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Despite soaring demand, only 10% of providers offer digital wallet solutions. With £826M invested since 2015, the market is primed for disruption. The public sector is no exception, will procurement leaders embrace this shift?

💡 Good to Know

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🔍 Today’s Focus:

• Networking Buzz – Breakfast with local leaders, London startup socials & VC pitch events.

• Daily Spend Watch – £620M awarded; infrastructure & healthcare dominate.

• Opportunity Picks – £17.75M geospatial analytics contract up for grabs.

• News & Tech – UK’s first homegrown rocket, AI-powered business tools & Royal Navy upgrades.

• Tip of the Day – Engage community stakeholders early for procurement success.

Let’s dive into the details👇

DAILY SPEND WATCH

📊 Public Sector Spending Analysis: Contracts Finder Report January 28, 2025

Market Analysis

Total awarded: £620M across 260 contracts.

On January 28, 2025, contract awards demonstrated strong momentum in infrastructure development and healthcare modernization. The high average contract value suggests a preference for consolidated service providers. The construction sector dominated the day's awards, indicating significant public sector investment in building projects. Healthcare spending remained robust, while digital transformation continued as a priority. Notable trend towards larger, more comprehensive contracts rather than smaller specialized ones.

OPPORTUNITY PICKS

Transformative Geospatial Analytics & Remote Monitoring Service (GAS) for RPA

Opportunity Overview

• Value: £10.25M - £17.75M over 10 years (2025-2035)

• Client: Rural Payments Agency (RPA)

• Core Need: Advanced geospatial analytics solution for monitoring and risk assurance in farming programs

• Closing Date: 11 March 2025, 10 AM

💡 Winning Strategies: Beyond Monitoring, Predictive Risk Intelligence

Rather than just providing satellite-based monitoring, propose an AI-powered predictive risk model. By leveraging machine learning on past fraud cases, weather patterns, and crop growth cycles, your solution could anticipate potential risks before they happen - giving RPA an early intervention advantage. This transforms the service from reactive compliance checking to a proactive risk prevention tool, making your bid stand out.

NEWS 

🚀 UK Launches First Homegrown Rocket!

Britain just dropped £20M on Prime, the first UK-built & launched orbital rocket! Taking off from Scotland’s SaxaVord in late 2025, this green rocket runs on bio-propane and boosts jobs, economy & space dominance. With the UK eyeing a slice of the $50B satellite market, the future looks stellar!

🌳 Regenerative Farming at Newhouse Farm

Newhouse Farm, Hampshire, planted 12.2ha of woodland to cut carbon & boost biodiversity. Funded by £66K capital + £72K maintenance grants, it's set to capture 4,352 tonnes CO₂e over 100 years. Agroforestry fuels their meat box scheme, adding future apple sauce & cider. Lessons learned: Seek early advice, plan for wildlife impact & think long-term!

⚓ Royal Navy Combat Systems Upgrade

BAE Systems wins a £285M contract to upgrade Royal Navy warship combat systems, boosting threat detection & response. Supports 200+ UK jobs across Filton, Dorchester, New Malden, Frimley & Portsmouth. Project RECODE enhances situational awareness & weapon control. Strengthens UK defence & industry, aligning with the Defence Industrial Strategy.

TECHNOLOGY

🧠 Sense 3.0: AI assistant connecting all company tools & knowledge

🎙️ Bulletpen: AI app converting speech to polished written content 

📊 Basedash: AI-powered BI platform for natural language data visualization

TIP OF THE DAY

Collaborate with Community Stakeholders

Engage Early: Involve community members and organizations in the procurement planning phase.

Identify Local Needs: Conduct surveys or focus groups to understand community challenges and priorities.

Tailor Strategies: Adjust procurement approaches based on stakeholder input to maximize social impact.

Quick Question!

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