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Automatic Voter Registration: EMS changes IDOX

Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

05 Oct 2026 at 10:31

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

05 Oct 2026 at 09:31

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Welsh Government is buying software development, testing, implementation and support to adapt Idox’s existing Electoral Management System for Automatic Voter Registration in Wales. The work covers design and deployment of electoral registration changes, including matching electors, registration processes, communications and related system enhancements. The system is used by Welsh local authorities, and the changes support new electoral legislation as part of a wider programme of electoral management system updates across Wales. This is development of the supplier’s existing proprietary platform, not the purchase of a new electoral management system. The work is classified as software development and implementation services (CPV 72262000 and 72263000). The published item also includes an unrelated food-products classification, which does not match the described requirement.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to Idox Software Ltd, although the award is recorded as pending and the contract was not to be signed before the standstill period expired. The award date is 25 August 2026. The contract is due to run from 16 October 2026 to 31 December 2027, with renewal periods totalling no more than six months and a maximum extent to 31 May 2028. The awarded value is £797,404 excluding VAT (£956,884.80 including VAT). It was a direct award under the Procurement Act 2023, justified on the grounds that Idox owns and maintains the platform, holds the necessary intellectual property and technical access, and no reasonable alternative supplier could modify it. There is one lot; no competitive evaluation took place.

For suppliers considering comparable future work for Welsh Government, this award shows demand for changes to the electoral management systems already used by Welsh local authorities, rather than replacement systems. A credible provider would need ownership or authorised access to the relevant platform, the rights and technical knowledge to modify it, and the ability to develop, test, deploy and support functionality within an established live system. Experience handling electoral registration processes, elector matching, communications and statutory change would be directly relevant. Suppliers would also need to manage integration and operational risks, accommodate unforeseen technical dependencies, and work closely with Welsh Government and local authorities as legislative requirements are implemented. The award demonstrates that platform-specific rights and access can determine who is capable of competing for this type of requirement.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Automatic Voter Registration: EMS changes IDOX

Notice Description

This Contract Award Notice informs the market of Welsh Government's decision to award a contract to the Supplier for the provision of software development, testing, implementation and support services to enhance the Supplier's Electoral Management System used by Welsh local authorities in support of the introduction of Automatic Voter Registration in Wales. The services include the design, development and deployment of functionality required to implement legislative changes relating to electoral registration and administration, including elector matching capabilities, elector registration processes, communications functionality and associated system enhancements. The contract forms part of a wider programme of Electoral Management System changes being implemented across Wales to support new electoral legislation. As detailed in the Transparency Notice, the contract relates to modifications and enhancements to the Supplier's existing proprietary Electoral Management System platform. Welsh Government concluded that only the Supplier could deliver the required services because it owns and maintains the relevant platform and possesses the intellectual property rights, technical knowledge and access necessary to undertake the required development work. Welsh Government further concluded that no reasonable alternative supplier could deliver the required functionality. Welsh Government considers that the conditions for direct award were met under Section 41 and Schedule 5, Paragraphs 5 and 6 of the Procurement Act 2023, as only the Supplier could provide the required services due to intellectual property rights, exclusive rights and an absence of competition for technical reasons, and no reasonable alternative existed. Welsh Government will not enter into the contract until expiry of the applicable standstill period.

Procurement Information

The Authority intends to award a contract directly to the Supplier pursuant to Section 41 and Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023.. The contract relates to the development and implementation of enhancements to the Supplier's existing Electoral Management System used by Welsh local authorities to support the introduction of Automatic Voter Registration in Wales. The required services comprise modifications to the Supplier's proprietary software platform and associated functionality. The Authority considers that only the Supplier is capable of delivering the required services because it owns and maintains the relevant Electoral Management System and holds the associated intellectual property rights, technical knowledge and access necessary to undertake the required development work. The requirement relates to modifications of an existing supplier-owned system and does not constitute the procurement of a new Electoral Management System. The Authority further considers that there are no reasonable alternative suppliers capable of providing the required services. Any alternative supplier would be unable to modify or develop the Supplier's Electoral Management System without access to the Supplier's proprietary software, intellectual property rights and technical architecture. The Authority is establishing comparable contractual arrangements with all Electoral Management System providers operating within Wales, with each supplier responsible for implementing changes to its own platform. Accordingly, the Authority considers that the conditions for a direct award are met under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5(a) and (b) and Paragraph 6(a) and (b) of the Procurement Act 2023, as only the Supplier can provide the required services due to intellectual property rights, exclusive rights and an absence of competition for technical reasons, and no reasonable alternative exists.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078058
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093671-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

15 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products

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

CPV Codes

15000000 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products

72262000 - Software development services

72263000 - Software implementation services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£797,404 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Oct 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
25 Aug 20261 months ago
Contract Period
16 Oct 2026 - 31 Dec 2027 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CARDIFF
Postcode
CF10 3NQ
Postcode Area
Cardiff
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL52 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Cardiff
Electoral Ward
Cathays
Westminster Constituency
Cardiff South and Penarth

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Idox Software Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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