---
title: "con_27599 - Children's Social Care Private Dashboard Early Adopters Scheme: Pilot CMS API"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0514da"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0514da"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0514da.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0514da.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION"
published: "2026-01-13"
---

# con_27599 - Children's Social Care Private Dashboard Early Adopters Scheme: Pilot CMS API

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0514da

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## Summary

The Department for Education, located at Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street in London, is overseeing a procurement project titled "Children's Social Care Private Dashboard Early Adopters Scheme: Pilot CMS API." This procurement initiative falls under the IT services industry category and aims to modernise Children's Social Care data collections by implementing a pilot scheme. The project involves testing automated data ingestion and is structured to collaborate with local authorities and case management system suppliers. It will use a direct award procurement method, justified under Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023, focusing on prototypes and development. The awarded contract started on 12 January 2026 and will span 18 months, ending on 11 July 2027, involving an active contract with LIQUIDLOGIC LIMITED to facilitate timely data access and analysis. The contract is valued at £291,840 gross, with a net value of £243,200.

This procurement creates substantial growth opportunities for businesses specialising in IT services, particularly those with capabilities in API development and data systems integration. It is well-suited for companies like LIQUIDLOGIC LIMITED, which have existing relationships with local authorities and necessary data permissions, ensuring compliance and compatibility with project objectives. The pilot project, through its focus on scalability and efficiency, will also appeal to businesses looking to establish themselves in public service sectors, as it sets the foundation for future broader implementations based on its success. The initiative supports businesses in gaining insights into the viability and scalability of solutions that can subsequently be scaled up following this pilot phase.

## Notice

The Department is launching an early adopter pilot scheme as part of its work to modernise Children's Social Care (CSC) data collections. The goal is to address longstanding inefficiencies in existing annual data collection processes by assessing the feasibility, scalability, and value of the department's newly developed application programming interface (API). The pilot will test automated data ingestion, working collaboratively with a sample of local authorities (LAs) and case management system (CMS) suppliers to allow for more timely data access, and analysis. Data will flow into a private access version of the CSC dashboard, facilitating measurement of children's social care outcomes. Key objectives include: 1. Assessing the burden and cost implications for LAs and DfE when implementing more timely data flows. 2. Evaluating the accuracy of data extracted through the API. 3. Determining the scalability of the solution for potential implementation across all LAs. This initiative supports the CSC reform agenda and the Keeping Children Safe Mission by addressing critical data gaps, enabling faster benchmarking of National Framework indicators, and improving access to timely, evidence-based insights.

### Procurement Information

The Department has entered into a contract to support the delivery of the early adopter scheme, a pilot designed to modernise the collection of children's social care (CSC) data. The DfE relies on the justification at para. 2 (Prototypes & Development) of Schedule 5 to the Procurement Act 2023 for the direct award of this contract. This pilot involves the testing of a newly developed DfE automated infrastructure to assess the suitability and scalability of automated data flows and timely data access for CSC. The supplier will be required to develop a bespoke technical solution to connect to the newly developed DfE system and enable data transfers. The contract will enable the connection between the selected supplier systems and the DfE API, allowing data to flow between a sample local authority to the private CSC dashboard. The outputs of contract delivery will support research into the feasibility of producing and supplying frequent CSC data at scale, while assessing data quality, technical viability, and burdens on both DfE and local authorities. The duration of the contract will be 18 months, which includes the time needed for the supplier to connect to departmental infrastructure and a 12-month period for data ingestion, due to commence April 2026. It is necessary for data ingestion to run over statutory collection cycles, as it will provide insights into how this technical solution compares to existing statutory returns. Conducting a full competition would have introduced disproportionate costs and delays, given the limited number of suppliers with the necessary data permissions and the need to ensure timely delivery of the pilot's objectives. It would also potentially have wasted public funds in the event that the technical solution does not work as envisaged. The decision to award this contract ensures the pilot progresses efficiently and provides the insights needed to inform decisions on future scalability. The supplier selected for this pilot is able to provide the required solution as they hold existing contracts with local authorities and have the necessary permissions to access CSC data, ensuring compatibility with the pilot's objectives and timelines. The supplier selected demonstrated alignment with the pilot's objectives and timescales, providing a solution that represents proportional value for the scope and purpose of the pilot. Following the conclusion of the pilot, if the solution is proven viable and scalable, the Department will consider conducting a competitive procurement process for broader implementation.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002544-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large, SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 13 Jan 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 30 Apr 2025 |
| Contract period | 12 Jan 2026 - 11 Jul 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £387,500 |
| Contracts value | £333,200 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 3BT |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 2 |
| Supplier names | AZEUS; LIQUIDLOGIC |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

## Release History

- 13 Jan 2026 at 10:55 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002544-2026
- 14 Aug 2025 at 15:42 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/048928-2025
- 2 Jul 2025 at 09:33 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036673-2025
- 15 May 2025 at 14:46 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021883-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002544-2026
  13th January 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/048928-2025
  14th August 2025 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036673-2025
  2nd July 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021883-2025
  15th May 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.systemc.com
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-0514da. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0514da.json.