Project Zora - Universal Credit Microservices Transition
Summary
The Department for Work and Pensions has published a pipeline notice for Project Zora, a strategic programme to decompose the Universal Credit monolithic application into a microservices architecture. The estimated contract value is between £20 million and £35 million over a 3-year period (November 2026 to October 2028, with possible extension to October 2029). The notice prioritises participation from SMEs and VCSEs and will be conducted via DWP's e-procurement system Atamis.
What changed
DWP has published a pipeline notice for Project Zora, which aims to transform the Universal Credit service from a monolithic application architecture to a modern microservices-based system. The programme seeks to improve sustainability, agility, and resilience while reducing interdependencies and enabling faster, safer changes. Estimated contract value is £20-35 million with an estimated 3-year term. The notice has been amended to reduce the contract term from 4 years to 3 years total.\n\nTechnology companies with expertise in digital transformation, cloud architecture, and software engineering may wish to monitor future notices for registration details. The procurement is open to SMEs and VCSEs, with delivery expected across multiple UK regions including London, the South East, and the North West.
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Apr 18, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Pipeline
UC Project Zora - Application Decomposition & Microservices Transition
- Department for Work & Pensions UK1: Pipeline notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types
Notice identifier: 2026/S 000-035414
Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0685ce
Published 18 April 2026, 6:15am
Last edited 18 April 2026, 6:18am
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- 18 April 2026, 6:18am (this version)
- 18 April 2026, 6:15am
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Contents
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Changes to notice
This notice has been edited. The previous version is still available.
Amending the contract term from 4 year total to 3 years total inclusive of extension period
Scope
Reference
C9793
Description
Project Zora is a strategic programme within the Department for Work and Pensions’ Working Age Services portfolio, focused on improving the sustainability, agility and resilience of the Universal Credit service. It addresses the constraints of a long‑standing monolithic application estate to enable more responsive delivery of policy change, user needs and future service evolution.
The programme will progressively decompose elements of the Universal Credit application into more modular, loosely coupled components aligned to a modern, microservices‑based architecture. This includes re‑architecting systems and supporting capabilities to reduce interdependencies, improve deployment flexibility, and enable faster, safer change while maintaining continuity of service.
Through this transformation, Project Zora aims to establish reusable platform and service capabilities that can be iterated over time and support wider Working Age Services objectives. Delivery is expected to require specialist digital, engineering and delivery expertise across analysis, design, build and transition activity, with a clear focus on managing operational risk, supporting user‑centred outcomes and delivering long‑term value for money.
Estimated total contract value (inclusive of optional extension period) is between £20,000,000 and £35,000,000
Please note, that all key decisions including final programme title, budgets, contract length and dates are yet to be approved through internal governance and therefore may change. The procurement will be conducted via DWP’s e-procurement system Atamis. Further information on registering an interest in this procurement will be provided in future notices.
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2028
- Possible extension to 31 October 2029
- 3 years
Main category
Services
CPV classifications
Software programming and consultancy services
Contract locations
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Procedure
Procedure type
Award under framework
Above or below total value threshold
Above or equal to threshold
Contracting authority
Department for Work & Pensions
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PJCP-7274-TLRQ Caxton House, 6-12 Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA
London
SW1H 9NA
United Kingdom
Contact name: DWP Commercial Team
Email: cddigital.ucwa@dwp.gov.uk
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
Named provisions
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