Trader Support Service Programme contract extension Accounting Officer Assessment Summary
This sets out the main points from the HMRC Accounting Officer's Assessment of a major government programme.
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In September 2024, HMRC’s Accounting Officer undertook a further assessment of the Trader Support Service Programme.
The Trader Support Service (TSS) supports UK businesses by facilitating the submission of traders’ declarations and provides a comprehensive educational offering on customs processes. Following the publication of the Windsor Framework, government committed to providing ongoing support to traders moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the new Windsor Framework arrangements.
TSS was initially procured for two years until 31 December 2022, with the option of extending for two further periods, each of one year. Given the importance of the TSS, both extension periods have been utilised through to December 2024. We have assessed the medium to long-term options for sustaining the TSS and consider that a further one-year extension from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025 is needed to provide continuity and stability for traders as the Windsor Framework continues to be introduced via a phased approach. For the period beyond 2025, we have recently announced that a competitive procurement exercise will be launched for the next phase of the TSS that will deliver ongoing support for traders from 2026 onwards.
The Accounting Officer’s assessment concluded that the programme remains value for money and deliverable.