Official UK procurement notice
GOV Voice · UK public procurement notice
Authority: Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Gov Voice programme, led by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is focused on establishing a cross-government, AI-enabled voice capability to modernise how citizens interact with public sector contact services. It centres on deploying generative AI voice technology as a core component of a more integrated and consistent approach to service delivery across organisations.
A key aim of the programme is to enhance the overall citizen experience by enabling automated handling of routine enquiries. This approach is designed to reduce wait times, improve accessibility, and provide quicker resolutions for common queries, supporting a more responsive interface with government services.
Alongside these user benefits, the programme introduces a reusable and scalable platform that can be adopted across multiple organisations. By providing a centrally assured solution, it reduces duplication of effort and enables a more efficient, coordinated model for delivering voice-based services at scale.
Crucially, while led centrally, Gov Voice is intended to be applicable across the whole public sector landscape, enabling adoption by central government departments, local government organisations, and Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) to provide a consistent, interoperable voice capability that can operate securely within government environments and scale across multiple services.
- How the procedure runs: This procurement is a competitive flexible procedure under Section 20 of the Procurement Act 2023. The process has been specifically designed to consists of two stages. The two stages are set out below. Stage 1: Suppliers are asked to respond to the Conditions of Participation (CoP), which will constitute a request to participate in this procurement process. Bidders will be issued with a PSQ including instructions and a set of questions which are to demonstrate bidders': - Compliance - Supply chain approach - Financial capacity - Legal capacity - Security and Data Protection compliance -Conflicts of Interest -Technical ability Responses to all questions will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria. The evaluation criteria for the CoP is set out in the document titled " Stage 1 Procurement Selection Questionnaire". DSIT intends to invite up to three (three) of the highest-scoring suppliers, following evaluation of their CoP responses, to submit initial tenders for this procurement. Stage 2: Those Suppliers (top 3) who have been shortlisted following the conclusion of stage 1 will be invited to to stage 2 invitation tender which comprises of 3 main components which includes Product Evaluation, Written Technical Response and a Commercial Submission. The Product Evaluation is hands-on product evaluation within a sandbox environment using synthetic data, enabling the Authority to directly test and score real-world performance, functionality, and scalability of each solution. For the Technical Response bidders will be required a written response to a number of pre-defined questions which will be provided at stage 2. The commercial submission requires suppliers to submit scenario-based pricing and detailed cost breakdowns, with scores calculated proportionally against competing bids to assess overall value for money which will also be provided at stage 2. Award Criteria Award Criteria will be set out in the 'Stage 1 - Procurement Selection Questionnaire'.
CPV: IT software package · Interactive voice response software package
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£9,000,000
- Condition of participationshortlisting
Stage 1 assesses whether suppliers are suitable and capable of participating in the procurement through completion of the Procurement Selection Questionnaire (PSQ).
The criteria comprise:
Mandatory Requirements (Pass/Fail):
Suppliers must demonstrate compliance with essential baseline requirements to remain in the process.
Technical Capability Assessment (Scored):
Suppliers are evaluated on their ability to deliver Gov Voice through responses covering:
Relevant case studies and experience
Voice AI capability
Platform, deployment and integration capability
Service capability and delivery model
Further information can be found via the following documents: 'Document 1A - Invitation to Tender - Gov Voice, Document 1B - Stage 1 Procurement Selection Questionnaire Guidance'
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Product Evaluation, Technical Response & Social Value: 70%
- Commercial Response: 30%
Published award criteria (2)
- Product Evaluation, Technical Response & Social Value: All evaluation components are proportionatley weighted out of 100% being the following: Product Evaluation: 60% Written Technical Evaluatuion:30% Social Value: 10% The aggregated scores are combined to produce a final result based on a 70% weighting for quality. These will be evaluated in accordance with the scoring matrices set out in the ITT Please see 'Stage 1: Procurement Specific Questionnaire' for further information
- Commercial Response: All evaluation components for the commercial element are proportionately weighted out of 100%, comprising the following: Scenario-Based Pricing: 50% Commercial Breakdown: 50% The aggregated scores are combined to produce a final result based on a 30% weighting for commercial (price), forming part of the overall evaluation of the Most Advantageous Tender. These will be evaluated in accordance with the scoring matrices set out in the ITT Please see 'Stage 1: Procurement Specific Questionnaire' for further information
- Condition of participationshortlisting
Stage 1 assesses whether suppliers are suitable and capable of participating in the procurement through completion of the Procurement Selection Questionnaire (PSQ).
The criteria comprise:
Mandatory Requirements (Pass/Fail):
Suppliers must demonstrate compliance with essential baseline requirements to remain in the process.
Technical Capability Assessment (Scored):
Suppliers are evaluated on their ability to deliver Gov Voice through responses covering:
Relevant case studies and experience
Voice AI capability
Platform, deployment and integration capability
Service capability and delivery model
Further information can be found via the following documents: 'Document 1A - Invitation to Tender - Gov Voice, Document 1B - Stage 1 Procurement Selection Questionnaire Guidance'
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- 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
- 16 Feb 2026, 15:09 GMT
- Last source update
- 7 Sept 2026, 14:20 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 30 Jun 2026
- Authority reference
PRJ_6648- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-051014- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06551dFind a Tender
- How it runs
This procurement is a competitive flexible procedure under Section 20 of the Procurement Act 2023. The process has been specifically designed to consists of two stages. The two stages are set out below.
Stage 1: Suppliers are asked to respond to the Conditions of Participation (CoP), which will constitute a request to participate in this procurement process.
Bidders will be issued with a PSQ including instructions and a set of questions which are to demonstrate bidders':
- Compliance
- Supply chain approach
- Financial capacity
- Legal capacity
- Security and Data Protection compliance
-Conflicts of Interest
-Technical ability
Responses to all questions will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria.
The evaluation criteria for the CoP is set out in the document titled " Stage 1 Procurement Selection Questionnaire".
DSIT intends to invite up to three (three) of the highest-scoring suppliers, following evaluation of their CoP responses, to submit initial tenders for this procurement.
Stage 2: Those Suppliers (top 3) who have been shortlisted following the conclusion of stage 1 will be invited to to stage 2 invitation tender which comprises of 3 main components which includes Product Evaluation, Written Technical Response and a Commercial Submission. The Product Evaluation is hands-on product evaluation within a sandbox environment using synthetic data, enabling the Authority to directly test and score real-world performance, functionality, and scalability of each solution. For the Technical Response bidders will be required a written response to a number of pre-defined questions which will be provided at stage 2. The commercial submission requires suppliers to submit scenario-based pricing and detailed cost breakdowns, with scores calculated proportionally against competing bids to assess overall value for money which will also be provided at stage 2.
Award Criteria
Award Criteria will be set out in the 'Stage 1 - Procurement Selection Questionnaire'.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 23 Jun 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission deadline
- 23 Jun 2026, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 16 Jun 2026, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
16 Feb 2026 → 14 Sept 2026 · 9 dates- Planning notice published251 days ago16 Feb 2026, 15:09 GMT
- Market engagement237 days ago2 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
Organisations interest in participating in this pre-market engagement must contact [email protected] to access the pre-market engagement document.
Organisation participating will be required to submit a response to the Departments Questionnaire by 12:00 Noon Monday 2nd March 2026.
- Tender notice published149 days ago29 May 2026, 16:34 BST
- Clarification questions by131 days ago16 Jun 2026, 17:00 BST
- Submission deadline124 days ago23 Jun 2026, 12:00 BST
- Award decision expected by117 days ago30 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
- Assessment summaries sent49 days ago7 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published48 days ago7 Sept 2026, 14:20 BST
- Contract starts42 days ago14 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
7 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 16 Feb 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published16 Feb 2026, 15:09 GMTUK2
- Tender notice published29 May 2026, 16:34 BSTUK4
- Published value updated to £9,000,00029 May 2026, 16:34 BSTwas £1
- Status changed to active29 May 2026, 16:34 BST
- Procurement method changed29 May 2026, 16:34 BST
- Contract award notice published7 Sept 2026, 14:20 BSTUK6
- Contract signature expected18 Sept 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eleven Labs18 Sept 2026 – 17 Sept 2027 · up to 17 Sept 2029Extensions: This contract will be for an inital period of 12 months with extension options of 2 x1 years (24 months); bringing the maximum duration of this agreement to 3 years (36 months) | £9,000,000 | 7 Sept 2026 | Awarded |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- wonEleven Labs · Greater London
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Eleven LabsAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specificationsAccess: All documentation relating to stage 1 and the overall tender can be found via the department procurement portal. Specific Stage 2 documentation will be issued to those organisation which have been shortlisted comprising of the commercial response document and technical response document.
- Bidding documents and specifications
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender