---
title: "Corporate Services Customer Correspondence"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-64e0c675-74e3-40e2-82ac-b4741b0c0556"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-64e0c675-74e3-40e2-82ac-b4741b0c0556"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-64e0c675-74e3-40e2-82ac-b4741b0c0556.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-64e0c675-74e3-40e2-82ac-b4741b0c0556.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "H M REVENUE & CUSTOMS"
published: "2018-06-14"
---

# Corporate Services Customer Correspondence

Buyer: H M REVENUE & CUSTOMS  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-64e0c675-74e3-40e2-82ac-b4741b0c0556

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## Summary

The procurement process for "Corporate Services Customer Correspondence" is managed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), located in Salford, England. The tender aims to enhance HMRC's communication strategies to increase customer compliance through clearer messaging and reduce unnecessary customer contacts. The tender period concluded on 12 April 2018, with a contract period spanning from 8 May 2018 to 8 November 2018. The procurement method employed is an open procedure, with an estimated contract value of £30,000, classified under public relations management services.

This tender presents an opportunity for businesses specialising in communication and public relations, particularly those capable of simplifying complex information and enhancing customer interaction strategies. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to participate, especially those with experience in government contracts or similar projects. Successful suppliers will contribute significantly to HMRC's effort in improving customer understanding and promoting digital self-service options.

## Notice

Background HMRC uses more than 13,000 customer letters and forms, in addition to a growing number of emails, secure messages and SMS and online guidance (GOV.UK). Some of these letters and forms are sent in very large volumes to a wide range of customers. For instance, our Self Assessment outputs alone are sent to c11 million people, some with a sophisticated knowledge of tax (60% of SA customers use a tax agent) and others with little tax knowledge and variable levels of reading skills (e.g. where English is not their first language). We know that we can increase compliance and reduce low-value contact by simplifying HMRC's direct customer communications, using a more consistent tone and form of wording. Our correspondence is a key driver of customer perceptions of HMRC, as well as of behaviour. We want to encourage more people to use our online tools and services, and discourage unnecessary telephone contact. We are making good progress, for instance, last year, 93% of Self Assessment customers completed their tax return online; we want to continue to increase these numbers. HMRC has already reviewed and improved more than 100 of its direct customer letters, forms, emails and SMS messages, resulting in a reduction in calls from recipients. We are now looking for specialist support from experienced communications experts to assess where we can improve further, and scale up this important work. We expect this project to take no longer than 6 months to complete, and so this will be the maximal term of the contract. Aim and Objectives Over the past 18 months, HMRC has reviewed and improved more than 100 of its direct customer letters, forms, emails and SMS messages, resulting in a reduction in calls from recipients. We want to add the perspective of an external agency to this work, to see where further improvements can be made to our approach, and to learn lessons that are transferrable to HMRC teams as we look to increase the scale of this important initiative. Key objectives include: 1. To increase compliance through direct communications that are clearer on what the customer needs to do. 2. To reduce unnecessary customer contact from customers who are confused by the content of our correspondence, or worried by its tone. 3. To encourage customers to make the shift to self-serve through digital channels where appropriate. Project Outputs/Deliverables The key deliverables of this project are as follows: * To assess and recommend improvements to the simplicity, clarity and tone of a range of HMRC's outputs to Self Assessment customers. * To recommend principles and learning points that HMRC can apply to other outputs and share with teams responsible for their production. HMRC use an HMRC version of SAP Ariba Sourcing. Suppliers using HMRCs Ariba for the first time, will need to register, please find the guidance attached. Once done then please email jordan.warran@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk confirming with your SAP Ariba Number.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e0599318-397d-4543-b9ff-19e197533c64 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure (below threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Jun 2018 |
| Submission deadline | 12 Apr 2018 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 28 May 2018 |
| Contract period | 1 Jul 2018 - 2 Jan 2019 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £30,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £29,950 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | H M REVENUE & CUSTOMS |
| Locality | SALFORD |
| Post town | Manchester |
| Postcode | M60 9LA |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD3 Greater Manchester |
| ITL 3 | TLD34 Greater Manchester South West |
| Local authority | Salford |
| Electoral ward | Ordsall |
| Westminster constituency | Salford |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | QUIETROOM |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 79416100 - Public relations management services

## Release History

- 14 Jun 2018 at 09:22 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e0599318-397d-4543-b9ff-19e197533c64
- 12 Apr 2018 at 13:26 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5a79cdb0-57bc-417f-9961-dfbb7de51f26
- 3 Apr 2018 at 13:41 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5a79cdb0-57bc-417f-9961-dfbb7de51f26
- 23 Mar 2018 at 12:04 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5a79cdb0-57bc-417f-9961-dfbb7de51f26

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e0599318-397d-4543-b9ff-19e197533c64
  14th June 2018 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5a79cdb0-57bc-417f-9961-dfbb7de51f26
  12th April 2018 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/71a0bdd0-97b7-4281-a1fd-341f84f1e0ec
  This is an example of a letter that you will scrutinise if you are successful.
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/3a2026b2-689e-41bf-9ee0-183f8bdc186c
  Specification
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/a8a258a0-d572-400f-a4d7-5b7f2b5e5907
  SAP Ariba Supplier Registration Guidance

## Notice URLs

- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs

## 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-b5fd17-64e0c675-74e3-40e2-82ac-b4741b0c0556. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-64e0c675-74e3-40e2-82ac-b4741b0c0556.json.