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Critical Minerals - Demand Aggregation Platform

Department for Business and Trade

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

25 Aug 2026 at 12:15

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

25 Aug 2026 at 11:03

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

25 Aug 2026 at 10:59

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

24 Aug 2026 at 16:45

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

28 Jul 2026 at 13:57

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Business & Trade intends to procure a web-based Critical Minerals Demand Aggregation Platform for UK industry. The service will help organisations consolidate and pool demand for critical minerals across industries, support industry-led strategic offtake agreements, and help government and businesses use public finance to catalyse private investment. Expected functionality includes user onboarding and vetting, demand and supply data submission, demand aggregation, buyer-supplier matchmaking and reporting. The platform will include a pilot to test the proof of concept and operating model. Its design and operation will need to support robust governance, security management, continuous improvement and clear data management. This is an information technology service for delivery in the United Kingdom.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the buyer has announced an intention to procure, but has not yet invited tenders. The expected procurement route has not been set out. The planned contract is for one lot, with an indicative term from 1 March 2027 to 1 March 2031. The estimated value is £4,166,666.67 excluding VAT and £5,000,000 including VAT. The buyer expects to publish a further notice by 5 October 2026. Preliminary market engagement includes a supplier webinar on 17 September 2026; suppliers are expected to register interest by 14 September 2026. Written responses will be invited after the webinar, with the engagement process scheduled to conclude on 2 October 2026. The requirement is above the relevant threshold.

The work is suited to technology suppliers, including small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community or social enterprises, with experience delivering secure, scalable web platforms. Relevant capability includes designing user onboarding and vetting, managing sensitive demand and supply data, developing aggregation and matching tools, and producing useful reports for government and industry stakeholders. Suppliers should be prepared to demonstrate strong governance, information security, data management, interoperability and continuous improvement. The platform must comply with competition law, data protection legislation and international trade regulations, while avoiding features that could enable anti-competitive practices. Experience of piloting digital products, testing operating models, supporting broad participation and screening users effectively would help suppliers prepare for the future competition and engagement process.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Critical Minerals - Demand Aggregation Platform

Notice Description

A new web-based platform to help UK industry consolidate and pool its critical mineral demand across different industries, facilitate industry-led strategic offtake agreements, and help industry and Government to make better use of UK public finance to catalyse private investment. The expectation is that the Platform will feature user onboarding and vetting, demand and supply data submission, demand aggregation, matchmaking, and reporting functionalities, with a pilot stage to test proof of concept and operating model. Suppliers must consider robust governance, security management, continuous improvement, clear data management policies, and compliance with legal frameworks, including competition law, data protection legislation, and international trade regulations. Platform design must not enable anti-competitive practices. The success of any proposed solution will be measured by comprehensive screening, broad sector participation and engagement, effective buyer-supplier matches, and regular insightful reporting to government and industry stakeholders. For more information, please register for the webinar as per the details below. Upon registration, you will be provided with a Specification of Requirements (SoR) document, that outlines the initial thinking in further detail.

Planning Information

The Authority will undertake a structured engagement process with suppliers to better understand the market's capability to deliver a Critical Minerals Demand Aggregation Platform. Engagement activities will seek feedback on potential technical solutions, implementation approaches, commercial models, data requirements, security considerations, scalability, interoperability and opportunities for innovation. Suppliers will be invited to participate in a market engagement webinar on 17/09/2026, during which the Authority will provide an overview of the programme objectives, the proposed requirements and the outcomes the platform is expected to support. Suppliers will have the opportunity to raise questions and seek clarification on the Authority's current thinking. Following the webinar, suppliers will be invited to provide written responses to a series of questions. The Authority will review and analyse responses to test assumptions, identify potential risks and constraints, understand market maturity and capability, and gather views on the most appropriate delivery approaches. The feedback received will be used to help refine the requirements, inform the procurement and commercial strategy, strengthen the specification and ensure that any future procurement is designed in a way that reflects current market capability and encourages effective competition. All engagement activities will be conducted in a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory manner, and participation in the engagement process will not form part of any future evaluation exercise. Following review of webinar discussions and written responses, the Authority may, at its discretion, invite selected participants to take part in further engagement activities where additional clarification or exploration of particular topics would be beneficial. To express interest in attending the event and to receive joining instructions, please RSVP by 14/09/2026 to commercialddat@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Upon registering we will also provide a high-level Specification of Requirements for your review ahead of the webinar

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d550
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080805-2026
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
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

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
£4,166,666 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
5 Oct 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Mar 2027 - 1 Mar 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department for Business and Trade
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
SW1A 2DY
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

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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