Original Tender Description
Government Digital Service, part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), is working to enhance and co-ordinate public sector access to satellite-derived Earth Observation (EO) data across the UK. This also includes promoting the use of artificial intelligence to generate deeper insights and build capability. The aim is to reduce duplication, improve efficiency, and support the delivery of key government priorities such as climate resilience, national security, and digital transformation.
Subject to internal budget approvals, we have identified an opportunity to procure selected commercial EO data and services for use across the UK public sector. This would help to address limitations in the spatial and temporal resolution, as well as the spectral coverage, of existing open sources. By strengthening the geospatial and EO data available to public bodies, it would support more informed decision-making and better outcomes for citizens.
Please note that we are working closely with DSIT UK Space Agency on their ‘Earth Observation Data Hub’ initiative and will align our approaches where feasible to maximise impact across both programmes.
How we intend to engage
Following on from the first pre-market engagement session, we are holding this second session to cover our more detailed technical requirements and approach. The session will be followed by a written questionnaire for respondents to share thoughts in greater detail and confidentiality.
The second session (referred to as Public Sector EO preliminary market engagement 2 or ‘PME2’), will include a presentation covering the high-level data and service requirements based on needs of the public sector and current understanding of market capabilities.
It will invite feedback on our refined technical requirements procurement structure / delivery model and commercial elements. PME2 will include opportunities to raise questions and comments, and attendees will be encouraged to provide further feedback in a follow-up questionnaire shared afterwards. Feedback will help to finalise the technical specification for the contract and request approximate costings from interested suppliers, as well as cover the likely procurement route.
The second questionnaire will be live until Monday 1st June following the PME2 webinar.
Date of commencement
The Preliminary Market Engagement Webinar will take place via MS Teams at 2:00 PM on Tuesday 26th May. If you are unable to attend the webinar, we will share the content of the meeting, on request after the session.
Tuesday 19th May 5:00 PM GMT cut off for providing notice of interest in attendance.
Aims and objectives of the PME
The primary objective of pre-market engagement is to gather market insight to shape how best to deliver the requirement. This will help the Contracting Authority to:
a) improve and update understanding of market capability, helping to ensure any contract delivers better outcomes from the technology;
b) encourage competition, driving value for money and creating opportunity for a broad range of suppliers;
c) support a fair and compliant procurement
The aims of the two rounds of preliminary market engagement will differ slightly, with different content focuses in each:
Pre-market 1 (Early Autumn 2025) – Engage the market on the programme’s potential high-level areas of interest (data products and services), agreement structures, procurement routes, and licensing approaches.
Pre-market 2 (May 2026) – Engage the market on the detailed specification, refined following insights from pre-market 1.
How can suppliers express interest?
As indicated above, we intend to invite interested suppliers who expressed interest in attending the first pre-market engagement session to attend this second webinar to be hosted by the Government Digital Service on Tuesday 26th May 2:00 PM.
If you did not attend the first pre-market engagement session and are interested in attending this second session and providing related feedback, parties should email Geospatial.EO@dsit.gov.uk, ensuring to include attending individuals’ names, roles, and organisation. Suppliers are permitted to nominate up to three individuals from each organisation.
GDS does not guarantee that a procurement will be launched and is not responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by any potential supplier in registering their interest.