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Ambient Listening Technology

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

31 Jul 2026 at 10:38

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Greater Manchester Combined Authority, acting for Greater Manchester Police, is exploring an ambient listening technology solution for the Force Critical Incident Manager during major incidents and other situations where it may be needed. The service would provide AI-enabled ambient audio recording, voice recognition, transcription and scribing, with associated software development and interactive voice capabilities. It may also involve typing, word-processing and desktop publishing services (CPV 79550000). The work is categorised as services and is intended for delivery in Greater Manchester. Suppliers should be prepared to support operational policing use, capturing and converting spoken information into usable records during critical incidents. The requirement is intended to combine technology and service capability rather than a standalone general-purpose software purchase.

This procurement is at the planning stage and is currently a market-engagement exercise, not an invitation to tender. Greater Manchester Combined Authority expects to use the responses to understand available solutions, develop the final specification and decide the most appropriate route to market. The engagement is scheduled to run until 21 August 2026. The planned requirement is divided into one lot, with an anticipated contract period from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2028 and an option extending the maximum period to 31 October 2030. The lot is marked as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The procurement is above the relevant threshold. A questionnaire is being used to gather supplier information before any formal procurement process.

The planned requirement should suit suppliers that can combine secure ambient audio capture, speech recognition, transcription and AI-assisted scribing with dependable software development and integration capability. Relevant businesses may include technology providers, specialist systems integrators, voice-recognition and interactive voice-response developers, and service providers with experienced transcription or document-production teams. Suppliers should be able to explain how their solution would support a Force Critical Incident Manager during major incidents, including the practical handling of continuous or event-based recording and the production of accurate, usable records. The market engagement is an opportunity for businesses, including SMEs, to shape the future specification by sharing information about available solutions, implementation approaches and the capabilities they could provide when the formal procurement begins.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Ambient Listening Technology

Notice Description

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), as the contracting authority for Greater Manchester Police, would like to hear from Suppliers willing to share information about possible options for an Ambient Listening Technology Solution, with general AI-enabled ambient recording and scribing capabilities to support the Force Critical Incident Manager (FCIM) during major incidents or other instances where the technology may be required.

Planning Information

Prior to any procurement process, GMP is undertaking a period of market engagement. Interested parties are invited to complete the short questionnaire included in this document, which will allow GMP to better understand the current market and assist the Force in the development of the final specification and most appropriate route to market. Expressions of interest, and requests to complete the questionnaire can be made by contacting Chris Garner via email at christopher.garner@gmp.police.uk. Clarifications may also be sought via the same address. Please quote reference A1338 on all correspondence. It should be noted that tender documents have not yet been issued for this contract. The full specification will be made available at that start of any formal procurement process.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d87a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072571-2026
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
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems

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

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

CPV Codes

48314000 - Voice recognition software package

48317000 - Word-processing software package

72212314 - Voice recognition software development services

72212512 - Interactive voice response software development services

79550000 - Typing, word-processing and desktop publishing services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Nov 2026 - 31 Oct 2028 2-3 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
Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MANCHESTER
Postcode
M1 6EU
Postcode Area
Manchester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD33 Manchester
Delivery Location
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Local Authority
Manchester
Electoral Ward
Deansgate
Westminster Constituency
Manchester Central

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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