The Government Commercial Agency (GCA) (formerly the Crown Commercial Service) has launched Payment Solutions 3, a new open framework agreement with a total estimated value of up to £16,200,000,000 (including VAT) over four years. The agreement reference is RM6383.
This framework replaces Payment Solutions 2 (RM6248), which runs until October 2026. It covers commercial card and digital payment solutions, prepaid cards, and vouchers, giving public sector organisations across the UK (and internationally) a compliant route to procure these services. The submission deadline is 8 May 2026, with the framework estimated to go live on 1 October 2026.
If you are a payment solutions, fintech, or financial services provider considering whether to bid, contact Thornton & Lowe today. We can quickly assess whether RM6383 aligns with your capabilities and what a competitive submission requires.
Key facts
- Agreement reference: RM6383 (Payment Solutions 3)
- Authority: Government Commercial Agency (GCA, formerly CCS)
- Type: Open framework agreement (Procurement Act 2023)
- Total value: Up to £16,200,000,000 including VAT
- Lots: 3 (Commercial Cards & Digital Payments; Prepaid Cards; Vouchers)
- Geographic scope: UK, Europe, international
- Framework dates: 1 October 2026 to 1 October 2030
- Submission deadline: 8 May 2026
Why Payment Solutions 3 matters
This framework sits in an important part of the public sector market. Buyers need payment solutions that are compliant, easy to manage, well controlled and practical to deploy across different use cases. Payment Solutions 3 is built around that need, covering payment cards for business purchases as well as prepaid cards and vouchers. The GCA also positions it as a faster compliant buying route, with annual rebates available to lot 1 customers and support for government prompt payment policy.
The open framework model matters too. Unlike a traditional framework, an open framework can be reopened during its life, allowing new suppliers to join and existing suppliers to refresh their offer. In a market like payments, where features, controls and delivery models continue to develop, that structure is a much better fit than a static agreement.
What buyers will use Payment Solutions 3 for
At a practical level, this agreement gives buyers access to three types of solution: procurement cards for buying common goods and services, including travel; prepaid cards; and voucher solutions. It is also designed to support users who may not have access to traditional payment methods, alongside online management information for real-time monitoring and control.
That gives the framework a wide range of potential uses across central government and the wider public sector. Depending on the buyer, that could include:
- routine staff purchasing
- travel spend
- tightly controlled prepaid disbursement
- voucher-based support schemes
The common thread is control, visibility and ease of use.
Framework structure: the three lots explained
RM6383 is structured across three lots:
- Lot 1 – Commercial Cards and Digital Payments: The largest lot by value, estimated at approximately £13.2 billion (including VAT). A multi-supplier lot for commercial card products accessible to UK central government and wider public sector organisations. Lot 1 customers benefit from annual rebates based on spend and guaranteed supplier payment within three working days under the government's prompt payment policy.
- Lot 2 – Prepaid Cards: Estimated at approximately £2.4 billion (including VAT). Multi-supplier provision of prepaid card solutions for central government and wider public sector use.
- Lot 3 – Vouchers: Covers voucher solutions for public sector buyers. Value not separately stated in current notices.
Suppliers may bid for one or more lots. Given the scale of Lot 1, it will attract the most competition, but Lots 2 and 3 also represent substantial commercial opportunities for specialist providers.
Lot 1: Procurement Cards
Lot 1 covers procurement cards and is likely to be the headline lot for many suppliers. This is where buyers can access card-based solutions for common goods and services, backed by features such as annual rebates and prompt payment support. It is likely to attract strong interest because it sits close to established public sector purchasing behaviour and gives buyers a familiar route with added control.
For suppliers, lot 1 is about much more than issuing cards. Buyers will want confidence in onboarding, reporting, spend controls, user management and ongoing support. The stronger bids here are likely to be the ones that show not just product availability, but a clear operating model for public sector customers.
Lot 2: Prepaid Cards
Lot 2 focuses on prepaid cards, giving buyers an alternative to cash payments while retaining control over where and how funds are used. This is a strong opportunity for specialist providers that understand controlled disbursement, merchant restrictions, fraud management and user support.
For many buyers, the appeal here is straightforward. They want a practical way to issue funds without losing visibility or governance. Suppliers that can demonstrate secure delivery, effective controls and good support should see lot 2 as a credible opportunity rather than a secondary add-on.
Lot 3: Vouchers
Lot 3 covers vouchers. Voucher provision can look simpler on paper, but buyers will still care about fulfilment, control, support and the quality of the overall user experience. That creates room for providers with a strong delivery network and a reliable operating model, especially where voucher-based support is already part of their offer.
This lot should be taken seriously by specialist providers. It may not carry the same perception as procurement cards, but for the right supplier it can still be a very good fit.
Is Payment Solutions 3 right for SMEs?
This is not a framework that only suits the biggest brands. Because it is split across procurement cards, prepaid cards and vouchers, there is clear room for focused providers with strength in one part of the market. A supplier does not need to be everything to everyone to have a credible place here. It needs a clear fit, a dependable offer and evidence that it can support public sector customers well.
That should be encouraging for fintechs, prepaid specialists, voucher providers and payment businesses with a strong product niche. Public sector buyers are looking for solutions that work in practice, with strong controls, useful management information and reliable service. Suppliers that can show those strengths clearly should not rule themselves out too early.
The strongest SME bids are usually the ones that stay close to genuine capability. A focused, well-evidenced submission against the right lot is often much more persuasive than a broader bid that stretches beyond real experience.
What makes a strong Payment Solutions 3 bid?
A strong bid will need to do more than describe the product. It needs to show how that product performs in a public sector setting.
That means explaining how the solution supports control, monitoring, implementation, user support and reporting. Buyers are unlikely to be won over by generic claims alone. They will want a clear sense of how the service works day to day, how easy it is to roll out, what management information they receive and how issues are handled when they arise. The framework summary itself places clear emphasis on supply and maintenance, real-time management information, and support for practical public sector use cases.
Suppliers should also think carefully about the commercial story. Faster compliant buying, annual rebate potential for lot 1, prompt payment support, and spend controls are all buyer-facing benefits that deserve more than a passing mention in responses. Indeed, they are part of what makes the framework attractive in the first place.
What suppliers should focus on now
The first step is choosing the right lot strategy. For some businesses, that will mean concentrating on one lot where the fit is strongest. For others, it may make sense to bid across more than one area. Either way, the decision should be based on genuine capability rather than optimism alone.
The second step is building the evidence early. This is the kind of framework where strong bids are likely to be evidence-led. Suppliers should be ready to show how their solution works in practice, how it is managed, how support is delivered and what outcomes buyers can expect.
The third step is to think beyond compliance. Compliance matters, but it is only part of the job. The stronger submissions are usually the ones that translate technical features into clear public sector benefits.
Five things to remember
- Cyber Essentials Plus is mandatory: The procurement explicitly requires Cyber Essentials Plus certification. If you are not yet certified, begin the process immediately; it typically takes six to twelve weeks and may require technical changes to your systems.
- Carbon Reduction Plan required: Suppliers must submit a Carbon Reduction Plan in line with PPN 06/21, including baseline emissions data and clear reduction targets.
- Know the Procurement Act 2023 context: This is one of the first major open framework procurements run under the new Act. Familiarise yourself with how the open framework model differs from traditional frameworks, particularly around future entry points and compliance obligations.
- Articulate scalability and security: Given the public sector client base and international scope of Lot 1, buyers need confidence in your ability to manage volume, currency compatibility, and data security at scale.
- Review the full ITT documentation: The GCA's requirements for each lot will differ. Do not assume that meeting Lot 1 requirements automatically qualifies you for Lots 2 or 3; review each specification carefully.
Full documentation is available via the official Find a Tender notice, and further details are published on the GCA agreements page.
How Thornton & Lowe can help
At Thornton & Lowe, we support suppliers bidding for major public sector frameworks by helping them sharpen their strategy, strengthen their evidence and build responses that are both compliant and persuasive. For Payment Solutions 3, that means helping businesses identify the right lot fit, present their offer clearly and show why their solution works for public sector buyers.
This is especially valuable for specialist providers. A focused payment business can be very competitive on a framework like this, but only if its strengths are presented in the right way. That often means turning technical features into a clear commercial and operational story that buyers can trust.
Bidding for Payment Solutions 3?
Payment Solutions 3 is a major public sector framework with real long-term value. It gives buyers access to procurement cards, prepaid cards and vouchers through an open framework structure that is better suited to a changing payments market. With an estimated value of £13.5 billion excluding VAT and a four-year term, it is a serious opportunity for suppliers with a strong fit. For the right provider, this is not just a framework to watch. It is one to prepare for properly.
Thornton & Lowe has experience supporting fintech and financial services providers through complex, high-value public sector framework bids. Contact us for an honest assessment of your position and targeted bid support.
