Trade Remedies Authority - Future Data Commercial Strategy - Early Engagement Questionnaire

The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) exists to defend the UK against unfair international trade practices. We investigate whether trade remedies are needed to prevent injury to UK industries caused by unfair trading practices or unforeseen import surges, and we make recommendations on appropriate measures to defend UK economic interests.

The Trade Remedies Authority is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Business and Trade.

The TRA currently has access to several databases on company data, international trade flows, and market data on commodities, which is sourced from existing commercial agreements with 3rd party information providers or via open source: https://www.trade-remedies.service.gov.uk/public/cases/?cookie-policy-updated=1.

Feedback from our case teams have identified the following gaps in how we can access data:

Specificity: TRA investigations focuses on very specific commodities and imported goods. These are usually defined at the 10-digit commodity code level. We have found that either the raw data or the tools provided often don't provide the sufficient granularity required.

Scope: The TRA may be asked to investigate a wide range of products. While many of our investigations focus on metals, our investigations have ranged from rainbow trout to e-bikes.

Time sensitivity: Although TRA investigations can last up to 18 months, the pulling of appropriate third-party data and building small tables and/or reports is sporadic and concentrated in specific parts of the overall investigation. Hence our need for data is very targeted and time sensitive. Long term access to data is not necessary.

This Early Engagement Questionnaire is to understand the view of the market in terms of whether there are potential data solutions available to the TRA that can meet our needs set out above, including costings and feasibility. Information gathered from this questionnaire will feed into refined requirements and to inform a future business case for data procurement.

It should be noted that DBT and TRA makes no commitment to procure these services and may decide to not progress this any further following this engagement with the market. TRA and DBT are not liable for any costs incurred by respondents to this Early Engagement Questionnaire.

DBT and TRA reserves the right to change any information contained within the Early Engagement documentation at any time, and Potential Suppliers rely upon any information provided entirely at their own risk.

The deadline for any responses will be the 12th July 2024 at 17:00, please send the completed Early Engagement Questionnaire to CommercialDDaT@businessandtrade.gov.uk.