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Tail Spend Solution

Government Commercial Agency

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

22 Jul 2026 at 10:32

Award Notice
AwardUpdate

13 Oct 2025 at 11:48

Award Notice
Award

19 Oct 2021 at 09:33

Award Notice
TenderAmendment

11 Oct 2021 at 10:45

Tender Notice
Tender

04 Jun 2021 at 15:38

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Government Commercial Agency procured a tail-spend solution: a digital marketplace giving public-sector users access to a broad, pre-qualified and dynamic supplier base for ad hoc, low-volume, low-spend purchases. The service covers electronic marketplace retailing and the supply and delivery of a wide range of goods, including stationery and office supplies, computer peripherals and accessories, clothing, footwear, luggage, educational equipment, musical instruments, sports goods, games, toys, handicraft and art materials. It also covers furniture and furnishings, domestic appliances excluding lighting, cleaning products and other miscellaneous items. Delivery is across the United Kingdom. The framework is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

This procurement is complete and was awarded through an open, above-threshold procedure. The award date was 6 October 2021. The selected supplier base comprises successful suppliers listed in the award attachments. The framework award value was £1 billion. The original contract period ran from 6 October 2021 to 25 July 2026 and was extended to 25 January 2027. The extension followed litigation-related delay to the replacement marketplace agreement and relied on Regulation 72(1)(e); the scope remains unchanged. Spend had reached just over £100 million by May 2026, with forecast spend during the extended term not expected to exceed £200 million. The original tender deadline was 12 July 2021 at 3pm.

This opportunity shows sustained public-sector demand for a broad, digitally enabled route to market for miscellaneous goods and low-volume purchases. Relevant competitors would need reliable marketplace and fulfilment capability, access to a wide and flexible supplier network, and the operational capacity to handle varied product categories and deliveries across the United Kingdom. Experience in pre-qualification, catalogue management, ordering, delivery and customer support would be important, as would the ability to serve public-sector users consistently across many small transactions. Suppliers specialising in office products, technology accessories, clothing, furniture, appliances, cleaning products, educational or recreational goods could be well placed, particularly where they can participate in a dynamic multi-supplier model.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Tail Spend Solution

Notice Description

Government Commercial Agency (GCA) procured Tail Spend Solutions to facilitate and manage ad hoc, low volume, low-spend deliverables across the public sector. The Tail Spend Solutions provide end users access to a broad, pre-qualified and dynamic supplier base, capable of offering a wide range of deliverables available for purchase and delivery through a digital marketplace. Deliverables include but are not limited to: Stationery and office supplies, computer peripherals and accessories, clothing, footwear, luggage articles and accessories, educational equipment, musical instruments, sport goods, games, toys, handicraft, art materials and accessories, furniture (incl. office furniture), furnishings, domestic appliances (excl.lighting) and cleaning products and any other miscellaneous deliverables. Additional information: This Framework has been extended; The current expiry date for the solution is 25 July 2026. The new expiry date is 25 January 2027. The justification for the extension is as follows: Litigation has delayed the award of the Marketplace agreement (RM6369) and GCA intends to extend the Tail Spend agreement (RM6202) by 6 months. This extension relies on the safe harbour under Regulation 72(1)(e), as the modification is not 'substantial'. The scope of the framework remains entirely unchanged. While the original value advertised in the Contract Notice was PS1bn, total spend under the agreement as of May 2026 was just over PS100m. Based on current forecasts and the opportunity pipeline, total spend during the extended term is not expected to exceed PS200m-remaining well below the originally advertised financial ceiling

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-af22ce52-00eb-4ad5-a975-68df19649a14
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/08178f68-b4fb-41f7-a957-da45a5846736
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure (above threshold)
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

CPV Codes

66151100 - Electronic marketplace retailing services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,000,000,000 £1B-£10B
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£1,000,000,000 £1B-£10B
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
12 Jul 2021Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
6 Oct 20214 years ago
Contract Period
6 Oct 2021 - 25 Jul 2026 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Government Commercial Agency
Additional Buyers

Crown Commercial Service

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LIVERPOOL
Postcode
L3 9PP
Postcode Area
Liverpool
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD7 Merseyside
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD72 Liverpool
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Liverpool
Electoral Ward
City Centre North
Westminster Constituency
Liverpool Riverside

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

A list of successful suppliers can be found in the attachments a

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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