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Arctic Shores UNA Pro assessment platform

Department for Work and Pensions

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

05 Oct 2026 at 08:38

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Work & Pensions bought a game-based behavioural assessment platform for its Talent Centre of Expertise. The solution uses task-based assessments to provide insight into participants’ behaviours, strengths, decision-making styles, learning agility, resilience, problem-solving capability and leadership potential. It supports a pilot across several talent cohorts, intended to test the approach’s effectiveness, accessibility, inclusivity and scalability, and to assess user experience, stakeholder feedback, the quality of insights, potential diversity benefits and the contribution of behavioural assessment data to talent decisions. The work is delivered across England, covering the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East and South West.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to Arctic Shores Limited. The Department used a below-threshold direct award without competition. The single lot was awarded, and the contract is active. The contract was signed on 5 October 2026 and runs from 6 October 2026 to 5 April 2027, an initial six-month pilot period. Its value is £27,400 excluding VAT and £32,880 including VAT. The assessment platform and pilot are classified as staff training services. The published procurement information gives no award date separate from the contract signing date.

For suppliers seeking to compete when the Department for Work & Pensions next requires behavioural assessment for talent decisions, this award shows demand for a game-based platform using task-based methods. A credible provider would need to generate useful, objective insight into behaviours, strengths, decision-making, learning agility, resilience, problem-solving and leadership potential across multiple talent cohorts. The pilot’s focus also points to the importance of accessible and inclusive assessments that can scale, alongside evidence of a good participant experience, useful stakeholder feedback and high-quality outputs. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate how assessment data informs talent decisions and whether it can bring diversity benefits. The contract was awarded directly without competition, so this outcome does not establish a competitive evaluation model or published qualification requirements.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Arctic Shores UNA Pro assessment platform

Notice Description

Arctic Shores UNA Pro assessment platform. The Talent Centre of Expertise (TCoE) wishes to procure a game-based behavioural assessment solution to support pilot activity with approximately 200 participants across multiple talent cohorts. The assessment platform uses task-based methodologies to provide objective insight into participant behaviours, strengths, decision-making styles, learning agility, resilience, problem-solving capability, and leadership potential. The pilot will evaluate the effectiveness, accessibility, inclusivity, and scalability of the Arctic Shores assessment approach across several talent cohorts. Outcomes will be used to assess user experience, stakeholder feedback, quality of insights, potential diversity benefits, and the value that behavioural assessment data can add to talent decision-making processes. The pilot will run for an initial six-month period. Processed by SSCL

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078041
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093594-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80511000 - Staff training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£27,400 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Oct 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
6 Oct 2026 - 5 Apr 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department for Work and Pensions
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
SW1H 9NA
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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Arctic Shores Limited

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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