TL;DR
Fujitsu has been named on a UK framework worth up to £984 million after a tender run by SSEN Transmission, even though the company pledged not to bid for new government contracts while the Post Office Horizon inquiry continues. The supplier says its inclusion covers work for existing customers and does not breach its voluntary pause.
What happened
Documents published at the end of December show Fujitsu won places on two lots of a digital services framework organised by SSEN Transmission, a trading name for Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission. The procurement, which launched in June 2025, is treated as conducting government business under the Procurement Act 2023 despite being let by a private-sector company. That outcome comes after Fujitsu told the UK government’s commercial arm in January and February 2024 that it would pause bidding for new central government contracts while the statutory inquiry into the Post Office Horizon system runs. Fujitsu’s public comments indicate it considers the framework appointment compatible with that commitment because it supports potential extensions or rebids with existing customers. The company has previously defended continuing in other procurements, including a £125 million Northern Ireland land registry contract awarded in April last year.
Why it matters
- Raises questions about how voluntary moratoria on public-sector bidding are interpreted and enforced.
- Shows private-sector-led procurements can be legally treated as government business under the Procurement Act 2023.
- Highlights continuing reputational and commercial consequences for suppliers tied to high-profile IT failures such as Horizon.
Key facts
- The framework has an indicative total value of up to £984 million across all suppliers.
- Fujitsu secured places on two lots of the SSEN Transmission digital services framework.
- The tender for the framework launched in June 2025; related documents were published in late December 2025.
- SSEN Transmission is the trading name of Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission; the framework was organised by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).
- Procurement Act 2023 governs the process and treats the SSEN arrangement as conducting government business.
- Fujitsu told the government in January–February 2024 it would pause bidding for work with new government customers while the Post Office inquiry is ongoing; a letter dated February 6, 2024 reiterated that position.
- Fujitsu says its inclusion on the framework supports extensions or rebidding with existing customers and therefore falls within the terms of its voluntary pause.
- Fujitsu previously won a £125 million contract to build Northern Ireland’s land registry in April 2025 despite the moratorium.
- Horizon was developed by ICL (majority-owned by Fujitsu in the 1990s and fully acquired in 1998); from 1999 to 2015 roughly 736 subpostmasters were wrongfully prosecuted in cases linked to Horizon.
- A statutory inquiry into the Horizon prosecutions began in 2021; early findings have suggested that around 13 suicides may be linked to the prosecutions.
What to watch next
- Whether the UK government or contracting authorities issue guidance or restrictions clarifying how voluntary bidding moratoria should be applied to frameworks and privately let procurements.
- Any formal challenge, review or change to Fujitsu’s positions on frameworks and ongoing contracts as the Post Office statutory inquiry proceeds.
- not confirmed in the source: Whether Fujitsu’s places on this framework will lead to new work being awarded before the inquiry concludes.
- not confirmed in the source: Whether contracting parties or ministers will reopen or cancel the framework appointments.
Quick glossary
- Framework agreement: A procurement arrangement that pre-approves suppliers and sets terms so buyers can call off contracts without running a full tender each time.
- Procurement Act 2023: Recent UK legislation that sets legal rules for public procurement and can govern how certain contracts are treated.
- Statutory inquiry: A formal public investigation established by government with powers to take evidence and publish findings.
- EPOS: Electronic point-of-sale system, combining sales terminals with back-end processing for finance and stock management.
Reader FAQ
Did Fujitsu win places on a government-related framework despite saying it would pause bidding?
Yes. Documents show Fujitsu was named on a digital services framework run by SSEN Transmission after it had committed to a bidding pause.
Is the SSEN framework legally considered government business?
According to the published reporting, the framework is treated as conducting government business under the Procurement Act 2023.
Did Fujitsu say its actions breached its own moratorium?
Fujitsu has argued the framework appointments relate to existing customer work and therefore do not violate its voluntary pause.
How many subpostmasters were affected by the Horizon prosecutions?
The source reports around 736 subpostmasters were wrongfully prosecuted between 1999 and 2015.
PUBLIC SECTOR Fujitsu scores place on £984M UK government framework despite bid boycott Turns out the voluntary pledge to restrict public sector tendering during Horizon scandal inquiry has loopholes Lindsay…
Sources
- Fujitsu scores place on £984M UK government framework despite bid boycott
- Fujitsu scores place on £984M govt framework
- Fujitsu 'not a parasite' for profiting over Post Office Horizon …
- Fujitsu boss rejects MP's claim firm is 'a parasite on the …
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