Digital Payments and Associated Data Services

Crown Commercial Service (CCS), as the Authority is intending to put in place a collaborative agreement, designed to deliver a Digital Payments & Associated Data Services framework, accessible to all of the Public Sector. This forthcoming framework which aims to drive Payments and Financial Data innovation, is intended to simplify, accelerate, and enhance access to solutions. It will provide a compliant procurement route to market that delivers value and innovation, moving towards a future where financial data provides actionable intelligence.

The procurement of this framework will be let under the new Procurement Act 2023 Regulations and will be designed to cover a broad spectrum of Digital Payments and Associated Data Services, including:

● Digital Payment Management: Handling the processing and administration of both incoming and outgoing digital payments.

● High-Volume Transaction Capabilities: Facilitating the execution of large-scale, bulk payment types

● Enhanced Security and Data Insights: Using financial data to provide operational transparency, minimise processing errors, and effectively reduce fraud.

To inform the design and development of this new framework, CCS will conduct extensive market consultation and engagement, commencing in March 2026 and running through to September 2026.

This period of consultation is designed to:

● Gather insights from Industry Experts, Buyers and Suppliers, to shape the final procurement strategy.

● Discuss and validate the potential requirements for the resulting framework.

● Provide a platform for prospective bidders to share expertise to help deliver a framework that is relative to the market.

The engagement will be structured into numerous phases, focusing on key areas:

● Payment Acceptance & Gateway Services

● Open Banking Services (Payment Initiation, CVRP & Confirmation of Payee)

● Bulk & Recurring Payment Fulfillment (BACS, Direct Debit/Credit, Faster Payments)

● Payment Orchestration and Alternative Financial Innovation