---
title: "Open Referral Tool"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-5d331f16-c31b-4928-b2de-bcfd1ea9bf2d"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-5d331f16-c31b-4928-b2de-bcfd1ea9bf2d"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-5d331f16-c31b-4928-b2de-bcfd1ea9bf2d.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-5d331f16-c31b-4928-b2de-bcfd1ea9bf2d.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS"
published: "2026-02-16"
---

# Open Referral Tool

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-5d331f16-c31b-4928-b2de-bcfd1ea9bf2d

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-5d331f16-c31b-4928-b2de-bcfd1ea9bf2d)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-5d331f16-c31b-4928-b2de-bcfd1ea9bf2d.json)

## Summary

The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) has initiated the planning stage for the procurement process titled "Open Referral Tool". This undertaking falls under the industry category of Information Technology Services and targets solution providers across the United Kingdom. The current procurement stage is planning, with a significant milestone being the engagement end date scheduled for 2nd March 2026. As part of the initiation process, the buying organisation, DWP, is conducting market research for off-the-shelf solutions that adhere to the Open Referral UK standard, aimed at storing and managing service information effectively across multiple organisations.

This procurement provides an opportunity for businesses specialising in IT services, specifically those offering compliance with the Open Referral UK standard, to collaborate with a major government department. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been identified as suitable candidates for participation, highlighting potential market growth for innovative tech companies. Businesses excelling in designing scalable, interoperable solutions for service information management may find this tender well-suited to their expertise, enabling them to expand their clientele and influence within the public sector.

## Notice

The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), referred to as "the Authority", is conducting market research to assess the availability, capability, and indicative costs of off the shelf solutions for storing and managing service information that supports individuals. These solutions must comply with the Open Referral UK standard and be suitable for use across multiple organisations and use cases. This RFI does not commit the DWP to undertaking any formal procurement activity. This notice has also been published on FTS. For further information and details on how to respond to this RFI, please refer to the attachment found on the documents section of the Atamis e-Procurement portal: https://dwp2.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_ContractPage?SearchType=Projects&uid=a1MdO000002h4wrUAA&searchStr=&sortStr=Recently+Published&page=1&filters=&County=

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/eafe5e9a-444b-4371-b45d-ba8af66e5155 |
| Notice type | Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 16 Feb 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 2 Mar 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planning |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS |
| Locality | BLACKPOOL |
| Post town | Blackpool |
| Postcode | FY4 5ES |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD4 Lancashire |
| ITL 3 | TLD42 Blackpool |
| Local authority | Blackpool |
| Electoral ward | Stanley |
| Westminster constituency | Blackpool South |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 72222300 - Information technology services

## Release History

- 16 Feb 2026 at 10:21 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/eafe5e9a-444b-4371-b45d-ba8af66e5155
- 13 Feb 2026 at 10:54 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/0ca87709-a81b-469c-b45c-366a046200b7

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/eafe5e9a-444b-4371-b45d-ba8af66e5155
  16th February 2026 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/0ca87709-a81b-469c-b45c-366a046200b7
  13th February 2026 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder

## Notice URLs

- https://dwp2.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_ContractPage?SearchType=Projects&uid=a1MdO000002h4wrUAA&searchStr=&sortStr=Recently+Published&page=1&filters=&County=

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-5d331f16-c31b-4928-b2de-bcfd1ea9bf2d. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-5d331f16-c31b-4928-b2de-bcfd1ea9bf2d.json.