Product Journey Engine (PJE) Development and Configuration Services

Post Office Limited ("POL") is undertaking the "Horizon Replacement Services" transformation programme to replace the legacy Horizon IT system used across its branch network. The programme was procured via a competitive flexible procedure published on Find a Tender (procurement identifier OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-050efb) and comprises two lots:

As part of the programme, POL has identified a requirement for Escher's proprietary Product Journey Engine ("PJE") - a standalone, independently licensable software module incorporating Escher's proprietary framework, tools and a library of postal-retail customer journeys, comprising three journeys preconfigured for mail-related transactions, a further ten journeys to be configured by Escher, with the remaining journeys to be configured by POL. The PJE is required to enable complex transactions to be configured, adapted and deployed rapidly within POL's architecture and broader transformation programme.

This notice relates specifically to the Year 1 development and configuration of the PJE (estimated value £12,000,000). POL has awarded this contract directly to Escher under section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023. The separate PJE licence (Years 1-7) and Year 2 support elements are intended to be procured via POL's existing call-off arrangements under Crown Commercial Service framework RM6098 (Technology Products and Associated Services 2) and are not the subject of this notice.

POL considers that a direct award is justified because Escher is the sole owner of the intellectual property, source code, technical know-how and development capability in respect of the PJE.