---
title: "AI3 Delivery Partners Project"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0589f1"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0589f1"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0589f1.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0589f1.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS & TRADE"
published: "2025-10-16"
---

# AI3 Delivery Partners Project

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS & TRADE  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0589f1

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0589f1)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0589f1.json)

## Summary

The Department for Business & Trade is seeking specialist partners for its AI³ Delivery Partners Project, which aims to enhance the department's capabilities in artificial intelligence through the AI Lab, AI Factory, and AI Operations. This initiative is focused within the UK's central government sector, specifically targeting systems and technical consultancy services across the UK. Currently in the Tender stage, this procurement process commenced on 16 October 2025, with critical deadlines including an expression of interest deadline on 10 November 2025 and an award period set to end on 19 May 2026. With a competitive flexible procedure, the department is pursuing a selective procurement strategy, which involves several stages prior to final contract awards. This initiative is directed towards innovative engagement with suppliers for the effective operationalisation and scaling of AI solutions, with a total financial scope of £10,800,000.

This procurement presents significant opportunities for businesses specializing in AI, digital technologies, and data solutions to engage in long-term governmental projects. Companies with expertise in AI use case development, technical architecture design, and AI operationalisation are particularly well-suited to these lots, as the project incorporates aspects like rapid prototyping, system maintenance, and AI scaling across departmental functions. As suppliers can only be awarded one lot and are restricted from bidding on multiple, there is a call for focused proposals and dedicated teams. The project supports SMEs and VCSEs, offering a pathway for these business entities to collaborate with central government, providing prospects for substantial business growth through offering innovative solutions and contributing to public sector advancements in AI technology.

## Notice

The DBT Digital, Data and Technology team leads on development of AI tools and services within the Department for Business and Trade. It does so through an 'AI3' model, which aims to identify, test, develop and evaluate use cases for applying artificial intelligence within the Department. This model consists of three parts: * AI Lab: Rapid, time limited exploration and assessment of AI use cases and experiments * AI Factory: Development and operationalisation of experiments into production ready tools and components * AI Operations: Maintenance, scaling, and operationalisation of AI solutions The Authority is seeking to procure specialist expertise to support delivery of this model. We require this to take the form of suitably-skilled teams and individuals provided by the Supplier joining relevant AI3 teams and project teams within the AI Lab, AI Factory or AI Operations. Supplier resources will work alongside and under the direction of Civil Servants within the DBT Digital, Data and Technology team within the Department. This may be for both short and long-term projects as agreed via statements of work, and requiring a variety of digital and data skills. For a more detailed description of this requirement, please refer to Appendix B of the ITP.

### Lot Information

AI Lab

AI Lab: Rapid, time limited exploration and assessment of AI use cases and experiments. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) team is implementing the 'AI3' model to identify, test, develop, and evaluate use cases for artificial intelligence across departmental functions. This model comprises three development phases: * AI Lab: Rapid, time limited exploration and assessment of AI use cases and experiments. * AI Factory: Development and operationalisation of experiments into production ready tools and components * AI Operations: Maintenance, scaling, and operationalisation of AI solutions This lot is focused on the AI Lab phase, which is key to the success of the wider AI3 model. Objectives: The Supplier must provide specialist resources to: * Identify high value AI use cases through structured engagement with HMG stakeholders * Assess the feasibility and potential impact of these use cases * Rapidly prototype and test working experiments, with clear identification of success measures and experiment scope * Ensure ethical, secure, and compliant use of data throughout the process * Support decision making for onward investment and scaling Scope: The Supplier, through provision of its specialists to the Buyer, will be expected to deliver the following through agreed SOWs that will refine the specific deliverables: Use Case Identification: o Facilitate ideation workshops and horizon scanning activities o Engage with the Buyer's (and potentially wider HMG's) internal teams to uncover operational challenges and innovation opportunities o Reuse and adapt existing AI solutions from across government and industry Technical Feasibility Assessment o Apply data science and machine learning engineering expertise to evaluate proposed use cases o Recommend appropriate technical approaches and architectures o Collaborate with the Buyer's teams to ensure alignment with existing infrastructure and standards Data Ethics and Governance o Ensure all AI use cases comply with ethical standards and data governance policies o Advise on responsible AI practices, including bias mitigation and transparency o Support GDPR compliance and data protection assessments Prototyping and Experimentation o Rapidly develop prototypes using standard design patterns for government services o Design and execute experiments to validate concepts o Document outcomes and provide recommendations for further development or discontinuation Collaboration and Integration o Work alongside civil servants and embedded teams o Contribute to lessons learned and continuous improvement exercises Please refer to the ITP (Appendix B) for more information on the required skills and roles needed for this lot.

Renewal: Optional extensions to the initial period is 12 months. If the contract is extended, estimated value for maximum extension period is PS1,000,000 excluding VAT for each lot. A notice of 3 months must be given as a minimum.

AI Factory

AI Factory: Development and operationalisation of experiments into production ready tools and components. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) team is implementing the 'AI3' model to identify, test, develop, and evaluate use cases for artificial intelligence across departmental functions. This model comprises three development phases: * AI Lab: Rapid, time limited exploration and assessment of AI use cases and experiments * AI Factory: Development and operationalisation of proofs of concept into production ready tools and components * AI Operations: Maintenance, scaling, and operationalisation of AI solutions This lot is focused on the AI Factory phase, building on the AI Lab. Objectives/Scope: The Supplier must provide specialist resources to develop and operationalise AI into services, tools and components, building on successful experiments from the AI Lab: This will include: * Service and technical architecture design informed by data expertise to translate proofs of concept into robust, user-facing tools and services * Innovation in delivery and application of AI technology, going beyond standard tools and technologies to deliver measurable applications of AI. * Assessing, designing and optimising data science and ML engineering approaches to ensure that technical AI proofs of concept perform in a real-world environment * Partnering with other digital teams within the Buyer's DDaT team to co-deliver new AI features and components within existing digital and data services * Product and delivery expertise informed by data to ensure rapid, tightly scoped delivery of services within a few months * User-centred design expertise to ensure that products and tools are able to meet user needs, and to identify opportunities for re-use or wider roll-out of products developed * Helping to build skills around operationalisation of AI among civil servants, including core technical and infrastructure skills * Evaluation and performance analysis expertise to identify meaningful metrics for assessing the performance of AI products being delivered and enabling continuous improvement This is not an exhaustive list, and specific deliverables will be defined, refined and agreed with the commission of each SOW. Please refer to the ITP (Appendix B) for more information on the required skills and roles needed for this lot.

Renewal: Optional extensions to the initial period is 12 months. If the contract is extended, estimated value for maximum extension period is PS1,000,000 excluding VAT for each lot. A notice of 3 months must be given as a minimum.

AI Operations

AI Operations: Maintenance, scaling, and operationalisation of AI Solutions. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) team is implementing the 'AI3' model to identify, test, develop, and evaluate use cases for artificial intelligence across departmental functions. This model comprises three development phases: * AI Lab: Rapid, time limited exploration and assessment of AI use cases and experiments * AI Factory: Development and operationalisation of experiments into production ready tools and components * AI Operations: Maintenance, scaling, and operationalisation of AI solutions This lot is focused on the AI Operations phase, building on the AI Factory . Objectives The Supplier must provide specialist resources to maintain, scale and support the robust operation of AI tools and components, as well as the underlying data, AI and technical infrastructure used across AI teams. The Supplier will provide specialist resources to: * Scale AI solutions for department-wide use with reliability, security, and maintainability. * Ensure AI components and services are reliable, performant, and secure through strong data, infrastructure, and ML engineering practices. * Enable reuse of technical solutions across multiple use cases to simplify the overall technical landscape. * Recommend infrastructure approaches aligned with the Buyer's technical guidance. * Ensure compliance with the Buyer's engineering standards, governance frameworks, and internal assurance processes. * Monitor and manage performance, cost, and environmental impact of AI services, including LLM usage and infrastructure consumption. * Provide product and delivery management for live and mature services, including identifying user-driven improvements and managing enhancements. * Upskill DBT civil servants in operationalising AI, including core technical and infrastructure skills. * Provide guidance and set standards on how the Buyer's DDaT teams can best deploy AI in their own services, * Continuously improve AI services and tools based on evidence-driven user insights. * Showcase AI Ops work to the wider DBT through demos and show-and-tells. Scope The supplier will be expected to deliver the following (which will be refined on a case-by-case basis as SOWs are agreed): Operationalisation and Scaling * Take AI Factory tools and components and operationalise them into robust, reusable, and scalable services on the Buyer's infrastructure. * Maintain and enhance live AI services and tools, ensuring alignment with the Buyer's standards as defined in agreed SOWs. Component Development and Management * Develop and iterate reusable AI components; maintain a shared component library on the Buyer's infrastructure . * Partner with the Buyer's digital teams to create components that integrate across multiple digital and data services, promoting efficiency and consistency. Infrastructure and Compliance * Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and follow the Buyer's engineering best practices as defined in agreed SOWs . * Engage with governance and assurance processes, including IRAP/TDA compliance. * Recommend infrastructure approaches aligned with DBT technical guidance. Monitoring and Sustainability * Provide service monitoring and enhancement to optimise performance, reduce waste, control costs, and minimise environmental impact. Documentation and Knowledge Transfer * Produce and maintain documentation for developers (both Supplier and Buyer) and the Buyer's end users * Support the DBT AI and wider DBT DDaT teams in using AI-related infrastructure and components effectively. * Collaborate with the Buyer's teams to ensure alignment with existing infrastructure and standards. * Deliver mentoring and pairing to build civil service capability in AI operationalisation. Continuous Improvement * Identify new features through user research, then design, develop, test, and evaluate enhancements to improve existing AI services. Please refer to the ITP (Appendix B) for more information on the required skills and roles needed for this lot.

Renewal: Optional extensions to the initial period is 12 months. If the contract is extended, estimated value for maximum extension period is PS1,000,000 excluding VAT for each lot. A notice of 3 months must be given as a minimum.

### Planning Information

A pre-market engagement full-day session is intended to take place online on the 10th of September 2025. It is designed to provide potential suppliers with a comprehensive understanding of the upcoming commercial opportunity.
The event will begin with a presentation outlining the nature of the requirement, including its strategic context, background, and the business drivers behind the need. Suppliers attending will gain insight into the proposed contracting model, including delivery expectations for each lot, and any innovative or flexible approaches being considered.
The session will also include an overview of the procurement process, covering each stage through to contract award. A timeline will be shared to help suppliers plan their engagement, alongside guidance on how to bid effectively — including Social Value requirements, base evaluation criteria, and tips for submitting a strong tender response.
The day is intended to encourage early dialogue, and ensure suppliers are well-informed and positioned to contribute to the process. It also offers an opportunity for DBT to gauge supplier capability, appetite, and potential innovation before formal procurement begins.
To express interest in attending the event and receive joining instructions - please contact commercialddat@businessandtrade.gov.uk

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/065996-2025 |
| Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Competitive flexible procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning, Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 16 Oct 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 29 Oct 2025 |
| Future notice date | 9 Oct 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 May 2026 - 31 May 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £9,000,000 |
| Lots value | £9,000,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS & TRADE |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1A 2DY |
| 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 |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 72220000 - Systems and technical consultancy services

## Release History

- 16 Oct 2025 at 14:32 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/065996-2025
- 18 Aug 2025 at 14:25 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/049568-2025
- 18 Aug 2025 at 14:21 - Planning - UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/049565-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/065996-2025
  16th October 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/049568-2025
  18th August 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/049565-2025
  18th August 2025 - Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-6358
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-6359

## Notice URLs

- https://uktrade.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html
- 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-0589f1. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0589f1.json.