Scope
Reference
CS-25-136
Description
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have been developing card spending data for the public good in partnership with data providers in the payment industry since 2019. The work so far, in conjunction with similar work undertaken by other National Statistical Institutes, has demonstrated the clear potentials of card spending data as new data sources for Official Statistics production as well as for providing granular, timely insights into the national and local economies.
In the next phase of our statistical development, ONS are seeking to work collaboratively with a UK data provider with high coverage and data granularity to jointly develop economic and statistical applications for ONS and wider UK Government based on card spending data. We expect working together on a cost-recovery basis, i.e. contract costs being proportionate to the actual costs incurred, in a value-exchange model. For example, when developing new data and insights for ONS' purposes, data scientists from both organisations may work together to solve technical issues that bring additional value to the data provider beyond the partnership. Similarly, the data provider may benefit from ONS publications and statistical improvements based on their data through an enhanced corporate reputation. We expect to build a strong partnership with the data provider, that goes beyond a transactional commercial arrangement, in maximising the public value of large transactional data.As part of the partnership, ONS would like to develop card spending data into new economic data that can improve National Accounts measurement and produce insights on consumer behaviour to: 1. understand retail performance of high streets and towns 2. understand spend by merchant location 3. understand spend by origin & channel. Further requirements include permissions for ONS to regularly publish articles and aggregated insights/datasets such as this recent publication on card spending flows across UK regions, and to enable cross-government access to the data through a secure data platform (such as the Integrated Data Service) to link to other government key data assets to produce further innovative, cross-cutting insights, as this recent joint publication by the Competition and Markets Authority and ONS.
ONS require the following information, in the form of 3 data tables.
Retail Performance of High Streets and Town
Spend by merchant location
Spend by origin and destination
The data tables will be aggregated to monthly totals (or more granular, subject to statistical disclosure control not affecting the utility of the data) and provided to ONS a monthly or quarterly basis.
Contract 1. Provision of Card Spending Data
Supplier
Contract value
- £376,310 excluding VAT
- £451,572 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Award decision date
30 April 2025
Standstill period
- End: 20 May 2025
- 8 working days
Earliest date the contract will be signed
21 May 2025
Contract dates (estimated)
- 30 May 2025 to 29 May 2028
- 3 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 72300000 - Data services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Procedure
Procedure type
Direct award
Supplier
VISA EUROPE LIMITED
- Companies House: 05139966
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PQNB-8134-YGWJ
1 Sheldon Square
London
W2 6TT
United Kingdom
Email: adam.stewart@visa.com
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Supported employment provider: No
Public service mutual: No
Contract 1. Provision of Card Spending Data
Contracting authority
Office for National Statistics
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMZG-4913-JQXG
Government Buildings, Cardiff Road
Newport
NP10 8XG
United Kingdom
Contact name: Sophie Keal
Email: CommercialTeam@ons.gov.uk
Region: UKL21 - Monmouthshire and Newport
Organisation type: Public authority - central government