Pre paid card system for use with children and young people who are looked after and care leavers

This request for expressions of interest is issued solely for the purpose of conducting market engagement and does not constitute any commitment by the Authority to undertake any procurement exercise in the future. This exercise includes no element of supplier evaluation. No parties will be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to this by the deadline, there is no commitment of any kind involved on either side. This request does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services and the Authority is not bound by any proposal offered. If you are interested in this potential opportunity, then please express an interest by 25th May 2026 at 12:00pm by email to: stephen.barker@somerset.gov.uk and provide responses to the following questions: Core Functionality 1. Please describe your pre paid card solution, including: o Type of card provided o Where and how the card can be used (in store, online, ATM access, etc.) o Availability of contactless and chip and PIN functionality 2. Can cards be issued individually and replaced if lost or stolen? o Please describe the process and timescales. Controls and Safeguarding 1. What controls are available to the Authority, for example: o Spending category or merchant controls o Transaction limits o Temporary suspension or cancellation 2. How does your system support safeguarding and fraud prevention? 3. How does your solution ensure compliance with GDPR and UK data protection requirements? Practitioner Experience 1. Describe the system available to authorised staff, including: • How funds are allocated or topped up • Access to balances and transaction history • User permission controls 2. What training and support do you provide to practitioners? Young Person Experience 1. How do young people access and manage their account (e.g. app, online portal, statements)? 2. How does your solution support financial independence and confidence? 3. What accessibility features are available (e.g. simple language, support needs, digital inclusion)? Implementation and Pilot Delivery 1. What would a typical implementation look like for a local authority pilot? • Onboarding timescales • Card rollout process • Support arrangements Commercial Model (Indicative) 1. Please outline your pricing model 2. Onboarding timescales • Support arrangements • Training/roll out delivery Experience and Case Studies 1. Please provide brief examples of: • Similar services delivered • Outcomes achieved • Lessons learned from pilots or live implementations Thank you