National Parking Platform (NPP)

Overview

The National Parking Platform (NPP) aggregates parking service providers and facilitates the use by consumers of a wide range of payment providers when parking at locations operated by Birmingham City Council. The platform enables motorists to pay for parking using their preferred parking application and provides a common interface between Birmingham City Council and participating parking payment providers. Under the agreement, the National Parking Platform Limited provides access to and operation of the National Parking Platform, associated integration services and ongoing platform support. The contract provides for reciprocal consideration of £1 between the parties with no other fees payable by either party under the agreement. The National Parking Platform Limited is currently the only organisation operating the National Parking Platform and is the recipient of intellectual property and associated assets developed through the Department for Transport's National Parking Platform programme. Birmingham City Council considered that a direct award was justified pursuant to section 41 and Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023. Birmingham City Council awarded this contract by way of a direct award pursuant to Section 41 and Schedule 5, Paragraph 6 (Single Supplier) of the Procurement Act 2023. The Council determined that NATIONAL PARKING PLATFORM LIMITED was the only organisation capable of providing access to, operating and supporting the National Parking Platform, including the associated integration services required to enable interoperability between the Council's parking estate and participating parking payment providers. The Council's assessment concluded that only NATIONAL PARKING PLATFORM LIMITED held the necessary rights, assets, intellectual property and operational control of the National Parking Platform necessary to deliver the required services. On this basis, the Council relied upon the single supplier direct award ground available under Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023. Following award, the Council undertook a review of the procurement file and associated transparency requirements. Information relating to the award, including details of the supplier, contract value, contract term and the justification supporting the procurement approach, was published through Contracts Finder in order to promote transparency and provide visibility of the award decision. To further enhance transparency and maintain a complete procurement record, the Council is publishing this Contract Details Notice. Publication of this notice provides additional visibility of the contract arrangement and the basis upon which the award decision was made. This notice is published in the interests of openness, transparency and good procurement governance and does not alter the underlying procurement decision. The Council retains a documented procurement justification supporting reliance on the single supplier direct award provisions and remains satisfied that the procurement represented an appropriate and proportionate means of securing continued access to the National Parking Platform and associated services. The publication of this Contract Details Notice is intended to provide a clear and comprehensive record of the contract and to further mitigate any residual transparency risk associated with the award.