Seven suppliers selected for UK's £500m public-sector voucher framework

Seven suppliers have been selected for the voucher lot of the UK's Payment Solutions 3 framework, putting specialist gift-card distributors alongside larger payment and rewards businesses in line for public-sector orders. The Government Commercial Agency published its award decision on September 21. [S01] The voucher lot carries an estimated value of £500 million excluding VAT. That is a framework estimate, not revenue awarded to the seven companies. The notice also warns that lot values can be shared across the framework's other categories. [S01] Who has been selected Supplier named in the voucher award notice Blackhawk Network EMEA Limited Evouchers Ltd Huggg Limited Opia Limited PayPoint Network Limited Prezzee UK Limited Reward Gateway (UK) Ltd Source: the official Lot 3 award decision. [S01] October 1 is the earliest date the contract can be signed. The proposed term runs from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2030. Supplier selection should therefore not be confused with evidence that new contracts are already operating. [S01] Public purchasing is the commercial prize Government Commercial Agency is the public procurement body responsible for the agreement. It is an executive agency of the Cabinet Office , bringing together the former Crown Commercial Service and several central commercial teams in April 2026. [S08] Payment Solutions 3 replaces Payment Solutions 2. Its voucher category covers schemes supplying closed-loop vouchers, meaning gift cards redeemed by their issuing retailers. Central government and the wider public sector are the intended buyers. The framework brings those requirements into an established purchasing route instead of leaving each organisation to start supplier selection from scratch. [S02] The commercial opportunity is access to those buying decisions. A place on a framework can help a distributor reach customers with recurring administrative needs, but subsequent purchasing determines whether that opportunity becomes business. The distinction is particularly important for gift cards: the value distributed to recipients and the supplier's earnings from providing that service are different measures. The suppliers compete on administration, too The businesses involved already sell more