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Developing a UK Skills Taxonomy

Department for Work and Pensions

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

05 Oct 2026 at 14:27

Award Notice
Award

05 Oct 2026 at 11:54

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for developing a UK-wide skills taxonomy: an authoritative framework linking skills, qualifications and occupations. The work supports improved labour-market analysis by government, academia and employers. It is research and development and related consultancy, delivered across the UK. The Department for Education originally commissioned the work through its Unit for Future Skills; responsibility transferred to DWP following government changes. The University of Warwick was selected to carry out the work. The requirement is for the design and development of a connected classification resource, rather than a standalone study: its value lies in making information about skills, qualifications and occupations usable together for analysis.

The procurement is complete and has resulted in active contracts with the University of Warwick. The original contract was signed on 15 May 2023, with a stated value of £495,000. A second active contract, signed on the same date, is valued at £741,126.67 and runs from 10 May 2023 to 31 March 2027. A contract modification adds or continues 10 deliverables; its stated variation is £152,687.16, with a maximum value of £159,784.17, and cumulative increases from extensions are reported as £246,126.67. The procurement used a limited procedure without prior publication, described as a workaround for a dynamic purchasing system route. Four bids were reported. Price was the stated award criterion. The data lists the lot as cancelled, although the awards and contracts are active.

For suppliers considering comparable future work for DWP, this award demonstrates demand for specialist research and consultancy that can connect skills, qualifications and occupations into a coherent UK-wide framework. Credible competitors would need the research capability to develop a robust taxonomy and the analytical expertise to make it useful for labour-market analysis across public policy, academia and employers. The selected supplier was a large university, indicating that institutional research capacity and the ability to deliver a substantial, multi-output programme were relevant strengths. The modification’s additional or continued deliverables also show the importance of sustaining delivery and adapting outputs during the contract. The procurement used a dynamic purchasing system route, so suppliers seeking similar work should understand how to participate through that purchasing mechanism.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Developing a UK Skills Taxonomy

Notice Description

The Department for Education (DfE), via the Unit for Future Skills, commissioned the University of Warwick to develop a UK-wide skills taxonomy covering skills, qualifications, and occupations with links between them. The goal is a single authoritative framework to improve labour market analysis across government, academia, and employers.<br/>This contract was procured by Department for Education and transferred to Department for Work and Pensions in under Machinery of Government change in Spring 2026 .<br/>Please Note For transparency and avoidance of doubt:<br/>This Contract was published on Contracts finder and is being reproduced on FTS in order to publish a Reg 72 PCR2015 modification to it.<br/>https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/719dcdd6-1831-40a9-9c11-06595b8b32ff

Lot Information

Lot 1

The Department for Education (DfE), via the Unit for Future Skills, commissioned the University of Warwick to develop a UK-wide skills taxonomy covering skills, qualifications, and occupations with links between them. The goal is a single authoritative framework to improve labour market analysis across government, academia, and employers.
This contract was procured by Department for Education and transferred to Department for Work and Pensions in under Machinery of Government change in Spring 2026 .

Procurement Information

Please Note For transparency and avoidance of doubt:<br/>This Contract was published on Contracts finder and is being reproduced on FTS in order to publish a Reg 72 PCR2015 modification to it.<br/>https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/719dcdd6-1831-40a9-9c11-06595b8b32ff<br/>The reason that 'award with no prior notice' was used here is because using Restricted Procedure Type required the PIN code of an F02 notice. As this was procured using a Dynamic Purchasing System, there was no F02 notice this option was chosen as a workaround on the DWP e-procurement system Atamis.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078098
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093875-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£1,236,126 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Oct 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
10 May 2023 - 31 Mar 2027 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
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
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England), TLL Wales, TLM Scotland
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

University of Warwick

Further Information

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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