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Crown Commercial Service · Central government
In brief
Crown Commercial Service has announced plans to buy IT and software work. This is an early notice: there is nothing to bid on yet, but it tells you a tender may follow.
The notice does not state a value.
The contract runs for 3 years, starting 1 April 2027.
The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.
Can I win this?
Competition
Usually high: a median of 22 bids per contract for this buyer (from 115 awards in the last 12 months).
What the notice says
GCA is looking to procure a solution which will enable users to complete elements of their procurement journey with increased efficiencies and less complexity. The areas considered for this phase of the initiative focuses on a customer easily raising and refining a requirement, being routed to the most appropriate buying channel and then developing the relevant procurement documentation but reducing the manual effort currently associated with doing so. The overall aim is to improve customer experience and help them make more informed and compliant decisions earlier in the procurement journey. This should encourage the uptake of GCA products, too. Example outcomes of this solution include:…Read the full description
GCA is looking to procure a solution which will enable users to complete elements of their procurement journey with increased efficiencies and less complexity.
The areas considered for this phase of the initiative focuses on a customer easily raising and refining a requirement, being routed to the most appropriate buying channel and then developing the relevant procurement documentation but reducing the manual effort currently associated with doing so.
The overall aim is to improve customer experience and help them make more informed and compliant decisions earlier in the procurement journey. This should encourage the uptake of GCA products, too.
Example outcomes of this solution include:
1. Understanding buyer needs
2. Recommending appropriate procurement routes
3. Supporting the creation of procurement documentation
4. Embedding compliance and policy guidance
5. Generating structured procurement data
This solution needs to seamlessly integrate with the wider GCA digital ecosystem and align with government digital, security, accessibility and data governance standards (GDS, WCAG 2.2)
Solution design is flexible, the aim is to maintain a coherent customer journey regardless of which process stages across it are affected or improved by this initiative.
This notice and the upcoming market engagement exercise seeks supplier feedback on existing market capabilities, delivery approaches, commercial models, and other key considerations such as the maturity of technology available today.
Update - The core objective remains the automation of the initial stages of the procurement journey through a digital solution, including guiding customers to the correct commercial agreement to meet their needs and guided bid pack document assembly. We would like to formally thank the suppliers who participated in our earlier engagement sessions; your insights were instrumental in refining the procurement strategy and aligning it with market capabilities.
Due to the integrated nature of the requirements, the GCA encourages interested suppliers to begin internal evaluations regarding their delivery and supply chain models.
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.
Timeline
- Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 084981-2025
- Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 040848-2026
About the buyer
Crown Commercial ServiceLast 12 months
Procurements
70Awards
31Suppliers it has used most for IT and software
- Withheld Section94 supplier8 contracts
- Deloitte LLP6 contracts
- Ove Arup & Partners Ltd6 contracts
- Pricewaterhousecoopers LLP6 contracts
- Accenture UK Ltd5 contracts
Similar open tenders
All open IT and software tenders- £82kestimated
- £8bnframework ceiling
- £4mframework ceiling
- £29.9mestimated
- £250kestimated
From notice 084981-2025 on Find a Tender, first published 19 December 2025, last updated 5 May 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.