Award

FCP: Rural Payments Service Continuity Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

17 Mar 2025 at 11:25

Tender

31 Jul 2024 at 15:01

Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) initiated a procurement process to secure an agreement for the Rural Payments Service Continuity Project, which aims to support, maintain, and develop the existing ABACO Agri application for up to three years. This is part of the Farming Countryside Programme (FCP), a significant initiative that will eventually migrate to a new digital solution. The procurement falls under the industry category of IT services; consulting, software development, Internet, and support, and it targets services that sustain thriving rural communities and environments within the UK. The procurement method is an open procedure, with a tender process active since 31st July 2024. Interested parties must submit bids electronically by 30th August 2024, with a contract period spanning from 1st February 2025 to 31st January 2028.

This tender presents considerable business growth opportunities for companies specialising in IT services, particularly those experienced in digital agriculture and rural payments systems. Firms with strong technical acumen, sustainable practices, and competitive commercial offerings stand to benefit. The contract value is £27,000,000, and businesses can leverage their capabilities to support Defra’s digital strategy while contributing to the improvement of rural economies and environmental protection. The successful contractor, ABACO(UK) LIMITED, demonstrates the lucrative nature of such tenders, highlighting the potential for businesses committed to excellence in service delivery and innovation within the environmental and agricultural technology sectors.

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Notice Title

FCP: Rural Payments Service Continuity Project

Notice Description

Defra is responsible for responsible for improving and protecting the environment. We aim to grow a green economy and sustain thriving rural communities. We also support our world-leading food, farming and fishing industries. For further information please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs<br/><br/>The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. We pay out over PS2 billion each year to support a thriving farming and food sector, supporting agricultural and rural communities to create a better place to live. The Rural Payments service (RPS) is Defra's online registration system for farmers, animal keepers and rural traders and businesses.<br/><br/>At its core is the payments policy and rules engine application ABACO Agri (previously known as SITI Agri). This has been developed over a number of years and delivers > 80% of the large, complex, reoccurring land-based grants/schemes offered by Defra such as Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), Countryside Stewardship (CS), Combined Offer (CO), Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) among others for more than 90,000 farmers.<br/><br/>As part of Defra's digital strategy this application will be replaced with a new solution/service as part of the Farming Countryside Programme (FCP) that is also delivering major policy changes over the next few years.<br/><br/>To provide sufficient time to implement, transition and migrate to a new solution/service, the Authority requires a contract for the support, maintenance and development of schemes/grants on Defra's existing deployment of ABACO Agri for up to 3 years.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Defra is responsible for responsible for improving and protecting the environment. We aim to grow a green economy and sustain thriving rural communities. We also support our world-leading food, farming and fishing industries. For further information please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. We pay out over PS2 billion each year to support a thriving farming and food sector, supporting agricultural and rural communities to create a better place to live. The Rural Payments service (RPS) is Defra's online registration system for farmers, animal keepers and rural traders and businesses.

At its core is the payments policy and rules engine application ABACO Agri (previously known as SITI Agri). This has been developed over a number of years and delivers > 80% of the large, complex, reoccurring land-based grants/schemes offered by Defra such as Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), Countryside Stewardship (CS), Combined Offer (CO), Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) among others for more than 90,000 farmers.

As part of Defra's digital strategy this application will be replaced with a new solution/service as part of the Farming Countryside Programme (FCP) that is also delivering major policy changes over the next few years.

To provide sufficient time to implement, transition and migrate to a new solution/service, the Authority requires a contract for the support, maintenance and development of schemes/grants on Defra's existing deployment of ABACO Agri for up to 3 years.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-048671
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009603-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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


CPV Codes

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£27,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£27,000,000 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Mar 202511 months ago
Submission Deadline
30 Aug 2024Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
31 Oct 20241 years ago
Contract Period
1 Feb 2025 - 31 Jan 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Additional Buyers

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS (DEFRA NETWORK ETENDERING PORTAL)

Contact Name
Navid Ghamsari
Contact Email
navid.ghamsari@defra.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1P 4DF
Post Town
South West London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ABACO(UK

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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