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CPT_26_25 Market Data Software Subscription

National Audit Office

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

21 Sep 2026 at 08:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The National Audit Office plans to procure a market data software subscription service for use across its financial audit and value for money audit work. The service must provide reliable, rapid access to current and historical asset and liability prices, including bonds, equities and fund investments, and support pricing of derivatives such as interest rate swaps. It must also provide foreign exchange rates, financial indices, company financial and performance data, sovereign and corporate credit ratings, and macroeconomic data and forecasts. The service will be delivered for use across the United Kingdom. It is a business-critical analytical and evidence-gathering service, classified as financial analysis software, data supply and subscription services.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the NAO has set out an intention to procure and has not issued an invitation to tender. It expects to run a future competitive procurement for one lot, with a contract planned from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030 and an option to renew until 31 March 2032. The NAO is undertaking voluntary preliminary market engagement to test its requirements, procurement approach, evaluation method, commercial models and market developments. Suppliers expressing interest will receive a questionnaire; completed questionnaires are expected by 16 October 2026. Responses may shape the future specification, evaluation approach and tender documents, but participation will not constitute a call for competition or confer an advantage.

The work will suit established providers of institutional market data, financial information platforms and subscription-based analytical software. Relevant capability includes delivering ISA 500-compliant evidence for audit use; dependable real-time and historical pricing; broad coverage of financial, corporate, geopolitical and sector data; and derivative valuation, ratings, foreign exchange, index and macroeconomic datasets. Suppliers should be able to handle variable and high-volume data requests in different formats without compromising performance, while supporting year-round, 24-hour availability and prompt priority resolution of outages. The service is also expected to include an unlimited helpdesk, dedicated account management, regular training and occasional methodology deep dives within the subscription. Providers should be prepared to support unrestricted retention of retrieved data and evidence on audit files.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

CPT_26_25 Market Data Software Subscription

Notice Description

At the NAO, we have a business need to access reliable market and financial information to inform our financial audit and value for money audit work. Around 50 financial audit teams across the office accessed these services in the 2025-26 cycle. This is a business-critical need, used in providing independent evidence to support key assumptions in asset and liability valuations and historical pricing. Our value for money audit work also requires access to high-quality market, corporate, financial, geopolitical and sector intelligence that is not readily available through standard internet searches or publicly available government sources. We require the provision of a product that provides quick and efficient access to asset and liability prices as well as economic and market data. The minimum requirements for this service are as follows: * A software product capable of meeting International Standard on Auditing (ISA) 500 requirements that provides quick and efficient access to asset and liability prices, such as bonds, equities and fund investments in both a real-time and historic basis, and the ability to price derivative instruments such as interest rate swaps. * The software must also provide economic and market data such as current and past FX rates, access to financial indexes, basic company financial and performance metrics, sovereign and corporate credit ratings, macroeconomic data and forecasts (such as GDP). * We require flexibility to retrieve data for a variety of dates and timepoints and in different formats for larger vs smaller volume requirements. The volume of data we require varies from day to day and the software should be able to accommodate changes in the volume of requests without compromising service or performance, as well as high-volume requests. * Unlimited access to a dedicated helpdesk to help resolve routine queries over functionality and performance, as well as more complex aspects of the software. In addition, access to an account manager is required, who can efficiently resolve any issues with the software. * Regular training, as well as the opportunity to occasionally engage in 'deep dives' i.e. more detailed questions surrounding methodology (such as valuations for particular financial instruments or datasets). Both of these benefits are required at no extra cost above the core subscription. * The software itself must be available for use year-round and for 24hrs a day. Any supplier IT/service outages must be resolved promptly and as a priority. * Ability to retain retrieved data on our audit files in accordance with statutory requirements is essential. The provider must permit the unrestricted retention and storage of market data and supporting evidence on NAO audit files, ensuring compliance with audit methodology and quality requirements.

Planning Information

The National Audit Office (NAO) is undertaking preliminary market engagement in relation to its planned procurement for a Market Data Software Subscription Service. The purpose of this engagement is to: • identify suppliers interested in participating in a future procurement exercise; • understand the range of market data solutions currently available in the market; • validate the NAO's proposed requirements and procurement approach; and • obtain information on market developments, commercial models and emerging technologies. Suppliers wishing to participate should submit an expression of interest by emailing NAO.Procurement@nao.org.uk Following receipt of an expression of interest, the NAO will issue a supplier questionnaire. Completed questionnaires must be returned to NAO.Procurement@nao.org.uk by 16 October 2026. The NAO may use responses received to inform its procurement strategy, specification, evaluation approach and tender documentation. The NAO may also seek clarification on questionnaire responses and, if required, invite suppliers to participate in follow-up engagement activities. Participation in this engagement exercise is voluntary and does not constitute a call for competition. Participation will not provide any supplier with an advantage in any subsequent procurement process.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0775fa
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088943-2026
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

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

48441000 - Financial analysis software package

72319000 - Data supply services

79980000 - Subscription services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 1 Apr 2030 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
National Audit 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
SW1W 9SP
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
TLI London
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
Pimlico North
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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