Future eGates - Future Opportunity

The Home Office (hereafter referred to as the Authority) intends to issue a Notice to tender for the provision of a future generation of eGates (Goods and Services) in support of and based on a strategy for future border checks.

The aim of this Prior Information Notice is to notify the market of our future plans to procure services for full eGate solutions, including physical design and service management and to commence market engagement on the Authority's social value requirements through a Request for Information (RfI) exercise.

Border Force is seeking a supplier of eGates for deployment in the UK and at juxtaposed controls in Europe which are capable of fully automating the processing of passengers using biometric and biographic matching technologies; and being integrated within the wider Authority passenger verification system/s.

The procurement stages for the eGates Contract Agreement will comprise the following stages under the Competitive Dialogue Process: • Stage 1: Bidder selection through the issue of a Standard Selection Questionnaire (SSQ) to check compliance with wider laws, regulations and demonstrate appropriate financial standing and technical ability to deliver the service. • Stage 2: Four Shortlisted Bidders will be invited to the next stage which is Outline Solution with the issue of an invitation to Submit an Outline Solution (ISOS), followed through to; • Stage 3: Dialogue Phase 1 and demonstration of Bidder solutions (formal assessment of technical capability). • Stage 4: Dialogue Phase 2 followed by the issue of a call by the Authority to submit a Final Tender (ISFT). • Stage 5: Evaluation & Contract award.

The purpose of this process is to progressively develop a solution with selected Bidders, discussing with each Bidder their proposed solution, that best meets the Authority's requirements from a technical, commercial and financial perspective.

It is anticipated that the formal launch of this tender with publication of the SSQ will be in January 2022.

In conjunction with the issue of this Prior Information Notice, the Authority is seeking to engage with the eGates market to share information and invite feedback on the inclusion of relevant social value requirements by 15th December 2021.

Economic operators interested in providing feedback on the Authority's social value requirements should confirm this by emailing future.eGateCommercial@homeoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.

A Request for Information (RfI) document shall then be issued for completion.

Economic operators should note that due to the sensitive nature of some of the procurement documentation, certain confidentiality agreements are required to be signed before being given access to the procurement documents.

Therefore, registration of interest to participate in this procurement should be made by e-mailing future.eGateCommercial@homeoffice.gov.uk in the first instance.