DWP Strategic External Resourcing Programme

{
  "id": "078259-2026",
  "tag": [
    "planning"
  ],
  "date": "2026-08-17T16:26:12+01:00",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06e5ef",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-PPON-PJCP-7274-TLRQ",
    "name": "Department for Work & Pensions"
  },
  "tender": {
    "id": "C10782",
    "lots": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "status": "planning",
        "hasRenewal": true,
        "suitability": {
          "sme": true,
          "vcse": true
        },
        "contractPeriod": {
          "endDate": "2031-10-03T23:59:59+01:00",
          "startDate": "2027-10-04T00:00:00+01:00",
          "maxExtentDate": "2033-10-03T23:59:59+01:00"
        }
      }
    ],
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "relatedLot": "1",
        "additionalClassifications": [
          {
            "id": "72000000",
            "scheme": "CPV",
            "description": "IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "title": "DWP Strategic External Resourcing Programme",
    "value": {
      "amount": 0,
      "currency": "GBP",
      "amountGross": 0
    },
    "status": "planning",
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "2023/54",
      "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents",
      "scheme": "UKPGA"
    },
    "description": "The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department, it administers the State Pension and a range of working age and disability benefits to over 20 million UK citizens. DWP is committed to doing everything it can to enhance the overall citizen experience of our citizens.\nDWP’s Digital & Transformation Group (DTG) plays a central role in delivering DWP’s Strategy for 2030. DTG design, build and run the digital services that support millions of customers across the UK – from finding work to supporting families to retirement and later life. The focus is on making services simpler to use, better joined up, and ready to meet growing demand as customer needs become more complex. DTG is modernising systems and ways of working so customers can get the right help more easily and colleagues have better tools to do their jobs.\nThe Strategic External Resourcing Programme (SERP) is a high-value programme of work to implement a scalable resourcing model that will underpin all long-term DTG augmented resource requirements to enable a strategic shift from reactive and tactical contracting to planned, scalable and flexible-driven resources. The Programme is expected to be in the region of £1bn over multiple years and split across several agreements.\nThe aim is to consolidate the procurement and contract management of external augmented resources to enhance contract compliance, standardise contract management procedures, improve reporting practices and improve overall contract performance.\nSERP is focussed on augmented resource contracts which can provide Digital Specialists and PMO roles, this includes: Engineering, Product & Delivery, User Centred Design, Architecture, Data, Cyber Security, PMO and Artificial Intelligence. The roles will largely align to the Government Digital and Data (GDaD), formally known as Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT), framework which can viewed at - https://ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk/\nIt is to be determined whether any future agreements will be specifically aligned to practice areas, however, it is expected that even if they are, there will also be a requirement for multi-disciplinary agreements covering the entirety, or at least majority, of roles.\nDWP is commencing market engagement to gather insights from suppliers to help shape and inform the direction of SERP. This process intends to facilitate DWP being able to examine the readiness, capacity and capability of all interested potential suppliers.\nDWP’s initial analysis has identified the Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) 7, RM1043.9 framework as the primary route to market. However, this is to be tested as part of the market engagement process and therefore all suppliers who are capable of delivering augmented resources are invited to participate.\nThe aims and objectives for this exercise will be to:\na) Brief interested suppliers on potential future activity within SERP.\nb) Engage with suppliers to better understand:\ni. The potential interest from the supply market\nii. The drivers within the market and how DWP may achieve increased value for money\niii. Potential routes for market for future commercial activity\nIt is expected that procurement activity will take place as part of SERP, however, no specific activity has yet been defined. Instead, following the conclusion of this market engagement exercise, DWP will collate and review the responses received, consider options in the marketplace, review its existing requirements, consider the most appropriate route to market, and update its commercial strategy.\nIf a decision is made to commence a procurement(s) as part of SERP, the relevant notices will be published in accordance with the selected route(s) to market. It is expected that once the relevant procurement(s) have been identified, further market engagement will be undertaken.",
    "communication": {
      "futureNoticeDate": "2027-09-20T23:59:59+01:00"
    },
    "aboveThreshold": true,
    "mainProcurementCategory": "services"
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-PPON-PJCP-7274-TLRQ",
      "name": "Department for Work & Pensions",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKI32",
        "country": "GB",
        "locality": "London",
        "postalCode": "SW1H 9NA",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "Caxton House, 6-12 Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA"
      },
      "details": {
        "url": "https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions",
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment",
            "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Public authority - central government"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "id": "PJCP-7274-TLRQ",
        "scheme": "GB-PPON"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "dwpcommercialstrategicresourcing@dwp.gov.uk"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "planning": {
    "documents": [
      {
        "id": "078259-2026",
        "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078259-2026",
        "format": "text/html",
        "noticeType": "UK2",
        "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
        "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
        "datePublished": "2026-08-17T16:26:12+01:00"
      }
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "id": "engagement",
        "type": "engagement",
        "status": "scheduled",
        "dueDate": "2026-09-11T23:59:59+01:00",
        "description": "DWP wishes to invite interested suppliers to attend an initial market engagement webinar to allow DWP to brief suppliers regarding the Strategic External Resource Programme. These will be held across multiple dates to maximise the opportunity for suppliers to attend, however you need only attend one session. Any questions and responses during the sessions will be captured and shared with all registered suppliers shortly following the conclusion of the sessions. This will be followed by a questionnaire for interested suppliers to complete.\nInterested suppliers should complete the following steps:\n1. Register on the Portal: Suppliers not already registered on DWP’s Atamis Portal should do so here - https://dwp2.my.site.com/ProSpend__eSourcing_Community_Registration?locale=uk\n2. Express Interest on the Portal: Suppliers should navigate to the ‘Find Opportunities’ page, click on the title of the opportunity (‘Strategic External Resourcing Programme - RFI’), and click Register Interest. \n3. Review the RFI and Attend the Webinar: The RFI document will be able to view in the documents area of the opportunity. DWP will host several Meet the Buyer webinars on Microsoft Teams to provide background and context to our requirement and answer any initial questions, these will be held on the following dates:\n1) Tuesday 25th August 2026, 10:00-11:00\n2) Thursday 27th August 2026, 10:30-11:30\n3) Thursday 3rd September 2026, 14:00-15:00\nTo ensure capacity limits are not exceeded, Suppliers should use the ‘Message Centre’ to confirm which date they wish to attend and the contact details of attendees. We request that suppliers limit their participants to two individuals per company. These attendees will then be sent a Microsoft Teams link for the relevant date. Following the webinars, DWP will publish the associated slides and any captured Q&A, as well as a recording of one of the sessions.\n4. Engaging with the RFI: Suppliers are encouraged to participate and be as open and detailed in their responses as possible. Any decision not to participate in this market engagement will not preclude any supplier from participation should the Department decide to proceed with any procurement activity. Nor will any responses prejudice any such exercise. Once registered on the Portal, you will be able to use the ‘Message Centre’ functionality to seek any clarifications. The deadline for questions to be submitted is Monday 7th September 2026, 17:00. In the interests of openness and transparency, anonymised and commercially desensitised Q&A will be shared with all registered suppliers. DWP will aim to respond to all questions received prior to the deadline within a reasonable timeframe for suppliers to factor these answers into their response but, if this is not possible, DWP does not anticipate moving the RFI response deadline.\n5. Responding the RFI: Please upload your response as an attachment within the Requirement Section of the Portal prior to Friday 11th September 2026, 17:00. Submissions must be made using the portal and submitted before the deadline. Please note that the market engagement activity will not be used to formally evaluate suppliers. Any information shared will be for information purposes only to provide insights and inform DWP of market capabilities.  \n6. RFI Follow-Up & One-to-Ones: DWP may request further clarifications of aspect of any of the RFI responses received, and/or engage in further detailed supplier discussions to gather deeper insights. Specifically, DWP may invite some or all of the respondents to discuss their capabilities. Suppliers who have not responded to the RFI will not be invited to a one-to-one session. Should DWP decide to progress with one-to-one sessions, these will be scheduled following review of all of the responses received and confirmation of dates and times will be issued to suppliers as soon as practicable."
      }
    ]
  },
  "initiationType": "tender"
}