Tenders/Provision of the UK Tobacco Track and Trace System

Provision of the UK Tobacco Track and Trace System

HM Revenue & Customs

Published: Oct 14, 2026

Updated: Oct 15, 2026

About This Opportunity

This is a services contract in the information and communication technology, trade and industry and legal services sectors, with a focus on Legislative Drafting. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums.

Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for services in the information and communication technology sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. This is an advance notice — the formal tender is expected to be published shortly. Interested parties can use this time to prepare documentation and identify potential partners.

Description

HMRC intend to award a concession contract to a single supplier for the United Kingdom's Tobacco Track and Trace system, in support of the World Health Organization Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. The UK currently has a supplier providing services to enable the continued tracking and tracing of tobacco products manufactured in or imported into the UK. The existing contract is expected to expire at the end of October 27, and HMRC intends to appoint a supplier to deliver the service on a replacement basis. The purpose of this Notice is to alert interested parties and gain interest. The intention is to award a concession contract with an anticipated duration of up to five years. The UK ratified the WHO Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products in 2018. The Protocol requires parties to implement an effective traceability system for tobacco products manufactured in or imported into their territory, taking account of regional specific requirements and international best practice. The UK system operates as a standalone national system and must also support specific arrangements for Northern Ireland in accordance with the Northern Ireland Protocol. The provider's main responsibilities are expected to include delivery of an end to end Tobacco Track and Trace service, including: - an ID issuer service, to ensure tobacco products manufactured in or imported into the UK are assigned a unique identifier; and - a data routing and repository service, to securely receive, validate, store and make available traceability data relating to tobacco products, accessible to HMRC and other authorised authorities. The service is expected to operate at national scale, support high volume transactional data, and meet applicable UK and international legislative requirements. The contract will be awarded under a concession model, with costs recovered from industry users rather than HMRC. HMRC may refine and further define the detailed requirements during the procurement process, including operational, technical, performance, security, and transition arrangements.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on October 14, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 097116-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About HM Revenue & Customs

HM Revenue & Customs has issued 87 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 6 currently open and 52 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Information & Communication Technology, Governance & Public Administration, and Finance & Banking. All notices are published for United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK FTS - Find a Tender Service. Most recent publication: October 15, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

What type of contract is this?

This is a Services contract in the Information & Communication Technology sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 097116-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by HM Revenue & Customs in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.