Enforcement Improvement Programme - Identity Resolution - Request for Information (RFI)

The Ministry of Justice, through His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), is undertaking preliminary market engagement as part of the Enforcement Improvement Programme.

Criminal Fines Collection and Enforcement (Enforcement) is the part of HMCTS responsible in the main for the collection and enforcement of financial penalties imposed by the criminal courts and the subsequent disbursement of funds. Financial penalties include fines, costs, victim surcharge, and compensation to victims of crime.

The Enforcement Improvement Programme supports the Criminal Fines Collection and Enforcement vision by improving the end-to-end journey for financial penalties.

The current enforcement model is largely manual and report-driven, with activity involving multiple systems and steps. Staff often review reports, gather data from different sources, interpret information and progress cases. Because information can sit across systems, it may be harder to quickly identify linked accounts, track individuals, understand payment behaviour and prioritise cases. Streamlining data and processes would support more efficient decision-making, reduce rework and help target the most effective interventions.

HMCTS is therefore exploring market capability that could improve the quality, reliability and usability of information available to support enforcement activity, including case progression, account linking, traceability, operational prioritisation, workflow and staff decision support.

The purpose of this Request for Information is to improve HMCTS’ understanding of market capability relating to:

• data matching and entity resolution;
• account linking and single person view capability;
• tracing and contact-data enrichment;
• segmentation and prioritisation;
• workflow, rules and operational decision support;
• enforcement intelligence and management information;
• auditability, explainability, assurance and human review controls.

Through this RFI, HMCTS is seeking to better understand:

• available market capability and supplier capacity;
• how relevant capability is normally delivered, for example through software, data services, platforms, managed technical services, APIs, consultancy, integration support or mixed models;
• indicative discovery, proof of concept, implementation and delivery approaches;
• potential routes to market and commercial models;
• legal, data protection, security and information assurance considerations;
• indicative costs and cost drivers, timescales, dependencies and risks.

This RFI is deliberately focused on market capability and delivery evidence. HMCTS is not asking suppliers to design the future enforcement model at this stage.

HMCTS is also not seeking to outsource enforcement operations or statutory decision-making through this RFI. Any future capability would need to support HMCTS processes and operate within appropriate policy controls, staff review, auditability, data protection, security and information assurance arrangements.

This RFI is an evidence-gathering activity to support consideration of future needs. It is not a request for a quotation, proposal or tender, and it should not be treated as a commitment to any future procurement.

This notice relates to preliminary market engagement only. The issuing of this RFI:

• does not constitute a procurement exercise;
• does not commit HMCTS or MoJ to procure any services, software, data, platforms or solutions;
• does not indicate any supplier preference;
• does not create exclusivity or advantage for suppliers who respond;
• does not prevent non-respondents from participating in any future opportunity, should one arise.

Responses will be used solely to inform HMCTS’ understanding of the market, possible future delivery options, business case development, affordability, assurance considerations and potential next-stage routes.