Department for Transport - Digital Strategic Delivery Partner

Tender description

Terms and acronyms DfT – Department for Transport DfT(c) – Central Department for Transport and associated central business areas referenced in this requirement DIS – Digital, Information and Security, the DfT group leading this requirement DDAT – Digital, Data and Technology DOS 7 – Digital Outcomes and Specialists 7, the Crown Commercial Service framework proposed for this procurement Lot 2 – Digital Capability and Delivery Partners, the DOS 7 lot proposed for this requirement Target Operating Model (TOM) – DIS’s planned future operating model, including how services and capability will be delivered over time SbD – Secure by Design ATE Active Travel England BODS Bus Open Data Service CCAV Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles DTAC Digital & Technology Assurance Committee DTRO Digital Traffic Regulation Orders DVLA Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency GBR Great British Railways GCS Government Car Service GGMS Government Grants Managed Service GIS Geographical Information System GLD Government Legal Department NaPTAN National Public Transport Access Nodes (dataset) NTAP National Transport Analysis Platform NTCW National Transport Casework NTEM National Trip End Model NTM National Transport Model OZEV Office of Zero Emissions Vehicles RDM Rail Data Marketplace RPCD Rail Passenger Count Database RIS3 Road Investment Strategy 3 RSIC Road Safety Investigation Capability SHAPE Shared High-Performance Architecture for Prediction Environment TASM Transport Appraisal and Strategic Modelling (division) TOCs Train Operating Companies T-TRIG Transport Technology Research Innovation Grant VCA Vehicle Certification Agency VETS Vehicle Emission Trading Scheme ZEV Zero Emission Vehicles Summary of the work: DfT DIS seeks a strategic delivery partner to provide flexible, outcome-based DDAT capability across DIS and wider DfT areas through statements of work. The supplier will deliver at scale and pace, support multidisciplinary teams, provide advisory input, and help maintain digital delivery resilience while building DfT capability. Pricing model: Capped time and materials Pricing model: Other Provide further information: The majority of the Statements of Works will be priced as Capped Time and Materials. There may be exceptional circumstances where Fixed Price or other pricing models are required. This will be subject to agreement by both parties. Confirm if you require a contracted out service or supply of resource: Contracted out service: the off-payroll rules do not apply Organisation the work is for: The Department for Transport (DfT) may make the Services available to its Executive Agencies, including DVSA, VCA, MCA and DVLA, as well as Arms Length Bodies (ALBs) and other organisations operating within the transport sector. Latest start date: 2027-01-18 Expected contract length: 5-00-00 Expected contract structure: Initial contract term of 3 years, with options to extend by a further 2 years in 12 month increments. Estimated contract value (excl VAT): 20000000 Budget details: Call Off value of up to £20m excluding VAT over the full proposed contract term, including all extension options. Why the work is being done: The Digital Information and Security Division (DIS) is responsible for digital and project delivery alongside cybersecurity, IT Service Operations and Architecture. This division provides the Department with digital, information and security expertise. Our vision is to deliver the most secure and inclusive digital tools, platforms and services that meet our users’ needs and surpass their expectations. DfTc is a Microsoft technology “house”, with a big part of our offering to staff being based on Windows devices, SharePoint, Teams and Office365 with E5 licences. The majority of the IT estate is cloud workloads mainly using Google Cloud Platform (GCP), but the estate also has MS Azure and Apple technologies. DfT requires a partner to deliver outcome-based Statements of Work (SoWs) aligned to GDS Agile principles, providing specialist DDaT capability at scale and pace. Under DOS7 Lot 2, digital projects, programmes and transformation activities will be commissioned through approved SoWs, each defining the required outcomes, deliverables, acceptance criteria, timescales, responsibilities and commercial arrangements. The model enables DfT to commission work progressively as priorities change, access multidisciplinary capability at scale and pace, and remain focused on measurable business outcomes rather than the supply of individual resources. The supplier must mobilise appropriately skilled teams quickly, apply GDS agile delivery principles, operate effectively in complex environments, collaborate with departmental stakeholders, and provide delivery leadership, specialist expertise, advisory support, demand shaping and knowledge transfer. The contract will maintain digital delivery resilience during implementation of the Target Operating Model and support transfer of knowledge to permanent DfT staff, particularly in scarce DDaT disciplines such as cyber security, cloud and architecture. Problem to be solved: DfT Digital, Information and Security (DIS) needs a strategic delivery partner to maintain continuity of critical digital delivery and specialist DDAT support when the current arrangement expires at the end of February 2027. The strategic delivery partner will assist in the delivery of priority digital services, live service improvement, technical assurance and wider transformation activity across DIS and other DfT central business areas. The requirement is to provide flexible specialist capability and delivery support but also offer innovative digital solutions to customers problem statements and user needs. A detailed list of potential requirements that this contract may need to cover in the next 5 years is attached. DfT requires a supplier that can contribute earlier through advisory support, product management capability, triage and planning input, to help shape strategic demand solutions before work is formally commissioned. We require the supplier to bring innovation into the contract and keep up to date with developments in the emerging technology space. Suppliers will need to maintain delivery resilience from day one, provide flexible specialist capability across a varied and evolving portfolio, support stronger governance and oversight, and work within clearer service boundaries and accountabilities across Digital, Policy, PMO and other suppliers. The solution must combine continuity, scalability, strategic engagement and effective handover. Key risks include the fixed timetable for award and mobilisation, maintaining service quality across multiple work types, securing value for money in a demand-led environment, and ensuring the future model delivers strategic improvements. DfT is therefore seeking a resilient, commercially robust and outcome-focused service through defined statements of work, supported by capped time and materials at statement of work level. Who the users are and what they need to do: The users of this contract will be:  Digital Portfolio Management Hub – where the contract will sit and where demand will be raised and the commission of specialist DDAT capability and outcome-based delivery support. This will enable priority digital services, transformation activity and live service improvements delivery.  Differing DfT business areas, these could be policy, Arm’s Length Bodies or Executive Agencies who require digital support. The areas will need access to flexible multidisciplinary delivery teams and specialist expertise so they can progress change, improvement and assurance activity when internal capability is insufficient or unavailable at pace.  Service Owners or Delivery /Project teams who will need access to specialist roles, technical assurance and delivery support so they can develop digital services maintaining service quality, manage delivery risk and achieve agreed outcomes.  DIS Leaders who are implementing the Target Operating Model, may require interim delivery capacity and specialist capability so that delivery resilience can be maintained while strengthening and upskilling permanent in-house capability over time.  Commissioning area or contract management lead, need suppliers to mobilise quickly, deliver against agreed statements of work and provide transparent performance information against SOW outcomes, so that work can be controlled effectively and value for money demonstrated.  DfT teams transitioning from external support to stronger internal capability, need suppliers to provide knowledge transfer and structured handover so that capability is retained within the department and dependency on suppliers reduces over time.  Public facing citizens of DfT digital services, need continuous improvements delivered through this contract so that services are more reliable, accessible and effective. Preliminary market engagement: Market engagement was undertaken on 27th August 2026. Outputs from the session are included within the addition attachments. Following market engagement, there were no material changes to DfT’s requirements. Existing team: The supplier will work with DfT Digital, Information and Security (DIS), led by the Contract Owner reporting into the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO). Day to day engagement is expected to involve a cross-functional internal team drawn from commercial, digital, finance, legal, security, PMO, policy and operational colleagues, supporting requirement definition, triage, approvals, governance, mobilisation and ongoing contract management. The contract owner for the supplier will sit in the Portfolio Management Hub (PMH) and will work within the DIS portfolio, programme, service and delivery teams, and with wider DfT business areas that commission statements of work under the contract. These teams will define business needs, agree outcomes, oversee priorities and accept deliverables, while the supplier will remain responsible for delivering the contracted service under each statement of work. The supplier may also need to work alongside other third parties or incumbent suppliers where required to support build of digital systems, cloud specialisms, transition, mobilisation, integration, knowledge transfer or delivery of specific statements of work. Incumbent supplier: Yes Provide further information: Methods Business & Digital Technology Limited. Working arrangements: The working arrangements for this contract will operate as a flexible, outcome-based statement of work service model, with suppliers delivering defined outcomes, deliverables and service improvements for DfT Digital, Information and Security (DIS) and wider DfT business areas as required by the acceptance criteria in the approved work package. The future supplier will be expected to contribute not only to delivery execution but also, where appropriate, to early engagement, planning, triage and shaping of demand, while operating within DfT governance, security, approval and reporting controls. DfT expects the model to support a mix of remote and on-site working where appropriate to the work being delivered. Supplier staff will be expected to work on site for 60% of their working time, in line with DfT working policy, unless otherwise agreed at statement of work level. This approach is intended to provide flexibility and access to specialist skills while enabling effective collaboration with internal teams and maintaining appropriate oversight of outcomes, performance, governance, knowledge transfer and transition, without displacing the supplier’s responsibility for managing delivery of the contracted service. T&S expenses are excluded from the contract and should be claimed following DfTs Travel and Expense Policies if agreed. Any travel and expenses requirements will be set out at statement of work level and should be proportionate to the delivery need. Unless otherwise agreed, DfT would not expect routine travel or subsistence costs to be incurred without prior approval. Security clearance: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) Additional information on security clearance: BPSS will be required for all supplier staff working on this contract as a minimum. Additional clearance, including SC, may be required for specific roles technical roles or statements of work depending on the systems, data or services being supported. These requirements will be defined fully in the statement of work prior to the onboarding of individuals. DfT does not sponsor security clearances on behalf of the supplier in BPSS, SC and DV, the supplier will be required to have evidence of this for their staff provided, prior to onboarding under this contract. Special terms and conditions: The supplier will need to comply with the following where applicable: • Technology Code of Practice     • Government Digital Standards     • Government Service Manual    • National Cyber Security standards     • Secure by Design   • Cloud Security principles     • Open Standards principles     • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines