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We continue to make solid progress in LEDS and remain confident, based on the current trajectory, that LEDS will deliver parity with the PNC within the timescales required to enable to the PNC to be decommissioned as scheduled.

It was confirmed to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the LEDS programme is confident that it will not have to use this ultimate fall-back mitigation (contingency) option.  However, the progression of a contingency option is operationally and commercially prudent to ensure the continued provision of a key piece of critical national infrastructure. By not undertaking this engagement, we would fail in our due diligence, and it would be remiss of us not to have a contingency option for the continued service continuity of PNC if the LEDS trajectory were to change and we needed to execute the contingency option.

It is important to note, whilst the PNC remains supported until March 2026, and LEDS is designed and remains on track to enable the PNC to be switched off and to be replaced, we must continue to progress and explore the viability of a contingency option.

It was requested by the PAC that the Home Office should set out for their review, how it will guarantee that police and the law enforcement agencies will be able to access the PNC service until LEDS is ready.

We respect and acknowledge that this may not appear attractive as an opportunity. Through early market engagement, we identified there is an appetite for the opportunity as well as the availability of the relevant market capability and capacity to deliver the contingency option.

Following the Market Engagement event, we completed an RFI process employing a secure data room. We received some informative and helpful responses that we reviewed, both technically and commercially.

Based on our RFI responses analysis we have identified that the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Technology Services 3 (RM 6100) Lot 4 - Major Services Transformation Programmes will be our preferred Route to Market.

We will be issuing an updated PIN and plan to issue an ITT (Invitation to Tender) on the 19th June.

The purpose of this updated communications note is two-fold:

1. To update the market on the progress we are making and
2. To facilitate the opportunity for you to start mobilising teams and to engage and engineer collaboration activity with other suppliers where you are not represented on RM6100 Lot 4 but would be interested in taking part in the Further Competition as part of a partnering approach.

Our next communication relating the Further Competition for the PNC Service Continuity will be via a PIN and then via the issue of an ITT via RM6100 Lot 4 and to all suppliers on this Framework.

The Further Competition would be run via a Secure Data Room (as we did with the RFI) so we will be requesting email contact details in due course to ensure we set this up in advance any Further Competition. Furthermore, we will require that a specific NDA and Security Aspect Letter (SAL) are signed and returned to us ahead of any Further Competition so that the respective supplier email details can added into the Secure Data Room.