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Digital Development Partner

The Arts Council of England

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

02 Sep 2026 at 10:48

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

02 Sep 2026 at 10:21

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Arts Council England procured a Digital Development Partner to support its digital and data transformation programme. The requirement covers specialist external support to accelerate delivery, strengthen engineering standards and improve governance. It also includes building sustainable internal capability, so the partner is expected to work alongside Arts Council teams rather than provide a standalone technology product. The service category is digital development and information-technology strategic review and planning services (CPV 72222000). The work supports Arts Council England’s long-term digital objectives and involves the organisation’s wider transformation activity. The appointed supplier is Mphasis UK Limited, a UK-based technology services business. This opportunity is therefore relevant to firms providing digital transformation, software engineering, data, technology strategy, governance and capability-building services to public-sector organisations.

The procurement has been awarded and the tender is complete. It used a competitive selective procedure, with the award made under a framework agreement, and comprised one completed lot. Mphasis UK Limited was awarded the Digital Development Partner contract on 1 September 2026 for £5,000,000 excluding VAT and £6,000,000 including VAT. The contract period runs from 29 September 2026 to 28 September 2029, with a possible renewal of two years and a maximum extent date of 29 September 2029. A contract signature milestone was scheduled for 28 September 2026. The award is active and the procurement was above threshold. The published amendment corrected the maximum contract value from £5,800,000 to the actual £6,000,000 including VAT.

This award shows Arts Council England’s demand for a substantial, integrated digital transformation partner rather than a narrowly defined software supplier. A credible future competitor would need demonstrable capability in digital and data transformation, software engineering delivery, technology strategy, engineering standards and governance. The requirement also favours suppliers able to transfer knowledge, develop internal capability and work sustainably with public-sector teams over a multi-year engagement. Experience of strategic review and planning for information systems or technology would strengthen a proposition. The route to market is also significant: the buyer selected a partner through a competitive framework award, so suppliers seeking comparable work should understand the relevant framework route and meet its conditions. Mphasis UK Limited’s appointment indicates that an SME can compete for this scale of specialist public-sector service.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Digital Development Partner

Notice Description

Arts Council England is progressing a significant digital and data transformation programme and requires specialist external support to accelerate delivery, strengthen engineering and governance standards, and build sustainable internal capability, therefore, it was decided to run a competitive tender to choose the most suitable partner to help Arts Council achieve its long-term digital objectives.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f026
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082965-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Award under framework
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

72222000 - Information systems or technology strategic review and planning services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£5,000,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
1 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
29 Sep 2026 - 28 Sep 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
The Arts Council of England
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 1FN
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
Not specified
Local Authority
Manchester
Electoral Ward
Piccadilly
Westminster Constituency
Manchester Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Mphasis

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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