Digital Specialists and Programmes

Individual Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) specialist roles and end-to-end digital transformation programmes.

Updates

30/04/2025: Please note the tender for DOS7 will now be live on 12 May. This is a change to the originally advertised date of 1 May. What impact does this have on the bidding process for suppliers? We appreciate that this delay may be disappointing for you. Please be assured that this will not have an impact on the bidding process and the timeframe for submitting bids for DOS7 remains the same. No additional market engagement is necessary as all previously shared information is still valid and there are no anticipated changes to the go-live date for customers using this agreement. What action do I need to take now? No action is required by suppliers. The revised ITT launch date for the new agreement will be 12 May. In the meantime if you have any questions, please email info@crowncommercial.gov.uk 04/11/2024: We are extending this agreement for 12 months, until 7 March 2026.  The extension will maintain service provision so that customers can continue to buy the services they need.  The extension will also facilitate a crossover period to support the movement to a replacement framework that delivers the optimal customer and supplier experience. 30/07/2024: We have started the development of Digital Outcomes and Specialists 7. Further updates and future events are available on https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM1043.9 19/10/2023: We are extending this agreement for 12 months until 7 March 2025.  This extension will allow you to continue buying the services you need while we develop a replacement agreement. 

Description

This agreement complements RM1043.8 Digital Outcomes 6. Lot 2 for specialists won’t be available from RM1043.8. You can use this agreement to find people with the full range of Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) skills needed for a digital transformation/capability project, or to supply individual DDaT staff to work as part of an existing team or new team you’re setting up. A digital transformation project might include redesigning an existing service, or designing a whole new service for your users or your internal teams, for example. It may involve rethinking about how an organisation could use technology, people or processes to create new business models or new revenue streams for the organisation (for example, building mobile applications or ecommerce platforms) You might want to hire staff with DDaT skills to integrate into your organisation and help to achieve strategic objectives through a single project or multiple projects that may involve user research, design or building and supporting the service, for example. If procuring digital programmes under Lot 1, you may also need DDaT staff for any strategic objectives or scope of services that have no clearly defined outcomes or deliverables that will enable digital transformation. Products and services that are out of scope include (but are not limited to):
  • standalone hosting, support and maintenance of a live application or website
  • supplementing a temporary shortfall in staff with no clear deliverables (who might work across projects under the direction of the buyer)
  • any non-DDaT role
It is important to remember that this agreement should not be used to staff interim or contingent labour. The following CCS agreements are available if you need management consultancy or interim staff: Buyers can find teams of digital specialists based on Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) role definitions that meet the skills and competencies in the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA).

Benefits

  • further competition provides best value for money
  • allows customers to buy the most up to date services in the market
  • ability to develop strategic partnership relationships with suppliers to improve services
  • quicker and simpler procurement process using direct award (Lot 2 only) and further competition (single or two-stage)

Products and suppliers

There are 72 suppliers on this agreement

Lot 1: Digital Programmes

Expires:

51 suppliers

Lot 2: Digital Specialists

Expires:

50 suppliers

How to buy

Step 1: Identify your needs

As the buyer you will need to develop a Statement of Requirements setting out the deliverables needed for the duration of the contract.

Step 2: Finalise your needs

It is important that you clearly articulate your exact needs so the suppliers can provide comprehensive, value for money bids without excessive provision for risk/contingency in the pricing. Ensure that your needs are clear and detailed in your call-off procedure documents.

Step 3: Decide what type of call-off you want to use

If you are using Lot 1 (Digital Programmes), you should decide if you are doing a one-stage or a two-stage further competition. If you are using Lot 2 (Digital Specialists), you should decide if you are doing a one-stage or a two-stage further competition or a direct award.

One stage further competition

You will need to invite all suppliers to bid for your opportunity and assess all bids that are submitted.

Two stage further competition

You can shortlist the suppliers to find the ones most suitable for your procurement using a capability assessment tool. Only the suppliers on the shortlist will be invited to bid for your opportunity.

Direct award

Based on the supplier responses you receive, if you find a single supplier who can meet your needs you can choose to award your contract directly to them after completing a capability assessment.

Step 4: Complete the call-off documents

When you are ready to send your requirements to the market, and after reading the Public Sector Contract schedules, you will need to complete the call-off documents (also known as a bid pack), which is made up of:
  • About the procurement
  • How to bid
  • Statement of Requirements
  • Order Form Template and Call-Off Schedules (suppliers may need to review this during a direct award or further competition to understand which schedules will apply and which special terms have been included)

Step 5: Issue the call-off documents

You can invite either all suppliers in the lot you are using to a one-stage further competition, or the shortlisted suppliers during the second stage of a two-stage further competition after down selection (filtering) using the CAM tool at the first stage. For a direct award under lot 2, buyers will use the CAM tool and pricing tool to establish which supplier provides the most economically advantageous solution by using the 'quality' part of the direct award criteria to the CAM tool and the 'price' part of the direct award criteria to the pricing tool. To get the CAM tool and pricing tool contact us by email. You can use the free CCS eSourcing portal or your own procurement platform to start and complete a further competition or direct award.

Step 6: Evaluation

During your bid evaluation, you must treat all suppliers equally and fairly using the most economically advantageous tender criteria set out in your further competition documents. You must evaluate the bid as you described in the Call-Off documents and keep a clear audit trail of the process.

Step 7: Award

Once you have identified the most economically advantageous tender, we recommend you apply a standstill period of a minimum of 10 calendar days before awarding your contract. You must tell all the suppliers of the outcome of the further competition by email or letter. After the standstill is complete, you can place your order with the successful supplier by finalising and placing the completed order form (Framework Schedule 6). You should provide written feedback to unsuccessful suppliers, setting out the relative strengths and weaknesses of their bid.

Documents

Updates

Case study

How Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is tackling their digital skills gap

Documents