UKRI-5495 TechFirst: Payment Function

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is procuring a managed payment services solution to administer and disburse scholarship-related payments at scale on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The service will provide an end-to-end payment processing function, covering the onboarding of students and universities, verification of identity and bank details, secure payment execution, reconciliation of funds, fraud prevention, and performance reporting. The scope of the procurement includes payment administration for the TechGrad (undergraduate) Scholarship Programme, the Spärck AI (master’s) Scholarship Programme, and the Semiconductors Undergraduate Scholarship Programme. In addition, the supplier will continue to administer payments for CyberFirst students during the transition period to the TechFirst programme. The supplier will be responsible for administering all authorised payments to eligible students and higher education institutions in accordance with UKRI/DSIT instructions and applicable grant conditions. This includes, but is not limited to, scheduled and ad hoc payments such as scholarships, stipends, tuition fee payments, summer placement payments, reimbursements, and discretionary payments (for example, travel or hardship payments), delivered within timeframes specified by UKRI/DSIT. The supplier must establish and operate a straightforward, scalable onboarding process for all participating students and institutions, including secure mechanisms for the collection and verification of identity and bank account details to enable timely and accurate payments. The service must comply with all relevant legislation, regulatory requirements, and government guidance relating to payments, data protection, and information security. The supplier will be required to implement appropriate due diligence, counter-fraud, and risk management controls, and to provide regular management information and reporting against agreed key performance indicators (KPIs).