Mobile and Data Validation Technology for UK Price Data Collection

The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) is seeking technology solutions to support its Local Price Collection programme, which gathers approximately 100,000 prices monthly from 141 locations to calculate key economic indicators including the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Consumer Price Index including housing costs (CPIH), Household Costs Indices (HCIs), and Retail Price Index (RPI). ONS is conducting preliminary market engagement to understand available technology capabilities before developing a future operating model that may combine in-house and outsourced data collection services. ONS is interested in two primary technology capabilities: 1. Mobile Data Collection: A mobile application enabling field collectors to capture price, product, and metadata information on iOS devices (Android support also of interest). The solution must support offline collection, local validation, single sign-on integration, and secure transmission of data. ONS seeks to understand whether existing market solutions can be deployed or require configuration, customisation, or bespoke development. 2. Data Validation and Consistency Checking: Technology to validate and quality-check collected information before transfer to downstream ONS systems. Solutions can be deployed within Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Google Cloud Platform (GCP) environments, utilising Python, Terraform, GitHub, and platform-specific services. Data interfaces must support secure transfer through APIs and agreed mechanisms. Suppliers may provide either or both capabilities. This engagement aims to clarify market solutions available, implementation timescales (from contract award through parallel operational readiness), principal development stages, and any ONS dependencies that could affect delivery.