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Private Sector Partner (PSP) for the Accelerated capability Environment (ACE)

Home Office

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Implementation

30 Sep 2026 at 17:22

UK9 - Contract Performance Notice
Award

06 Feb 2026 at 14:18

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

12 Dec 2025 at 15:12

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

29 Apr 2025 at 17:11

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Home Office bought a private-sector partner service for its Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE), which brings public and private-sector expertise together to address public safety, security and other government challenges, particularly through digital and data technologies. The supplier works with the Home Office as a flexible commissioning and delivery partner, managing ACE’s collaborative ecosystem and platform and delivering commissioned challenges while protecting government interests. The service integrates leadership, engagement with government customers, portfolio delivery, innovation and enabling functions as one solution. Other government departments and authorities may use the arrangement where they have an agreement with the Home Office. Most delivery is expected in the United Kingdom, with international support possible. The requirement is for services spanning programme delivery, innovation and technology consulting.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to PA Consulting Services Limited, with the contract signed on 8 January 2026. It covers a single integrated service under a competitive flexible procedure. The awarded contract value is £16.5 million excluding VAT (£19.8 million including VAT). The contract runs from 8 January 2026 to 7 January 2029, with two optional extensions of up to 12 months each, giving a maximum end date of 7 January 2031. The competition received five valid bids. Evaluation weighted technical quality at 60%, price at 30% and social value at 10%. Technical assessment covered portfolio delivery, leadership, customer engagement, enabling functions and mobilisation; participation also assessed legal and financial capacity and relevant experience. Social value focused on supporting economic growth.

This award shows demand for an integrated partner able to turn government challenges into commissioned work, coordinate a changing network of public and private-sector organisations, and deliver innovation programmes across government. Credible competitors will need strong leadership, customer engagement, portfolio management and mobilisation capability, alongside experience using external providers for innovation, collaborating with stakeholders and managing multi-organisation delivery and implementation. The model calls for flexible capacity across digital, data and other technology-led work, with the ability to support UK delivery and, when required, international activity. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate sound financial and legal standing, provide transparent financial reporting and evidence measurable outcomes, including customer value, economic growth and social value. Small and medium-sized businesses were considered suitable, and two SMEs reached the final stage of this competition.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Private Sector Partner (PSP) for the Accelerated capability Environment (ACE)

Notice Description

This Tender Notice outlines the Home Offices intent to award a contract to deliver this requirement following a competitive procurement. The Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) solves public safety and security challenges by bringing together the best of public and private sector capabilities, especially new digital and data technologies. The Private Sector Partner requirement is for a supplier to work closely with the Authority, to act as a flexible commissioning and delivery partner with responsibility for the dynamic ecosystem and collaboration platform (physical and virtual), to deliver commissioned ACE customer requirements (challenges or problem statements) and jointly protect HMG interests. It should be noted that the ACE capability operates across HMG and Authorities other than the Home Office may access this agreement providing there is a memorandum of understanding in place for ACE services between the Home Office and the respective HMG organisation. Commissions may or may not be limited to public safety and security challenges. It is anticipated that the majority of services will be delivered within the United Kingdom however the Authority may require the private sector delivery partner to support international delivery if required. Annual commissions will vary during the term of the contract based upon HMG demand. Such commissions are not guaranteed and historically as per the published ACE annual reviews these have ranged from ~PS29m-PS49m. Market engagement has taken place for this opportunity with engagement calls on the 18th December 2024 and 30th January 2025. A face to face session was held at the Home Office on the 4th March 2025. Notices (025731-2024 & 035036-2024) were issued as part of transitional arrangements from PCR2015 to PA23. The engagements provided opportunities for interested parties to understand more on ACE and the private sector partner service as well as the procurement process. The service is required to integrate the following key functions of leadership, mission engagement, portfolio delivery and innovation and enablers. The interaction between these and the ACE team within the Home Office make this suitable to be delivered in one lot as an integrated solution. This will provide greater taxpayer value for money through efficiency and consistency in approach. Contract value is set at PS19.8m for consistency with the tender notice but the contract drives to cost neutrality for the Authority. The duration of the initial contract term will be up to 36 months from the date of contract signature, with an option for up to two 12-month extensions making a total potential term of 60 months.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: * Provision of dedicated, longer-term Artificial Intelligence (AI) related technology and data science services, potentially through contract-compliant but separate governance processes, that could constitute some, or even all, of the functions of an "AI Lab" environment for specific customer sets. * Run environments providing access across one or more HMG departments or agencies or to the private sector to data or software libraries (e.g. GitHub-style market-places), potentially charging for use. * Develop and agree joint services with other innovation and technology units and partners across HM government, for example (including but not limited to) NSSIF, DASA and others. * Support to the Authority in the commercialisation of innovations developed through ACE, under previous and new contracts. * Support to the Authority in the development and professionalisation of innovation skills and capabilities across the Authority. The above contract modifications are not currently included in the tender but are current discussions the Authority is having to determine the role that the PSP will play in these circumstances.

Renewal: Two optional extensions of up to 12 months each can be enacted at the Authority's discretion.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-050992
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/092593-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK9 - Contract Performance Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work

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

CPV Codes

45111290 - Primary works for services

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

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£16,500,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£16,500,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£16,500,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
£16,500,000 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
30 Sep 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
12 Dec 202510 months ago
Contract Period
8 Jan 2026 - 7 Jan 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
2030-02-01

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Home Office
Additional Buyers

Home Office is the lead Authority for this contract. Other HMG departments and agencies may use this servcie viua entering an MoU with the Home Office.

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

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1P 4DF
Postcode Area
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

PA CONSULTING SERVICES LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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