Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice

Published 17 Oct 2025, 16:38 BST

Official UK procurement notice

BSOG Debt Recovery Services

Official notice

Authority: Department for Transport (Central government)

ServicesBelow threshold - open competitionBelow thresholdSME suitableVCSE suitable

Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: UK

Published estimate£100,000≈ £67k / year · £120,000 inc. VAT · 1 value update

Submissions closed 8 Jan 2026awarded 16 Mar 2026

Awarded to SMITHS (SOLICITORS) LLP, Smith (Solicitors) LLP t/a Smith Partnership2 awards

Contract term 1 yr 6 moends 1 Oct 2027 · up to 1 Apr 2028 with extensions · starts 1 Apr 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The Department for Transport is seeking to contract with experienced debt recovery service providers to support the recovery of public funds from bus operators who have failed to meet the terms and conditions of various government grant schemes.

CPV: Collection agency services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published

Lot #1AwardedRenewal 1 yr 6 moSMEVCSEPublished value£100,000

Contract period: 1 Apr 2026 – 1 Oct 2027 (1 yr 6 mo) · up to 1 Apr 2028 with extensionsValue: £100,000 exc. VAT · £120,000 inc. VAT

Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible

Extensions: With the option to extend for a further maximum period of 6 Months · With the option to extend for a further maximum period of 6 Months

79940000 Collection agency services

Pre-qualification & selection criteria (PQQ)1

Condition of participation
Suppliers will need to submit their tender submission via the e-portal (Jaggaer) before the tender submission deadline, which is 8th January 2026 at 17:00.
If your organisation is not currently registered onto the e-portal platform: In order to submit a bid for this opportunity, you will need to register on the DfT e-sourcing portal via dft.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html ↗
The full suite of tender documentation can be found within the ITT on the e-portal by searching for ‘itt_2884
’ or by following this link; dft.app.jaggaer.com/go/72418746019ABADC6591 ↗

What it takes to win
i
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more

How bids were scored

Lot awarding rule: The Award Criteria are: • 70% Quality • 30% Price

Conditions of participation1

Condition of participation
Suppliers will need to submit their tender submission via the e-portal (Jaggaer) before the tender submission deadline, which is 8th January 2026 at 17:00.
If your organisation is not currently registered onto the e-portal platform: In order to submit a bid for this opportunity, you will need to register on the DfT e-sourcing portal via dft.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html ↗
The full suite of tender documentation can be found within the ITT on the e-portal by searching for ‘itt_2884
’ or by following this link; dft.app.jaggaer.com/go/72418746019ABADC6591 ↗

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record

Procedure method: Below threshold - open competition
Legal basis: UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category: Services
Notice status: Awarded
Procurement threshold: Below threshold
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type: Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered: Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement: Unspecified in notice
First published: 17 Oct 2025, 16:38 BST
Last source update: 14 Apr 2026, 12:40 BST
Authority reference: TPTL3007
FTS notice number: 2025/S 000-076823
Latest notice: Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV): Collection agency services
Delivery area: UK
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05cf3c Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice

Run through: Jaggaer · Who buys & how to bid on JAGGAER

Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowed

Access & registration note: Free; latest Chrome/Edge/Firefox only — corporate browsers fail

Submission deadline: 8 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
Clarification deadline: 12 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
Submission channel: Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission: Allowed

Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Suppliers will need to submit their tender submission via the e-portal (Jaggaer) before the tender submission deadline, which is 8th January 2026 at 17:00.

If your organisation is not currently registered onto the e-portal platform: In order to submit a bid for this opportunity, you will need to register on the DfT e-sourcing portal via dft.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html ↗

The full suite of tender documentation can be found within the ITT on the e-portal by searching for ‘itt_2884

’ or by following this link; dft.app.jaggaer.com/go/72418746019ABADC6591 ↗

Timeline

17 Oct 2025 → 14 Apr 2026 · 8 dates

Planning notice published370 days ago
17 Oct 2025, 16:38 BST
Market engagement352 days ago
3 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
Virtual Supplier Engagement Event Thursday 6th November 2025 11:30 - 12:30 - Please contact [email protected] for information.
Next notice expected338 days ago
17 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
Tender notice published331 days ago
25 Nov 2025, 12:07 GMT
Clarification questions by313 days ago
12 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
Submission deadline286 days ago
8 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
Contract starts205 days ago
1 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
Latest notice published191 days ago
14 Apr 2026, 12:40 BST

Notice history

11 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 17 Oct 2025

Preliminary market engagement notice published
17 Oct 2025, 16:38 BST
UK2
Tender notice published
25 Nov 2025, 12:07 GMT
UK4
Published value published: £100,000
25 Nov 2025, 12:07 GMT
Status changed to active
25 Nov 2025, 12:07 GMT
Procurement method changed
25 Nov 2025, 12:07 GMT
Deadline published: 8 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
25 Nov 2025, 12:07 GMT
Tender notice published
25 Nov 2025, 16:30 GMT
UK4
Contract award notice published
16 Mar 2026, 12:15 GMT
UK6
Status changed to complete
16 Mar 2026, 12:15 GMT
Contract signature expected
27 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
scheduled
Contract details notice published
14 Apr 2026, 12:40 BST
UK7

Routine re-releases (5)

2025-11: 1 release · 25 Nov 2025
2025-10: 1 release · 17 Oct 2025

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Awards 2

Awarded value £100,0001 award exc. VAT

Bids received 3

Contracts signed 1latest 14 Apr 2026

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
SMITHS (SOLICITORS) LLPSME1 Apr 2026 – 1 Oct 2027 · up to 1 Mar 2028Extensions: 6 Month extension	£100,000	16 Mar 2026	Awarded
Smith (Solicitors) LLP t/a Smith Partnership	£100,000 †	—	Awarded

Contracts

BSOG Debt Recovery Services · Smith (Solicitors) LLP t/a Smith Partnership
Signed
14 Apr 2026
Value
£100,000
Period
14 Apr 2026 – 1 Oct 2027 · up to 1 Apr 2028 with extensions
Status
active
Extensions
Optional – 6-month extension – To be confirmed by Buyer using contract variation.

Bid statistics published by the authority

Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
3final-stage tenders	0	0	—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Department for Transport

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PLTC-5358-LTWZ Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London, London, SW1P 4DRContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

2 commercial parties on the notice

SMITHS (SOLICITORS) LLPAwarded supplierGB-PPON: PVZW-9479-VGDV Norman House, Friar gate, Derby, East Midlands, DE1 1NUContact email
Smith (Solicitors) LLP t/a Smith PartnershipAwarded supplier Norman House, Friar Gate,, Derby, East Midlands, DE1 1NUContact email

Official documents & specifications (5)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender14 Apr 2026, 12:40 BST
Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender16 Mar 2026, 12:15 GMT
Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender25 Nov 2025, 16:30 GMT
Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender25 Nov 2025, 12:07 GMT
Preliminary market engagement notice planningPreliminary market engagement noticeUK2Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender17 Oct 2025, 16:38 BST