Planning

Data Service Delivery Partner

  • Health Research Authority

UK2: Preliminary market engagement notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2026/S 000-015350

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-065869

Published 19 February 2026, 3:26pm



Scope

Reference

250902

Description

The Authority is seeking a Data Delivery Partner to set up good data practice foundations in HRA and to progress data-related activities in relation to our ongoing strategic Research Systems transformation programme.

The Data Service project is not a transformation programme in itself; we are looking to use supplier expertise to set up the service with the intention of the service eventually moving into a business-as-usual state managed in-house by the HRA.

We currently envisage the engagement of a Delivery Partner who will develop and manage the strategic overview of the Data Service, and provide resources as appropriate to deliver objectives via a Statement of Work process.

This market engagement exercise is intended to achieve the follow aims:

1) Inform and align the HRA's requirements with industry capability and processes for procurement of the required solution.

2) Provide evidence that there are solutions available that meet the HRA's needs, to enable procurement activity to proceed.

3) Develop a procurement strategy that will deliver best value for money.

Total value (estimated)

  • £3,000,000 excluding VAT
  • £3,600,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 1 July 2026 to 1 January 2028
  • Possible extension to 1 January 2029
  • 2 years, 6 months, 1 day

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72300000 - Data services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Engagement

Engagement deadline

10 March 2026

Engagement process description

We intend the Market Engagement period to open on 24th February 2026 and will run to 10th March 2026.

The engagement will take the form of a Request For Information pack containing our high-level requirements, background information to the HRA and the Data Service Requirement, and a series of questions we are putting to the market, to inform our understanding of market capability and our requirements.

Please contact commercial@hra.nhs.uk to request the issue of the RFI to your organisation.

We have allowed a period for clarifications to the HRA in relation to the RFI, and responses will be anonymised and issued to all participating suppliers, for transparency.

Any details provided in response to this RFI will be used for information purposes only and will not be used to determine the potential Suppliers who will be invited to bid, should the Authority proceed to tender.

The results and analysis of this RFI shall not constitute any form of pre-qualification exercise.


Contracting authority

Health Research Authority

  • NHS Organisation Data Service: T1480
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PNBN-5148-DWJQ

2nd Floor, 2 Redman Place, Stratford

London

E20 1JQ

United Kingdom

Contact name: Laura Heal

Email: commercial@hra.nhs.uk

Website: https://www.hra.nhs.uk/

Region: UKI41 - Hackney and Newham

Organisation type: Public authority - central government