Implementing and Testing a Single Unique Identifier and Data Standards for Children (Local Authority Operational Alpha Pilot)

The Department for Education (DfE) is procuring up to four Case Management System (CMS) Suppliers to participate in the Alpha phase of the Single Unique Identifier (SUI) programme and the implementation and testing of data standards for Children. The programme forms part of the Government's commitment to improve Multi-Agency Information Sharing (MAIS) and introduce a SUI for children. It will test the use of the NHS Number as a consistent identifier within Children's Social Care (CSC) systems and the adoption of common data and technical standards through existing local authority CMS platforms. The Alpha phase is intended to generate evidence on technical feasibility, implementation effort, onboarding and assurance requirements, operational impacts, delivery costs and supplier readiness to support future national rollout decisions. Suppliers will work with DfE, NHS England and participating local authorities (LA’s) to integrate with the DfE-hosted "Get an Identifier" service, implement agreed data and technical standards, support testing and live operational activity, and provide evidence and lessons learned to inform future policy, technical, operational and commercial decisions. DfE intends to appoint a maximum of four CMS Suppliers through this procurement. Suppliers will be required to recruit and work with participating LA’s, undertake onboarding and assurance activities, implement and test the required functionality within their CMS products, provide reporting and evaluation outputs, and develop indicative assumptions regarding wider deployment, including implementation approaches, costs, timescales and key dependencies. We intend to award contracts for the duration of the Alpha phase, subject to agreement with CMS suppliers and Departmental governance, encompassing implementation, testing, reporting and end-of-Alpha pilot evaluation activities. DfE will use the findings generated through the Alpha to assess the viability, scalability and affordability of wider implementation across the CSC sector. Supplier participation in the Alpha pilot does not guarantee any future contract, procurement opportunity or wider rollout arrangement.