Government tax agency is seeking a new provider partner to assist with the delivery of the Trader Support Service, a digital system for traders sending goods across the Irish Sea

HM Revenue and Customs has opened bids from potential suppliers that could support the digital service used to support trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

The Trader Support Service (TSS) – which, since 2021, has been delivered via a £300m agreement with a consortium led by Fujitsu, working alongside McKinsey and HGS – enables traders submit digital declarations for the movement of goods between Northern Ireland and England, Wales, and Scotland.

According to a newly published commercial notice, TSS is comprised of two core strands: an underlying system that processes submitted information; and a public-facing online service.

This service is dedicated to “providing information and guidance for businesses on how to submit compliant declarations and the steps they need to take to comply with regulations, [which] includes self-serve guidance such as written guides, webinars, videos, and process maps, as well as a responsive contact centre where traders can raise a range of enquiries”.

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To support HMRC in delivering these digital platforms, the department intends to identify a provider via a “competitive dialogue procedure”. This will begin by asking prospective bidders “to complete a selection questionnaire, which consists of mandatory requirements assessed on a pass/fail basis, and a series of qualitative questions to be evaluated to determine potential suppliers’ technical and professional ability”.

Suppliers that make it through this stage will be then progress into a dialogue exercise followed – for those that are successful – into a full tender.

Bidders are advised that the procurement process will require them “to provide their latest financial accounting information [to be] assessed by [HMRC] to ensure that the potential future contracting entity has the economic capability to deliver a contract of this size”.

The deal will last for an initial term of five years, plus two potential extensions of one year each; if it runs for this full seven-year lifespan, the tax agency expects to spend about £444m, inclusive of VAT.

Potential bidders have until 20 March to participate in the procurement procedure and HMRC intends to award a contract in November, “for commencement of a rigorous mobilisation plan from December 2025”.