---
title: "Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) Passport Scheme"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04362c"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04362c"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04362c.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04362c.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "SECURITY INDUSTRY AUTHORITY"
published: "2025-12-09"
---

# Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) Passport Scheme

Buyer: SECURITY INDUSTRY AUTHORITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04362c

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04362c)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04362c.json)

## Summary

The Security Industry Authority (SIA), a body governed by public law reporting to the Home Secretary, has completed the contracting process for the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) Passport Scheme in the United Kingdom. The procurement process, initially announced in 2024, was finalised with the award of the contract on 12th November 2025 to Insight Certification Ltd T/A NSI. This concession contract, classified under corporate governance rating services (CPV: 79212110), falls under the services category and was carried out through a limited procurement method without prior publication. The contract, which is part of efforts to improve private security industry standards, went through various stages, from a prior information notice in February 2024 to completion in December 2025, reflecting the SIA's focus on regulatory compliance within the UK private security sector.

The ACS Passport Scheme presents a lucrative opportunity for businesses aiming to penetrate the private security sector, especially those that align with the stringent standards set by the SIA. Businesses that are well-suited to compete are typically those possessing expertise in integrating international, British, and other industry standards with the ACS standard, recognising other accreditation or certification schemes, and having SIA accreditation. This opportunity emphasizes the need for UKAS-accredited certification bodies, with the added challenge of developing bespoke passport schemes. Despite the initial significant setup costs and the non-guaranteed contract award upon creating a passport scheme, this venture promises to enhance business profiles and facilitate access to future public security contracts, catering particularly to small and medium enterprises eager to expand their footprint in the UK market.

## Notice

This notice is to alert the supplier community to a potential opportunity, and to assist the Security Industry Authority (SIA) with developing aspects of its procurement strategy. The SIA is reviewing possible options for its Approved Contractor Scheme passport route which is subject to the Concession Regulations 2016. The SIA is responsible for regulating the private security industry in the UK. It is an independent body reporting to the Home Secretary, under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA). The SIA's mission is to deliver proportionate regulation to the private security industry to reduce criminality, protect the public and improve standards under the PSIA. The SIA has two main duties. One is the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities within the private security industry; the other is to manage the voluntary approved contracts scheme for private security organisations. The Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) is one of the regulatory objectives to be delivered by the SIA as defined within the Private Security Act 2001. ACS is a voluntary scheme of approval for private security businesses operating within the UK. Organisations seeking approval need to be delivering private security related services within the sectors that the SIA licence individuals in. Please see details of what a passport scheme is here Setting up an ACS passport scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Firstly, to be eligible to bid for a passport contract suppliers will need to have created a bespoke passport scheme prior to bidding. That bespoke scheme needs to comply with the bullets below: * integrates international, British and other industry standards with the ACS standard. * recognises other accreditation or certification schemes. * is accredited by the SIA and quality assured by a UKAS accredited assessment body. Please see details of what a passport scheme is here Setting up an ACS passport scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) This process can take up to one year and with significant costs. Please note that setting up a passport scheme does not guarantee a contract will be awarded to your organisation. Secondly, once suppliers' schemes are reviewed and approved by the SIA, they would then be eligible to bid for the passport scheme once it is advertised. The estimated contract length for successful suppliers would be 2 years maximum. This exercise is designed to provide a platform for the SIA to brief suppliers on the opportunity. A key ambition of this market engagement is to test the appetite, market capacity, capability, experience, and maturity to be able to provide this service. Any parties interested in expressing an interest in this opportunity are required to register by emailing sia.procurement@sia.gov.uk and providing details of your organisation and key contact details.

### Procurement Information

A notice relating to the Passport Scheme has been published with the following reference: 2024/S 000-003290. As no expressions of interest were received the contract has been awarded using the following exemption: 31, 6, b (ii) from the concessions regulations 2026.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081021-2025 |
| Notice type | Planning 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 | SME |
| All stages | Planning, Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 9 Dec 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 31 Jan 2024 |
| Award date | 12 Nov 2025 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £1,005,320 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SECURITY INDUSTRY AUTHORITY |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | Not specified |
| Postcode | N/A |
| Country | Not specified |
| ITL 1 | Not specified |
| ITL 2 | Not specified |
| ITL 3 | Not specified |
| Local authority | Not specified |
| Electoral ward | Not specified |
| Westminster constituency | Not specified |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | INSIGHT CERTIFICATION LTD T/A NSI |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79212110 - Corporate governance rating services

## Release History

- 9 Dec 2025 at 12:16 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081021-2025
- 18 Sep 2024 at 14:20 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029876-2024
- 1 Feb 2024 at 08:50 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/003290-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/security-industry-authority

## 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-h6vhtk-04362c. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04362c.json.