---
title: "Improving Customer Experience: Connect Simplify, Improve Services"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-c3345342-26de-4e9a-821c-88eb6552ff21"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-c3345342-26de-4e9a-821c-88eb6552ff21"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c3345342-26de-4e9a-821c-88eb6552ff21.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c3345342-26de-4e9a-821c-88eb6552ff21.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION"
published: "2025-06-03"
---

# Improving Customer Experience: Connect Simplify, Improve Services

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-c3345342-26de-4e9a-821c-88eb6552ff21

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-c3345342-26de-4e9a-821c-88eb6552ff21)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c3345342-26de-4e9a-821c-88eb6552ff21.json)

## Summary

The Department for Education, located in Darlington, England, is leading a procurement process titled "Improving Customer Experience: Connect Simplify, Improve Services," classified under Information Technology Services (CPV 72222300). This procurement falls under a services category and involves enhancing digital services through collaboration with internal civil servants in the Customer Experience and Design Division. The procurement method is selective, with a call-off from a framework agreement. The tender, which progressed through the Discovery, Alpha, and Beta stages, was awarded to Hippo Digital Ltd. The contract spans from 21 May 2025 to 20 May 2026, valuing at £900,000, with work to take place in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom.

This tender offers substantial opportunities for businesses involved in the IT services sector, particularly those focused on user-centred design and digital transformation. SMEs and VCSEs are particularly well-suited to compete, as the procurement is specifically attuned to organisations of this scale. By engaging in this contract, businesses can expand their expertise and portfolio in governmental digital services, potentially leveraging this project for future opportunities within the public sector. The collaborative and multi-disciplinary nature of the team involved further provides a platform for demonstrating innovation and efficiency in delivering high-quality digital solutions that conform to both Government and DfE standards.

## Notice

The Department for Education is responsible for children's services and education, including early years, schools, higher and further education policy, apprenticeships and wider skills in England. We are the department for opportunity. We work to deliver better life chances for all - breaking the link between background and success. We do this by protecting children and ensuring the delivery of higher standards of education, training and care. We create opportunities for children and learners to achieve and thrive today, so they have the freedom to succeed and flourish tomorrow, strengthening our society, powering our economy and enabling equality. The Customer Experience and Design Division sits within the Customer Experience and Digital Directorate within DfE's Operations and Infrastructure Group. We partner with teams across DfE to champion user needs and connect, improve and simplify DfE's digital services, websites and online information. We are looking to procure a supplier to work with our Civil Servant staff, in blended and multi-disciplinary teams, to design and build user-centred digital services, websites and online information. The supplier will be working on multiple projects that form a programme of works and meet Government and DfE standards. The teams will be delivering projects at Discovery, Alpha and Beta stages.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d8593361-e82f-41af-9fb7-ce3d88e1ee43 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Call-off from a framework agreement |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 3 Jun 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 20 Feb 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 20 May 2025 |
| Contract period | 20 May 2025 - 20 May 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £900,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £900,000 |
| 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 | DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION |
| Locality | DARLINGTON |
| Post town | Darlington |
| Postcode | DL1 5QE |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC3 Tees Valley |
| ITL 3 | TLC33 Darlington |
| Local authority | Darlington |
| Electoral ward | Park East |
| Westminster constituency | Darlington |
| Delivery location | TLG West Midlands (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | HIPPO DIGITAL |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 72222300 - Information technology services

## Release History

- 3 Jun 2025 at 19:38 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d8593361-e82f-41af-9fb7-ce3d88e1ee43

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d8593361-e82f-41af-9fb7-ce3d88e1ee43
  3rd June 2025 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/960a7e10-cee8-411c-9114-5444ca0556d5
  n/a

## 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-c3345342-26de-4e9a-821c-88eb6552ff21. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c3345342-26de-4e9a-821c-88eb6552ff21.json.