Planning

Open Referral Tool

DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

16 Feb 2026 at 10:21

Market Engagement Notice
Planning

13 Feb 2026 at 10:54

Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) has initiated the planning stage for the procurement process titled "Open Referral Tool". This undertaking falls under the industry category of Information Technology Services and targets solution providers across the United Kingdom. The current procurement stage is planning, with a significant milestone being the engagement end date scheduled for 2nd March 2026. As part of the initiation process, the buying organisation, DWP, is conducting market research for off-the-shelf solutions that adhere to the Open Referral UK standard, aimed at storing and managing service information effectively across multiple organisations.

This procurement provides an opportunity for businesses specialising in IT services, specifically those offering compliance with the Open Referral UK standard, to collaborate with a major government department. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been identified as suitable candidates for participation, highlighting potential market growth for innovative tech companies. Businesses excelling in designing scalable, interoperable solutions for service information management may find this tender well-suited to their expertise, enabling them to expand their clientele and influence within the public sector.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Open Referral Tool

Notice Description

The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), referred to as "the Authority", is conducting market research to assess the availability, capability, and indicative costs of off the shelf solutions for storing and managing service information that supports individuals. These solutions must comply with the Open Referral UK standard and be suitable for use across multiple organisations and use cases. This RFI does not commit the DWP to undertaking any formal procurement activity. This notice has also been published on FTS. For further information and details on how to respond to this RFI, please refer to the attachment found on the documents section of the Atamis e-Procurement portal: https://dwp2.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_ContractPage?SearchType=Projects&uid=a1MdO000002h4wrUAA&searchStr=&sortStr=Recently+Published&page=1&filters=&County=

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-5d331f16-c31b-4928-b2de-bcfd1ea9bf2d
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/eafe5e9a-444b-4371-b45d-ba8af66e5155
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

CPV Codes

72222300 - Information technology services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Feb 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
2 Mar 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BLACKPOOL
Postcode
FY4 5ES
Post Town
Blackpool
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD4 Lancashire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD42 Blackpool
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Blackpool
Electoral Ward
Stanley
Westminster Constituency
Blackpool South

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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