Scope
Reference
prj_15654
Description
The Secretary of State for Justice (“MOJ”) has a strategic objective to reduce reoffending and improve public protection by enabling more effective, data-informed decision-making within probation services. HMPPS have expressed the need for a pilot in which a supplier will test the hypothesis that access to Local Authority data will add capacity into the probation system and enable frontline staff to perform their feasibility of surfacing cross-system data to probation officers and commissioners. The insights generated will support risk and needs assessments, sentence planning, and commissioning decisions.
The Ministry of Justice intends to award a contract to Newton Consulting Limited (the “Supplier”) for 6 months (plus optional 3 month extension) at a maximum contract value of £800,000 to test whether: (a) Local Authorities (“LA”) hold data on unmet need that can drive effectiveness in sentence management for use by probation practitioners; and (b) HMPPS can serve that data to probation services.
The supplier is required to design and deliver a pilot that enables probation services to access cross-system data such as mental health, housing, education, and substance misuse indicators; to identify unmet needs among people on probation. The pilot will involve 5–10 local authorities or equivalent data holders and their corresponding Probation Delivery Units (PDUs).
Contract 1. Pilot for Identifying Unmet Needs Between Local Authorities and Probation Services
Supplier
Contract value
- £800,000 excluding VAT
- £960,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Award decision date
21 January 2026
Standstill period
- End: 30 January 2026
- 8 working days
Earliest date the contract will be signed
2 February 2026
Contract dates (estimated)
- 3 February 2026 to 2 August 2026
- Possible extension to 2 November 2026
- 9 months
Description of possible extension:
The Authority may utilise the optional 3 month extension, where the trial period of the data-sharing prototype has not yet delivered full benefit realisation.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 72300000 - Data services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Procedure
Procedure type
Direct award
Supplier
Newton Consulting Ltd.
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PQLG-2999-MLXM
- Companies House: 04279175
2 Kingston Business Park
Abingdon
OX13 5FE
United Kingdom
Email: Chris.Beal@newtonimpact.com
Region: UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Supported employment provider: No
Public service mutual: No
Associated people/organisations:
Xantura Limited
2 Kingston Business Park, Kingston Bagpuize, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England, OX13 5FE.
Contract 1. Pilot for Identifying Unmet Needs Between Local Authorities and Probation Services
Contracting authority
Ministry of Justice
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDNN-2773-HVYN
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
United Kingdom
Contact name: Shannon Wood
Email: shannon.wood1@justice.gov.uk
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/procurement
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government