Digital Payments & Associated Data Services

 Summary

This framework will give the public sector access to various innovative digital payment and data services. These services include merchant acquiring and gateway services. They also include Bacs, Direct Debit, open banking payments, and account information services. RM6411 is let under the Procurement Act 2023.

Description

RM6411 Digital Payments & Associated Data Services will replace RM6325 Payment Acceptance 2. It will provide the public sector with a compliant and cost-effective way to access:

  • transactional payment services
  • advanced financial data services 

This enables the movement of funds in and out of government. 

Let under the Procurement Act 2023, this agreement aims to:

  • drive payments and financial data innovation
  • simplify and speed up access to financial solutions and data
  • provide a compliant route to market that offers good value for money
  • open up financial data to provide actionable intelligence. 

The framework will cover a range of digital payments and associated data services. It focuses on these key areas:

  • digital payment management: handling both incoming and outgoing digital payments
  • high-volume transaction capabilities: facilitating the execution of large-scale, bulk payments
  • enhanced security and data insights: using financial data to:
    • provide operational transparency
    • minimise processing errors
    • reduce fraud

Benefits: 

  • range of payment methods: buyers can choose familiar options like credit/debit cards and direct debits
  • lower transaction costs: open banking infrastructure allows buyers to bypass some card network fees
  • accelerated fund settlement: improving cash flow through near-real-time fund availability
  • paperless financial data verification: instantly verify a citizen’s income or expenditure
  • advanced identity fraud prevention: using secure, real-time bank account ownership verification 
  • frictionless user experience: users can authorise payments using their own banking apps

Product types: 

The agreement plans to deliver a wide range of financial capabilities, including:

  • card processing: enabling the acceptance of credit and debit card payments through:
    • online portals
    • phone systems
    • physical terminals
  • bacs & direct debit payments: access to established “bulk” payment rails, including:
    • direct debit for recurring collections
    • faster payments for near-instant transfers
    • CHAPS (clearing house automated payment system) for high-value, same-day transactions
  • open banking payments: allows citizens to pay using their own banking app
  • open banking data services: provide authorised access to a user’s real-time financial data

Customer engagement

Engagement sessions started in April 2026. They will continue to run until November 2026. If you would like to speak to us about the proposed agreement, please email: digitalpayments@gcagov.uk.

Supplier engagement

We held supplier engagement sessions in March, April, May and July 2026. 

If you wish to join future sessions, contact digitalpayments@gca.gov.uk. Include “RM6411 Digital Payments & Associated Data Services Supplier Engagement” in the subject line.

If you missed the sessions, you can download the presentations: 

Important links

Pipeline notice Read pipeline notice
Preliminary market engagement notice Read preliminary market engagement notice
Planned procurement notice Not available yet
Contract notice in Find a Tender (FTS) Not available yet
Tender documents Not available yet

Timeline

Activity Estimated dates
Pre-market engagement March 2026
Drafting of procurement documentation TBC
Publication of find a tender (FTS) notice March 2027
Framework award December 2027