Services to increase the number of data protection fee payers

Most of the ICO’s data protection work is funded by organisations who pay a mandatory data protection fee (the “Fee”). The ICO is looking to appoint a supplier to support the delivery of its objective to ensure that all organisations that are required to pay the Fee do so (the “Services”) Following an unsuccessful procurement to appoint a supplier to deliver the Services on a 100% commission basis, the ICO has decided to award a contract (below-threshold) to Quantum Risk Solutions (“Quantum”) to run a 2-month pilot. In the pilot, Quantum will match email addresses with organisations which have not responded to previous postal requests and email those organisations on the ICO’s behalf, referring organisations that are required to pay the Fee to make payment through existing ICO infrastructure. The intention is for the pilot to inform the ICO’s longer term strategy ensuring that all organisations that are required to pay the data protection fee do so and therefore maximising potential fee income. The pilot will be delivered on a hybrid commercial model, with a fixed charge for the acquisition of email data, payment of some fixed delivery charges, with the majority of the charges being paid on commission, on receipt of Fees paid. The pilot will also test whether this model represents value for money for the ICO. Should the pilot be successful, the ICO will invite tenders via an open procedure to provide the Services on a hybrid commercial model for a period of 12 months, with an option to extend for a further 12 months. It is currently expected that the Services will include: a)The acquisition of business email data. b)Prepare and manage the data to ensure organisations contacted are not already registered. c)Analyse the organisations who have not responded to our campaigns, to identify fee payers. d)Use existing and new data sources to contact organisations who are not registered to check on the requirements for them to register. e)Draft and issue communications, using a range of channels, to raise awareness of the need to pay the fee, or to register a valid exception. f)Increase the number of organisations paying the required fee, using established ICO payment channels. g)Provide the ICO with management information on the performance of the Services. The ICO reserves the right to modify this requirement as a result of learnings from the pilot. The pilot is due to finish by December 2024, but an interim report will be included in the Invitation to Tender detailing all learnings to date. These interim findings will be sufficient to indicate whether the pilot has delivered sufficient value to continue with the Services under a longer-term contract. The ICO is proposing use of the Cabinet Office Mid-Tier Contract as a basis for this procurement. Additional information: This is a prior information notice, intended to inform the market of the ICO's plan to procure. If you wish to register your interest, or ask any questions, please contact us at procurement@ico.org.uk