Planning

ICO Political Monitoring Services

INFORMATION COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

28 Apr 2026 at 12:05

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is currently in the planning stage for procuring political monitoring services, aiming to support various specialist teams with timely updates on political and policy developments across the United Kingdom and internationally. This process is intended to explore market offerings for services such as daily alerts, summaries, and analytical support. The ICO, a sub-central government public authority located in Wilmslow, UK, invites interested suppliers to engage in preliminary market discussions, accessible via Delta eSourcing, with responses due by 19th May 2026. While this stage does not guarantee subsequent procurement, the ICO is assessing options for procurement structure, lotting, and delivery models within the services category.

There are significant growth opportunities in this tender for businesses skilled in services like news-agency operations, public relations consultancy, and the provision of journals or magazines. Companies that can offer tailored solutions with an emphasis on analytical insights and rapid escalation of critical events may find the engagement particularly rewarding. The contract, potentially spanning three years from 1st September 2026, with options for renewal, presents an avenue for media firms, consultancy services, or analytics specialists to collaborate closely with the ICO and expand their footprint in government-related public relations and monitoring sectors.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

ICO Political Monitoring Services

Notice Description

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is undertaking market engagement to inform the potential future procurement of political monitoring services. This work seeks to identify services capable of supporting multiple specialist teams requiring timely and reliable monitoring of political, legislative, and policy developments across the UK, devolved administrations, European Union institutions, and relevant international stakeholders. Services may include core monitoring (e.g. daily alerts and summaries) alongside enhanced analytical support, such as access to analysts, bespoke briefings, and escalation of significant developments. Through this engagement, the ICO aims to: Understand the range of services available in the market; Explore how services are structured, delivered, and priced; Inform decisions on procurement approach, including potential lotting and delivery models. This activity does not commit the ICO to any subsequent procurement. Interested suppliers are invited to review the full market engagement document and submit a response via Delta eSourcing: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/92M8DZJX4W

Planning Information

Interested suppliers are invited to review the full market engagement document and submit a response via Delta eSourcing: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/92M8DZJX4W

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-068cb6
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038551-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

22 - Printed matter and related products

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

22200000 - Newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazines

79416200 - Public relations consultancy services

92400000 - News-agency services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Apr 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
19 May 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Aug 2026 - 31 Aug 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
INFORMATION COMMISSIONER'S 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
WILMSLOW
Postcode
SK9 5AF
Post Town
Stockport
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD6 Cheshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD62 Cheshire East
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Cheshire East
Electoral Ward
Wilmslow West and Chorley
Westminster Constituency
Tatton

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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. 

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-068cb6-2026-04-28T13:05:15+01:00",
    "date": "2026-04-28T13:05:15+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-068cb6",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PMHV-2549-HZYJ",
            "name": "Information Commissioner's Office",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PMHV-2549-HZYJ"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Wycliffe House, Water Lane",
                "locality": "Wilmslow",
                "postalCode": "SK9 5AF",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKD62"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "procurement@ico.org.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PMHV-2549-HZYJ",
        "name": "Information Commissioner's Office"
    },
    "planning": {
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "engagement",
                "type": "engagement",
                "description": "Interested suppliers are invited to review the full market engagement document and submit a response via Delta eSourcing: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/92M8DZJX4W",
                "dueDate": "2026-05-19T23:59:59+01:00",
                "status": "scheduled"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "038551-2026",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038551-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-04-28T13:05:15+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "2024ICO00345",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "ICO Political Monitoring Services",
        "description": "The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is undertaking market engagement to inform the potential future procurement of political monitoring services. This work seeks to identify services capable of supporting multiple specialist teams requiring timely and reliable monitoring of political, legislative, and policy developments across the UK, devolved administrations, European Union institutions, and relevant international stakeholders. Services may include core monitoring (e.g. daily alerts and summaries) alongside enhanced analytical support, such as access to analysts, bespoke briefings, and escalation of significant developments. Through this engagement, the ICO aims to: Understand the range of services available in the market; Explore how services are structured, delivered, and priced; Inform decisions on procurement approach, including potential lotting and delivery models. This activity does not commit the ICO to any subsequent procurement. Interested suppliers are invited to review the full market engagement document and submit a response via Delta eSourcing: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/92M8DZJX4W",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "22200000",
                        "description": "Newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazines"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "79416200",
                        "description": "Public relations consultancy services"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "92400000",
                        "description": "News-agency services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UK",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "aboveThreshold": false,
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2026-09-01T00:00:00+01:00",
                    "endDate": "2029-08-31T23:59:59+01:00",
                    "maxExtentDate": "2031-08-31T23:59:59+01:00"
                },
                "hasRenewal": true,
                "status": "planning"
            }
        ],
        "status": "planning"
    },
    "language": "en"
}