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Provision of an Early Payment Programme

Lancashire County Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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17 Aug 2026 at 12:25

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Lancashire County Council procured an Early Payment Programme as a financial transaction processing and clearing-house service. The programme is intended to support early payment arrangements within the council’s supply chain, requiring a provider able to operate the relevant financial processing service for the council and its suppliers. The work is delivered for Lancashire County Council in the North West of England. This is a services procurement and is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The selected supplier is Oxygen Finance Ltd, based in Birmingham. The requirement is therefore relevant to financial services providers, payment-processing businesses and specialist firms operating early-payment or supply-chain finance programmes for public sector organisations.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded. Lancashire County Council used a direct award from a third-party framework. The tender deadline was 7 August 2026 at 12:00, and the award was made on 10 August 2026. Oxygen Finance Ltd was selected for a contract valued at £1,800,000. The contract period runs from 21 August 2026 to 20 August 2031. The opportunity was evaluated through the framework’s direct-award route; the available information identifies the procurement method but does not set out separate quality or price weightings. The award is active, and the contract covers the Early Payment Programme service for Lancashire County Council.

For a supplier that did not win this procurement, the award demonstrates sustained public-sector demand for specialist early-payment services within a large local authority supply chain. A credible future competitor would need practical capability in financial transaction processing, payment clearing and the operation of early-payment programmes, with the systems and controls needed to process transactions reliably for a council and its suppliers. Relevant experience of supporting public-sector buyers or complex supplier networks would strengthen its position. The procurement was suitable for SMEs, indicating that a specialist provider can compete without needing to be a large generalist financial institution. Firms with demonstrable operational capacity, secure processing arrangements and a clear service model for council suppliers are the closest fit.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of an Early Payment Programme

Notice Description

Provision of an Early Payment Programme

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-df359217-fd5f-48b5-9bae-95b15da931cf
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/470d49ef-53ad-4f7d-abdb-a370e2cb4570
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Other - Direct award from 3rd party framework
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

CPV Codes

66172000 - Financial transaction processing and clearing-house services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,800,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£1,800,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
7 Aug 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
10 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
21 Aug 2026 - 20 Aug 2031 Over 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
Lancashire County Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PRESTON
Postcode
PR1 8XJ
Postcode Area
Preston
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD4 Lancashire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD45 Mid Lancashire
Delivery Location
TLD North West (England)
Local Authority
Preston
Electoral Ward
City Centre
Westminster Constituency
Preston

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Oxygen Finance Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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