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Request for Information (RFI) - Auto Translation and Transcription Service

Home Office

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

30 Oct 2026 at 15:34

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

16 Oct 2026 at 17:02

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Home Office is exploring translation, transcription and interpretation technology and services for operational use across the Migration and Borders system. The anticipated scope includes speech-to-speech interpretation, speech-to-text transcription and text-to-text translation, alongside recording and audit trails, accessibility, mobile and low-connectivity use, security and data hosting, integration with existing services and cloud platforms, and quality assurance and human review. Suppliers will be asked to consider scenarios including formal interviews and hearings, field conversations, customer contact and correspondence. Delivery is intended for use across the United Kingdom. This is a single service requirement, covering both software and related services.

The process is at planning and is a market-information exercise, not an invitation to tender or an approved procurement. The Home Office plans to gather supplier responses through a Request for Information, and may follow up with clarification discussions, requests for further information or demonstrations to understand the market. The RFI response date was extended to 15:00 on 13 November 2026. A future procurement notice is expected on 16 September 2027. If the requirement proceeds, the indicative contract period is 10 October 2027 to 9 October 2028, with possible extension to 23 October 2029. The estimated value is £600,000 excluding VAT (£720,000 including VAT), for market-engagement purposes only; it may change and funding and procurement approval are not yet in place. The requirement is not divided into lots.

The exercise is suited to suppliers of translation and transcription software, interpretation tools, and associated technology or services. The Home Office is looking to understand current market maturity and suppliers’ practical ability to support operational work, rather than select a provider at this stage. Relevant strengths include accurate speech and text translation, reliable transcription and interpretation, secure hosting and data residency, integration with existing services and major cloud environments, and operation in mobile or low-connectivity settings. Suppliers with robust recording, auditability and evidential traceability, accessible products, clear governance and quality-assurance processes, and workflows for human review will be well placed to explain how their solutions perform. Experience supporting formal interviews and hearings, field conversations, and customer service or correspondence would help suppliers respond to the representative scenarios. SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises are considered suitable.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Request for Information (RFI) - Auto Translation and Transcription Service

Notice Description

The Home Office is undertaking a Request for Information to improve its understanding of the current market for translation, transcription and interpretation technologies and services. The Home Office wishes to understand the maturity, capability, delivery considerations, constraints and limitations associated with solutions that may support operational processes across the Migration and Borders system. The exercise will explore capabilities relating to: speech-to-speech interpretation; speech-to-text transcription; text-to-text translation; recording, auditability and evidential traceability; accessibility; mobile and low-connectivity operation; security, hosting and data residency; integration with existing services, platforms and major cloud environments; and solution governance, quality assurance and human-review workflows. Suppliers will be invited to assess their current capabilities against representative operational scenarios covering formal interviews and hearings, operational and field conversations, and customer contact and correspondence. This exercise builds upon previous market-engagement activity and seeks updated information reflecting current market capabilities, service offerings and product maturity. This notice and the associated Request for Information are for information-gathering and market-understanding purposes only. They do not constitute a tender, request for a binding offer or commitment by the Home Office to undertake a procurement or award a contract. Any future procurement would be subject to separate approvals and the applicable procurement process. The estimated value range provided is indicative only and has been included for market-engagement purposes. No procurement has been approved at this stage. Should a future procurement be undertaken, the estimated value will be reviewed and updated to reflect the prevailing requirement, scope, funding position and market conditions.

Planning Information

Suppliers wishing to participate should register their interest with the Home Office using the contact details provided in this notice. (daniel.reddy@homeoffice.gov.uk) Interested suppliers will be issued with a Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Upon receipt of a signed NDA, the Home Office will provide a countersigned copy and issue the Request for Information (RFI) documentation. Suppliers will be invited to complete and return the RFI response document by the stated response deadline. Following review of responses, the Home Office may undertake further market engagement activities, including clarification discussions, requests for additional information or solution demonstrations, solely for market-understanding purposes. This engagement does not constitute a procurement, Invitation to Tender (ITT), supplier selection exercise or commitment by the Home Office to undertake a future procurement. Participation in this engagement will not guarantee involvement in any future procurement activity

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078a25
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103371-2026
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
SME, VCSE
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

CPV Codes

48740000 - Foreign language translation software package

72212740 - Foreign language translation software development services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£600,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
30 Oct 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
16 Sep 202711 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
10 Oct 2027 - 9 Oct 2028 1-2 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
Home 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
SW1P 4DF
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

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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