DCMS Commercial Pipeline - June 2026 · first published 19 June 2026
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has published its indicative 24-month forward look of planned procurement activity, covering contracts expected to start between June 2026 and early 2029. The pipeline lists 27 individual procurements spanning research and evaluation, IT services, professional services, and creative/arts-related work. Of these, the vast majority are explicitly marked "Yes" for suitability for both small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. Most contracts will be let via existing frameworks rather than open competition, so SMEs need to be on the right frameworks to be eligible. Values range from £20,000 to £3,000,000, with most falling well below £1m — a sweet spot accessible to smaller firms. Information is indicative and subject to change.
WHO THIS APPLIES TO
THE ENKII VIEW
This pipeline is a genuine opportunity map for SMEs in research, evaluation, digital, IT managed services, and creative sectors. The preponderance of framework-based routes means that being on the correct Crown Commercial Service (CCS) or other frameworks is effectively a prerequisite for most of these contracts — SMEs not already on relevant frameworks should treat that as urgent. The cluster of four £1.5m research and evaluation contracts (all marked SME-suitable, procedure TBC) starting around June–August 2026 are particularly high-value targets for specialist research firms.
Every rule below quotes the official document verbatim.
The pipeline is an indicative 24-month forward look of potential commercial activity; all information is subject to change. (All procurements listed in the DCMS June 2026 pipeline)
“The DCMS pipeline is an indicative 24-month forward look of potential commercial activity to be undertaken by the department. Information is subject to change.”
Creative Careers Programme Evaluation Partner: £150,000, 12-month framework contract, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 01/06/2026, contract start 30/06/2026. (Ref 104370 — Research and Evaluation, DCMS, from June 2026)
“Creative Careers Programme - Evaluation Partner ... £150,000 ... Framework ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
AI Champion Update (six-part video series for DCMS AI Adoption Summit): £45,000, 12-month framework contract, SME and VCSE suitable, new requirement, procurement start 01/06/2026. (Ref 105044 — Marketing, DCMS, from June 2026)
“AI Champion Update ... This proposed project will seek to deliver a six part video series to support the DCMS AI Adoption Summit ... £45,000 ... Framework ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
Cyber Security Operations Centre (SOC) managed service: £500,000, 24-month framework contract, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 01/06/2026, contract start 19/06/2026. (Ref 104011 — IT Managed/Outsourced Services, DCMS, from June 2026)
“Cyber SOC service ... Procurement for a managed Security Operations Centre (SOC) service ... £500,000 ... Framework ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
DCMS Google Services (Google Cloud Platform, Workspace, Voice, TAM Premium Support): £3,000,000, 12-month framework, NOT suitable for SMEs or VCSEs. (Ref 104200 — IT Managed/Outsourced Services, DCMS, from October 2026)
“DCMS Google Services ... Delivery of Google Cloud Platform, Google Workspace, Google Voice and TAM Premium Support ... £3,000,000 ... No [SME] ... No [VCSE]”
Media Monitoring and Associated Services: £100,000, 24-month framework contract, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 01/06/2026, contract start 30/09/2026. (Ref 104110 — Professional Services, DCMS, from September 2026)
“Media Monitoring and Associated Services ... Media monitoring services and analysis of media coverage ... £100,000 ... Framework ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
Young Futures Hubs Delivery Partner: value TBC, 36-month open procurement, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 15/06/2026, contract start 15/09/2026. (Ref 104995 — Professional Services, DCMS, from September 2026)
“Young Futures Hubs- Delivery Partner ... Young Future Hubs and Local Transformation programme 2026 - 2029 Delivery Partner procurement ... TBC ... Open Procurement ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
Enrichment Enhancement Programme (EEP) Evaluation Partner: £1,125,000, 24-month framework contract, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 15/06/2026, contract start 15/08/2026. (Ref 105031 — Professional Services, DCMS, from August 2026)
“Enrichment Enhancement Programme (EEP)- Evaluation partner ... DCMS is commissioning an evaluation to obtain evidence on the implementation and outcomes of the EEP ... £1,125,000 ... Framework ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
EEP Grant Administrator: £1,000,000, 24-month framework contract, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 15/06/2026, contract start 30/06/2026. (Ref 104996 — Professional Services, DCMS, from June 2026)
“Enrichment Enhancement Programme (EEP)- Grant Administrator ... looking to appoint a Grant administrator to manage the end to end delivery of the Grant competition ... £1,000,000 ... Framework ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
Attendance and engagement at UK sporting, cultural and heritage events research project: £1,500,000, 24 months, procedure TBC, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 30/06/2026. (Ref TBC — Research and Evaluation, DCMS, from August 2026)
“Attendance and engagement at UK sporting, cultural and heritage events and locations ... £1,500,000 ... TBC [procedure] ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
Audience pathways to sources of content and information (UK media consumption and public trust research): £1,500,000, 24 months, procedure TBC, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 30/06/2026. (Ref TBC — Research and Evaluation, DCMS, from August 2026)
“Audience pathways to sources of content and information ... investigate UK media consumption habits and public trust in media ... £1,500,000 ... TBC [procedure] ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
AI adoption across DCMS sectors (creative industries, media, journalism) research project: £1,500,000, 24 months, procedure TBC, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 30/06/2026. (Ref TBC — Research and Evaluation, DCMS, from August 2026)
“AI adoption across different sectors of DCMS ... test what works in driving AI adoption and capability across DCMS sectors, with a focus on creative industries, media, and journalism ... £1,500,000 ... TBC [procedure] ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
Long-term evaluation of a large sporting or cultural event (longitudinal data, causal methods, policy interventions): £1,500,000, 24 months, procedure TBC, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 30/06/2026. (Ref TBC — Research and Evaluation, DCMS, from August 2026)
“A long-term evaluation of a large sporting or cultural event ... improving longitudinal data tracking, advancing methodologies to causally measure intangible impacts ... £1,500,000 ... TBC [procedure] ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
Data Improvement Platform for DCMS Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) team: £900,000, 12-month framework contract, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 30/11/2026. (Ref 104844 — IT Managed/Outsourced Services, DCMS, from March 2027)
“Data Improvement Platform ... Provision of services for Data Improvement Programme/Platform required by the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) team within DCMS ... £900,000 ... Framework ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
M365 Migration (Microsoft 365 services and licence provision): £1,700,000, 12-month framework, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 30/11/2026. (Ref 103982 — IT Managed/Outsourced Services, DCMS, from March 2027)
“M365 Migration ... Migration to M365 Services and Licence Provision ... £1,700,000 ... Framework ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
Quantitative Communications Research (surveys/polling for DCMS Communications team): £750,000, 12-month framework, SME and VCSE suitable, procurement start 30/11/2026. (Ref 103820 — Research and Evaluation, DCMS, from March 2027)
“Quantitative Communications Research ... design and delivery of surveys/polling on behalf of the DCMS Communications team ... £750,000 ... Framework ... Yes [SME] ... Yes [VCSE]”
The majority of contracts will be let via existing frameworks; only the Young Futures Hubs Delivery Partner uses Open Procurement, and four research contracts have procedure listed as TBC. (All procurements in the DCMS June 2026 pipeline)
“Planned Procedure Type ... Framework ... Open Procurement ... TBC”
Contract values in the pipeline range from £20,000 (DSE Assessment Tool) to £3,000,000 (DCMS Google Services); most SME-suitable contracts fall below £1.5m. (All procurements in the DCMS June 2026 pipeline)
“Estimated Contact Value ... £20,000 ... £3,000,000”
This briefing is enkii's interpretation of the official document — the official text always governs.
Source document © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0 via the GOV.UK Content API. enkii tracks every Procurement Policy Note and briefs changes the day they land — see all briefings.