Payment Exception Service

The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to alert potential suppliers to a future opportunity for services with specific requirements related to cash disbursement for use by some DWP customers and some other central government departments customers.

The Payment Exception Service (PES) is a DWP service, required to fulfil the Secretary of State's obligation to ensure all customers, including those who do not have a transactional account, receive their entitlement.

The service will enable unbanked customers to receive full payment of entitlement, or other such payments as required through an alternative method of payment.

The DWP issues fluctuating amounts of payments, on reoccurring specified payment dates, with differing payment cycles, based on individual and multiple payment entitlement, as determined by departments.

The value of cash disbursement can be in excess of £40 million per month (subject to number of customers / value of payments).

However this value is expected to reduce over time in line with DWP's strategy to support financial inclusion and support customers to transition to a transactional account.

The value of this contract is subject to volume of customers and number of payments.

The DWP, alongside Other central Government Departments will use the service to ensure that customers across the United Kingdom inclusive of Northern Ireland are able to access their entitlement.

The overall objectives of the service are to ensure payments are processed and made available for customers to redeem their payment on a customer's payment date, and if needed, provide customers with a level of support to address any queries regarding use of the service and their payments.

The DWP will be running this competitive process through the Crown Commercial Service's (CCS) Funds Administration & Disbursement Service (FAADS) Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) RM6322 and interested parties must be registered as a supplier on the DPS in order to formally access and respond to the ITT.

Potential suppliers will not be prejudiced by any response to this PIN, or failure to respond.

This PIN does not formally signify the beginning of a procurement and does not constitute a commitment by DWP to undertake any procurement exercise.

In the event that DWP decides to formally commence the procurement of the Payment Exception Service, a separate contract notice will be issued.

Any costs incurred by bidders in engaging with DWP for this opportunity and preparing and submitting bids, will be borne by the bidder.