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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).
| Supplier | Identifier | Award Value | Lots Won | Cross-References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QA LIMITED | Procurement ID: PLCZ-7371-DXGG | £3,889,547 | 1 lot Lot 1 | - |
Taken from this notice, not from Companies House. Check the original notice — details change and are not updated here.
This procurement was divided into 1 lots, each awarded separately. 4 bids were received in total.
| Lot | Value | Bids Received | Awarded To | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 Jul 2026 – Jun 2030 | £2,531,920 | 4 | QA LIMITED | active |
Weightings from the notice.
Changes the buyer published to this notice after it first appeared.
Revised total contract value clarification
The clarification period and tender closing date have been extended following a review of the wider programme in response to a significant number of clarification questions received. As part of this review, UKRI is assessing the roles, responsibilities, and interdependencies across the three related contracts. The extension will provide bidders with additional time to consider any clarifications or immaterial updates issued and, where necessary, amend their submissions accordingly.
Updating the submission deadline and time to align with the approved extension.