Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) and Customer Communications Solution

{
  "id": "064806-2026",
  "tag": [
    "planning"
  ],
  "date": "2026-07-09T15:09:56+01:00",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06c7bc",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-PPON-PVMW-8599-JZNJ",
    "name": "HM Revenue & Customs"
  },
  "tender": {
    "id": "SR2970440877",
    "lots": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "status": "planning",
        "hasRenewal": true,
        "contractPeriod": {
          "endDate": "2033-10-01T23:59:59+01:00",
          "startDate": "2028-10-01T00:00:00+01:00",
          "maxExtentDate": "2035-10-01T23:59:59+01:00"
        }
      }
    ],
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "relatedLot": "1",
        "deliveryAddresses": [
          {
            "region": "UK",
            "country": "GB",
            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
          }
        ],
        "additionalClassifications": [
          {
            "id": "48000000",
            "scheme": "CPV",
            "description": "Software package and information systems"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "title": "Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) and Customer Communications Solution",
    "status": "planning",
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "2023/54",
      "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents",
      "scheme": "UKPGA"
    },
    "description": "HMRC is undertaking preliminary market engagement to better understand the current market capability, service models, technologies, commercial approaches and future innovation available for the provision of a multi channel customer communications platform.\nThe engagement is intended to inform HMRC's future commercial strategy and potential procurement approach. It does not constitute a call for competition, procurement exercise, pre-qualification process or commitment to procure any goods or services. Participation in this engagement will not provide any advantage or disadvantage in any future procurement process. \nBackground\nHMRC currently uses email and mobile messaging channels, including SMS, RCS Basic and RCS, to communicate with customers through a Communications Platform as a Service solution.\nThe service supports over 550 million inbound and outbound communications annually, covering both transactional and campaign-based communications. The service includes customer preference management, profile management and contact history capabilities, together with integrations across HMRC's broader technology estate. \nHMRC wishes to engage with suppliers to understand current market capabilities and emerging developments that could support future requirements in customer communications, engagement, automation and channel management. \nObjectives of Market Engagement\nHMRC intends to use this market engagement to:\n•\tValidate whether Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) remains the most appropriate market model.\n•\tUnderstand available delivery models and platform architectures.\n•\tAssess supplier capability, experience and market maturity.\n•\tUnderstand future technology roadmaps and innovation opportunities.\n•\tExplore approaches to AI, automation and communications optimisation.\n•\tUnderstand integration options and interoperability with enterprise systems.\n•\tExplore customer preference management and customer profile capabilities.\n•\tUnderstand security, accessibility and compliance approaches.\n•\tUnderstand pricing and commercial models.\n•\tBetter understand transition, onboarding and exit approaches for services of HMRC's scale. \nIndicative Scope\nHMRC is interested in receiving information regarding services and capabilities including:\n1.\tCommunications Channels\n•\tEmail\n•\tSMS\n•\tRCS Basic\n•\tRich Communication Services (RCS)\n•\tEmerging and future customer communication channels\n•\tMulti-channel communication orchestration and journey management\n2.\tCustomer Communications Platform\n•\tCampaign management\n•\tTemplate and content management\n•\tCommunications deployment and scheduling\n•\tTraffic management and throughput controls\n•\tReporting and analytics\n•\tCustomer profile management\n•\tPreference management\n•\tCustomer-facing preference portals\n3.\tPlatform Integration\n•\tAPIs\n•\tEvent-driven integrations\n•\tWebhooks\n•\tBatch and file transfer interfaces\n•\tEnterprise integration patterns\n4.\tSecurity and Compliance\n•\tData residency and sovereignty\n•\tIdentity and access management\n•\tFraud prevention\n•\tAuditability and assurance\n•\tAccessibility compliance\n•\tData retention and deletion controls\n5.\tService Delivery\n•\tService management\n•\tPerformance management\n•\tTesting environments\n•\tService transition\n•\tExit management\n•\tTraining and adoption support\n6.\tCommercial Models\n•\tLicensing models\n•\tService charging mechanisms\n•\tTransactional charging models\n•\tPricing review mechanisms and value for money approaches\nAll requirements remain subject to change following market engagement findings. \nMarket Engagement Questions\nHMRC may invite suppliers to provide information covering topics including:\n1.\tService and Market Capability\n•\tMarket positioning, scale and experience.\n•\tComparable public and private sector customers.\n•\tNative and third-party channel support.\n•\tUnified platform capabilities.\n•\tFuture channel roadmap.\n2.\tInnovation and AI\n•\tInnovation approaches.\n•\tContinuous improvement models.\n•\tAI capabilities.\n•\tAI governance and assurance controls.\n3.\tCustomer Communications Management\n•\tTemplate management.\n•\tPersonalisation.\n•\tJourney orchestration.\n•\tRich content support.\n•\tEngagement tracking and analytics.\n4.\tDeployment and Throughput\n•\tTraffic prioritisation.\n•\tThroughput management.\n•\tBurst capacity handling.\n•\tCommunication scheduling and suppression controls.\n5.\tData and Reporting\n•\tCustomer profile management.\n•\tContact history management.\n•\tReporting and analytics capabilities.\n•\tData lifecycle management.\n6.\tPreference Management\n•\tSubscription management.\n•\tCustomer preference portal capabilities.\n•\tAuthentication and customer identity controls.\n7.\tSecurity and Accessibility\n•\tSecurity certifications.\n•\tData protection controls.\n•\tFraud detection and prevention.\n•\tAccessibility standards and testing approaches.\n8.\tTransition and Commercial Models\n•\tMigration methodologies.\n•\tService transition timescales.\n•\tExit planning.\n•\tPricing and charging models.\n•\tLicensing approaches.\nThese topics are intended to inform HMRC's understanding of current market capability and future options and should not be interpreted as final requirements. \nParticipation\nHMRC may engage suppliers through one or more of the following methods:\n•\tWritten responses.\n•\tSupplier questionnaires.\nHMRC will conduct engagement activities in a transparent and equitable manner and will ensure that no supplier receives an unfair advantage from participation. \nImportant Information\n•\tThis notice is issued solely for market engagement purposes.\n•\tNo procurement procedure has commenced.\n•\tNo contract will be awarded as a result of this market engagement.\n•\tParticipation is voluntary.\n•\tSuppliers that do not participate will not be excluded from any future procurement.\n•\tAny future procurement will be advertised separately through the appropriate procurement channels.",
    "aboveThreshold": true,
    "mainProcurementCategory": "goods"
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-PPON-PVMW-8599-JZNJ",
      "name": "HM Revenue & Customs",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKI32",
        "country": "GB",
        "locality": "London",
        "postalCode": "SW1A 2BQ",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "100 Parliament Street"
      },
      "details": {
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment",
            "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Public authority - central government"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "id": "PVMW-8599-JZNJ",
        "scheme": "GB-PPON"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "hmrcsupportsapariba@hmrc.gov.uk"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "planning": {
    "documents": [
      {
        "id": "064806-2026",
        "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/064806-2026",
        "format": "text/html",
        "noticeType": "UK2",
        "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
        "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
        "datePublished": "2026-07-09T15:09:56+01:00"
      }
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "id": "engagement",
        "type": "engagement",
        "status": "scheduled",
        "dueDate": "2026-09-04T23:59:59+01:00",
        "description": "To submit Expressions of Interest, please contact \nMarcus.Kauffmann@HMRC.gov.uk with the following information:\n1.\tYour organisation's HMRC SAP Ariba account ID\n2.\tYour organisation's name\n3.\tYour name\n4.\tYour email address\n5.\tYour telephone number \nIf you do not currently have access, please register here: http://hmrc.sourcing-eu.ariba.com/ad/selfRegistration\nOur intention is to open the RFI event on Monday 3rd of August and you will receive a system generated email confirming access to the online questionnaire. \nIf you have not had any updates, and you have not received the invite [after first checking your spam in-box] by Tuesday 04 of August  please contact me direct using my contact details below.\nPreviously registered users having difficulty recovering their account ID number or identifying users within their organisation should email for assistance HMRC SAP Ariba Support sapariba.hmrcsupport@hmrc.gov.uk.\nAs part of the registration process you will receive a system generated email asking you to activate your SAP Ariba supplier account by verifying your email address. Once you have completed the activation process you will receive a further email by return confirming the 'registration process is now complete' and providing you with 'your organisation's account ID' number.\nIf an email response from HMRC is not received within one working day of your request, please re-contact sapariba.hmrcsupport@hmrc.gov.uk (after first checking your spam in-box) notifying non-receipt and confirming when your registration request was first made.\nIf you have used HMRC's SAP Ariba previously you will be registered as part of HMRC Ariba Supplier network and you should access the system to obtain your organisations account ID number. Contact details on the system should be checked and, where necessary, additional users added to help avoid multiple registrations for the same organisation. \nGeneral information about supplying to HMRC is available on the HMRC website:\nhttps://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/about/procurement"
      }
    ]
  },
  "initiationType": "tender"
}