would be quicker without the error, but it is really just an annoyance that I cannot seem to figure out.

As far as I can tell it is related to the Intel Management Engine. Besides the BIOS updates, I have tried turning off all the features in the BIOS I can think of, and resetting it to factory defaults.

During the boot process I can press Ctrl-P and get a yellow message "Preparing MEBx menu", then nothing happens and Windows boots.

In the system tray utility "Intel Management and Security Status" (blue key in a white circle):

On the General tab under Service Status it says "Small Business Tech: Enabled"

On the Advanced tab under Intel Management Engine Status it says "Status: Unconfigured".

In a browser (tried Firefox and Edge) if I go to localhost:16992 I get redirected to http://localhost:16992/logon.htm with a banner at the top of the page saying "Intel Small Business Technology", then in the frame below it says "Page Not Found" and "Web browser access to Intel Small Business Technology is disabled on this computer, or the page in the address bar is unavailable."

I have considered reverting to a BIOS version prior to 1.7.1, but I am not sure which one to try, and what I would do after downgrading. Could anybody explain what it is trying to do when the error is generated, and what I could do to keep the error from occurring?